Website copy updates

[kirakirawes]

Pattern Library page description

Every piece of software needs some amount of interface, content, and service design. This is no different in decentralization. What is different, however, is that decentralization introduces concepts and scenarios that are diverging from today’s dominant, centralized paradigms. These design patterns are generalizable to protocols, applications, and the user interfaces of decentralized applications.

See something missing? Please propose a new pattern.

Pattern Index page description

(same as above!)

Glossary description

Decentralization introduces a wealth of new concepts, many of which are named and described in different ways across many projects. This causes confusion among early adopters as well as barriers in onboarding new users. We've attempted to capture many of decentralization concepts in this glossary. If you see a term missing or incorrect, please propose a change.

About DOTS

DOTS, short for Decentralization Off The Shelf, is a design project supporting practitioners in decentralization with interface, content, and service design. Our main resource is a library of tried-and-tested design patterns, along with a glossary of terms and a research report detailing the needs and gaps we see in this space.

DOTS is hosted by Simply Secure, a US-based nonprofit supporting the usability of safety and privacy tools. It aligns with Simply Secure's overall mission of creating open design resources for the community. We are actively seeking funding for the development of further resources. You can support us by backing DOTS.

Vision & Mission

Decentralized technologies enable alternative applications that challenge the traditional models: where government and corporate control are causing harm, decentralized technologies have the potential to bring about autonomy, resilience, and equity.

However, there is a significant gap between the protocols that define the decentralization space and the applications that users want to adopt. One of the missing aspects is UX design and testing that could bring decentralized protocols and applications to the next level of adoption.

Our mission is to develop UX components and tools that developers and designers can use to build better user-facing applications backed by decentralized architectures. We do this by producing a library of resources, assets, and design patterns with the help and input of the larger community.

Why Design?

Designers aren't people with special powers to intuit what users want and need. If anything, designers know that they don't know what users want and need, and will go out to investigate. This is how we approach design in decentralization: through a series of hands-on research and testing, we have compiled ideas and best practices for decentralization design.

[okdistribute]

Ok I updated this. Please review @kirakirawes @bumbleblue !

[bumbleblue]

made a first round of changes. right direction?

[kirakirawes]

yes that looks good Eileen!

[okdistribute]

Great work!

[bumbleblue]

@kirakirawes I think you wanted to write the "Why design?" part if I recall correctly? If you add your ideas in bullet points, I can also give it a go!