A comprehensive document curating all experiments with live community agenda/topic games, responding to Tadas's contribution request for "a game to guide discussion during meetings."
Tadas’ Contribution Request: https://hackmd.io/@sim31/meeting-ctrl-cr
Purpose & Context
This document responds to the contribution request for a game that allows meeting participants to signal when to switch topics and prioritize topics during the meeting itself. The request identifies key limitations of Synchronous Respect Trees (SRT) for real-time meeting flow control:
- Context variability: Sometimes participants want broad coverage, other times deep discussion
- Topic dependencies: Some topics need specific ordering regardless of SRT ranking
- Emergent priorities: Urgent issues may arise right before meetings
- Discussion dynamics: Good discussions cannot be precisely planned in advance
- Participant availability: Topics may need postponement if relevant stakeholders aren't present
This compendium documents all prior experiments with live topic selection and switching mechanisms to inform the design of future solutions.
Cagendas: Collaborative Agenda Game
Overview
Cagendas is the foundational collaborative agenda game that lets community members propose and vote for discussion topics. It has been played 75+ times at Eden Fractal since 2022.[1]
Core Mechanics
- Propose a Topic: Create a poll in the community's Snapshot space
- Vote on Topics: Use Respect tokens to vote on polls
- Topic Selection: The topic with the most votes at event time is discussed
Snapshot Spaces
- Optimism Town Hall: snapshot.org/#/optimismtownhall.eth
- OPTOPICS: snapshot.org/#/optopics.eth
Historical Development
- 2022: Cagendas development began at Eden Fractal[1]
- Optimism Fractal Season 3: Council approved Cagendas for Optimism Town Hall[2]
- Eden Fractal implementation proposals developed[3]
Related Documentation
- Tools - The first version of Fractalgram is a fun and innovative telegram web app that makes it easy for communities to play the Respect Game. Fractalgram provides an intuitive interface that makes it easy and delightful for non-technical communities to play fun web3 games and cooperate more effectively! - Main article
- Eden Fractal Cagendas implementation
OPTOPICS: Real-Time Topic Switching System
Overview
OPTOPICS is an enhanced, more interactive version of Cagendas that enables real-time topic switching during events. This directly addresses the contribution request's need for dynamic meeting flow control.[4][5]
Real-Time Switching Rules
- Trigger: Type "next topic" in the Zoom chat
- Effect: Starts a one-minute countdown to switch topics
- Limitation: The person who calls "next topic" cannot propose or veto again for the current topic
- Trigger: Type "same topic" within the one-minute countdown
- Effect: Cancels the topic switch; keeps discussing current topic
- Limitation: The person who vetoes cannot propose or veto again for the current topic
- Trigger: If 50%+ of members with ≥50 Respect agree
- Effect: Any topic can be discussed immediately, bypassing normal queue
- Purpose: Addresses emergent priorities that arise right before or during meetings
Why OPTOPICS?
OPTOPICS provides a more dynamic, interactive structure that allows the community to explore multiple topics based on real-time interest rather than pre-meeting votes alone.[2]
Related Documentation
- Tools - You can learn more about the features and value propositions of the upcoming app by reading this overview, which was written by Vlad. You can view Figma designs for the new app that Vlad is building here and explore a basic wireframe with some of these designs here. Vlad recently built functionality to automatically update community MSIGs based upon respect and is aiming to release the full app by the end of Q2. More details about this automated MSIG functionality are provided below. You can explore the ZEOS developer chat on telegram to learn more about this app.
- Tools - In August of 2023, Vlad shared the newest documentation outlining planned deliverables:
OPTopics Game
Overview
The OP Topics game allowed voting during the event on topics, with some real-time switching capability.
How It Worked
- Topics available for voting during event
- Vote counts updated in real-time
- Participants could manually notify moderator when votes changed
Limitations Identified
- No automatic alerts: System didn't notify moderator when new topic took the lead
- Manual notification required: Relied on participants informing moderator of vote changes
Lessons for Future Design
The OPTOPICS experience highlighted the need for:
- Automatic notifications when topic priority changes
- Clear thresholds for when to switch topics
- Integration between voting system and moderator tools
Emoji Signal Systems (Early Cagendas Iterations)
Concept
Early iterations of live topic switching used emoji reactions as signals:
- Participants could display specific emojis to indicate desire to move on
- Visual signal system for moderators to gauge audience sentiment
- Lower barrier to participation than typing commands
Variations Explored
- Thumbs up/down for topic continuation
- Hand raise emoji to signal desire to speak or switch
- Specific reaction emojis mapped to actions (next topic, same topic, etc.)
Slido Experience: Live Polling Integration
Overview
Slido was explored as a live topic selection system where participants could upvote topics in real-time during events.
How It Worked
- Topics presented as poll options in Slido
- Participants upvote their preferred topics
- Results visible to moderator in real-time
- Allowed dynamic prioritization during events
Limitations Identified
- No Respect token integration: Votes weren't weighted by reputation
- Equal voting power: All participants had same influence regardless of contribution history
- External dependency: Required separate platform from main event tools
Lessons Learned
Slido demonstrated the value of live voting but highlighted the need for reputation-weighted systems that leverage Respect tokens.
Tropics: Notion-Based Topics System
Overview
Tropics was an experiment organizing topics directly in Notion, providing a centralized location for topic proposals and tracking.
Approach
- Topics organized in Notion database
- Visual organization of agenda items
- Integration with existing Notion workflows
- Accessible to all community members with Notion access
Related Documentation
- Agenda and Topics Overview[6]
Vision Quest Game
Overview
Vision Quest is a fast-paced consensus-building game that debuted at Eden Fractal 81. It represents a different approach to community decision-making focused on building shared vision.[7]
Game Context
Part of the Vision Games series developed at Eden Fractal:
- Vision Respect Game
- Idea Upvote Game
- Vision Quest
These games were designed to help the community define and align around shared vision across meetings EF 77-81.[7]
Related Documentation
- Fractal Stories game concept[8]
Fractal Forums
Overview
Factor Forums / Fractal Forums explored structured discussion formats for community decision-making.
Connection to Topic Games
These formats complement topic selection games by providing structured frameworks for how topics are discussed once selected.
Superchain Interop Incubator Research
Cagendas App Development
During the Superchain Interop Incubator, significant research was conducted on building a Cagendas application with cross-chain capabilities.[9]
Key Explorations
- Building a Cagendas app using Snapshot X as the frontend foundation
- Cross-chain voting capability via Superchain Interop
- Foundation for other apps like Coopinions and Higher Order Fractals
- Social media integration with Respect tokens
- Reputation-weighted engagement on Farcaster
- Cross-chain reputation recognition
Comparison: Cagendas vs Cocial
The incubator research compared these approaches:[9]
Aspect | Cagendas | Cocial |
Scope | More focused, clearer boundaries | Broader, more ambitious |
Feasibility | More achievable in timeframe | Higher complexity |
External Dependencies | Fewer dependencies | Requires Farcaster API |
Immediate Utility | Direct governance application | Daily engagement potential |
Related Documentation
- Cocial App
- Superchain Interop Incubator development opportunity documentation
Firehose & Substreams Technology Research
Overview
Research was conducted on using Pinax's Firehose and Substreams technology for real-time topic reflection in applications.[10]
Pinax Capabilities
- Real-time blockchain indexing through Firehose and Substreams
- Enables applications to reflect on-chain data in real-time
- Could power live topic systems where votes are immediately reflected
Potential Applications
- Live topic voting with instant on-chain reflection
- Real-time Respect-weighted vote counting
- Automatic topic switching based on on-chain signals
Related Documentation
Eden+Fractal Legislative Mechanism
Overview
Eden+Fractal represents a legislative consensus mechanism with rolling councils and delegate selection, integrated with ORDAO.
Connection to Topic Games
This governance structure provides the broader framework within which topic selection games operate, ensuring democratic legitimacy of meeting decisions.
Summary: Game Comparison Matrix
Game | Pre-Meeting | During Meeting | Respect-Weighted | Real-Time Switching | Automation |
Cagendas | ✅ Topic proposals | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | Partial |
OPTOPICS | ✅ | ✅ Chat commands | ✅ 50 Respect threshold | ✅ "Next/Same Topic" | ❌ Manual |
Emoji Signals | ❌ | ✅ Visual signals | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ Manual |
Slido | ❌ | ✅ Live upvoting | ❌ | ✅ | Partial |
Tropics | ✅ Notion organization | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
OP Topics | ✅ | ✅ During-event voting | Partial | ❌ No alerts | ❌ Manual |
Vision Quest | ❌ | ✅ Consensus building | ✅ | N/A | N/A |
Key Design Principles from Experiments
What Worked Well
- Chat-based commands (OPTOPICS): Simple, accessible, immediate
- Respect thresholds: Weighting influence by contribution history
- Veto mechanisms: Allowing dissent to prevent premature switching
- Countdown timers: Giving time for objections before switching
Challenges Identified
- Alert systems: Need automatic notifications to moderators
- Integration: Tools often separate from main event platform
- Respect integration: Many tools lack reputation weighting
- Real-time reflection: Delay between votes and visible results
Recommendations for Future Development
Based on this history, an ideal solution would:
- Integrate with Respect tokens for weighted voting
- Use simple chat commands for accessibility
- Provide automatic alerts to moderators
- Include veto mechanisms for minority protection
- Support emergent topics with expedited processes
- Leverage real-time technology (Firehose/Substreams) for instant reflection
- Work within existing platforms (Zoom, Telegram, etc.)
Related Resources
Primary Documentation
- Tools - The first version of Fractalgram is a fun and innovative telegram web app that makes it easy for communities to play the Respect Game. Fractalgram provides an intuitive interface that makes it easy and delightful for non-technical communities to play fun web3 games and cooperate more effectively!
- Tools - You can learn more about the features and value propositions of the upcoming app by reading this overview, which was written by Vlad. You can view Figma designs for the new app that Vlad is building here and explore a basic wireframe with some of these designs here. Vlad recently built functionality to automatically update community MSIGs based upon respect and is aiming to release the full app by the end of Q2. More details about this automated MSIG functionality are provided below. You can explore the ZEOS developer chat on telegram to learn more about this app.
- Tools - In August of 2023, Vlad shared the newest documentation outlining planned deliverables:
- Tools - Edenia Repository
- Cocial App
Snapshot Spaces
Community Channels
- Eden Fractal Telegram: t.me/edenfractal
Event Videos Documenting Evolution
- EF 28, 36, 57, 59, 62: Cagendas development
- EF 76-81: Vision Games and Vision Quest debut
- EF 131-132: Recent implementations
This document will be updated as new experiments are conducted and learnings are gathered.