The Patchwork Model
a 20-Year-Old Solution to
Modern Governance Challenges
Dear Sirs of BISQ,
I think we should talk. Today, I’m reaching out to share a governance model conceived in 2005 that addresses a problem decentralized communities face today: how to move from scattered discussion to coherent collective decision-making.
The Problem
Twenty years ago, I observed that mailing lists and forums enabled rich discussion but lacked a critical element—a visual, interactive decision-making layer. Conversations flowed endlessly without transforming into concrete collective action. Today, DAOs and decentralized communities face the same challenge: voting fatigue, low participation, weak consensus, and decisions that pass by slim margins without genuine agreement.
The Patchwork Model
The Patchwork Model is a visual deliberation system where:
Every member appears as a colored square in a dynamic "patchwork"
Green = favorable
Red = contrary
Yellow = abstained
White = considering
Click any square to see that person's reasoning and start a dialogue
Watch the community evolve as peer-to-peer interaction transforms the pattern from chaotic disagreement to harmonious consensus
Decisions emerge not from vote-counting but from genuine convergence through understanding
This isn’t voting. It’s visual deliberation that builds strong agreement, not weak consensus.
Why This Matters for Decentralized Organizations
The Patchwork Model addresses key governance challenges:
Increases participation through gamification and social visibility
Builds stronger consensus by facilitating direct member-to-member dialogue
Creates transparency where every position and its evolution is visible
Reduces governance fatigue by making deliberation engaging rather than tedious
Prevents plutocracy through equal representation (one person = one square)
Preserves nuance that binary yes/no voting destroys
The Vision
In my original writings from 2005, I imagined digital agoras where groups could transform from discordant collections into coherent, powerful actors for social change. I wrote about communities needing not just discussion tools, but tools for the moment of decision that transforms simple exchange of views into something important: an osmosis of ideas. Twenty years later, DAOs are those digital agoras. DAOs are building the future of collective coordination. The Patchwork Model could be the infrastructure that makes coordination truly democratic and deeply human.
About Me
I’m 72, I programmed DEC PDP-8 computers in assembler 50 years ago, as soon as I had access to the Internet, I began an in-depth sociopolitical analysis and conceived several projects, The Patchwork Model is one of them. I’ve spent my life developing ideas for genuine democracy and to interface humans with the powerful technological era.
I’m just a dreamer without a team, working outside the ecosystem needed to develop TPM. I’m sharing this vision with you, in the hope that you can help bring it to fruition. I remain fully committed to contributing in whatever way I can to make this project a reality. If your organization is serious about social exchanges and a governance innovation beyond simply token-weighted voting, I believe we should talk.
Documentation
Full concept and 20-year history: The Patchwork Model - Laboratorio Eudemonia
A single image there shows the essence of the model. Static and dynamic demos are available.
With respect and hope for collaboration,
Danilo D’Antonio
Laboratorio Eudemonia
Val Vibrata, Teramo, Italy
Email: danilo.dantonio@outlook.com
Website: The Patchwork Model - Laboratorio Eudemonia
Some notes on me: http://dda.hyperlinker.org