Transfers between ventures

This doc is a deeper reflection and an attempt to model value exchanges between projects within a value network.

Our Material used in this attempt

Use the vocabulary extracted by Bob (open Doc)

Use the Value System doc. Use also other docs in the SENSORICA/INFRASTRUCTURE folder.

Introduction

At this moment there are 3 ways to transfer value from one project to another:

1. Through child-parent relationships between projects.
2. Through relations between resources, which are created by users when they log contributions (Ex. citations, use or consumes).
3. Recipes (to be explored...)

Projects are nodes nodes in a value accounting system. They are the lowest-level structured in which efforts (contributions) can be evaluated. Incentives appear at the project level, where goals appear, therefore the value equation is applied at the project level too.

However, contributions are made to a processes, which uses and creates resources. Resources created by one process can be used within a different process. Processes can belong to different projects, therefore value passes between projects at the resource level.

Projects are modeled as static structures. Value is modeled as flows. Processes belong to the flows: they are transient, come and go, are scheduled to happen and then documented as what did happen. The processes are where the actual value exchanges happen.

For example, the Mosquito project will last a long time. During that time, many Mosquitos will be created by many processes. The designs of the Mosquitos and the methods of making them may change many times, but the Mosquito project will be the context for all of them.

Preliminary considerations

Categories of projects

It is important to separate projects into categories because they can be so different that they need special treatment within the value accounting system. Moreover, different types of projects attract different types of individuals and tend to create specific cultures around them. That can lead to different group decisions in terms of evaluations of contributions and the value equation.

One idea is to categorize projects along the categories of business activities:

• R&D projects - uncertain, high risk, dynamic, chaotic, less structured, high degree of interdependence between them, sometimes the goal is not so clear, can lead to unexpected applications...
• Building - clear goal, less risky if well sourced, well-structured...
• Marketing and sales - ex. developing new markets
• add others...

Papers to get and read

Managing collaborative R&D projects development of a practical management tool