[DRC] Proposal for dYdXVision: Bridging the Governance Information Gap

Proposals
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Authors: PYOR (Analytics and Research Firm)

Summary

dYdXVision is a proposed biweekly content and research program designed to bridge the information gap between dYdX governance forum activities and social media platforms where most community members are active. This initiative transforms governance discussions, technical updates, and protocol developments into accessible, engaging content including main videos, short-form clips, monthly research reports, and accompanying social posts that inform dYdX token holders about governance activities they would otherwise miss.

Background

There remains a significant information vacuum between governance activities happening within the dYdX forums and social media platforms like X where most community members spend their time. Many dYdX token holders remain unaware of key governance proposals, technical developments, DRC discussions, and important protocol updates because not all token holders regularly check governance forums or attend community calls.

The increasing complexity of dYdX governance decisions, especially with the v4 transition and continued protocol development, requires better information dissemination to ensure token holders can make informed decisions.

Objective

To create engaging, accessible content that transforms existing dYdX governance discussions, proposals, and technical updates into formats that are easier to understand and consume. The focus is on content creation that makes complex governance topics more approachable, thereby enabling dYdX token holders to be better informed about governance activities.

Proposal Details

Parameter: Creation of dYdXVision, a content and research program

Current Value: No formal governance communication program exists that transforms forum discussions into accessible and engaging content

Proposed Value: Implementation of dYdXVision with a 3-month pilot program (9,000 USDC total budget)

Rationale: By transforming complex governance information into accessible, engaging formats, dYdXVision creates content that helps token holders better understand governance activities and decisions. This addresses a critical need as governance complexity increases with v4 transition and continued protocol development. The initiative focuses on content creation about existing governance discussions, not on distribution channels.

Deliverables:

  1. Biweekly Content Package (twice per month):
  • Main Video (1 per package): 5-7 minute in-depth governance explainer video alternating between governance updates, protocol spotlights, technical deep dives, and projects spotlight
  • Short-form Videos (2 per package): 30-60 second clips highlighting key governance concepts and decisions
  1. Monthly Research Report (1 per month):
  • Comprehensive analysis of ongoing proposals
  • Summary of governance activities from the past month
  • Key metrics and insights about governance participation
  • Future outlook and important upcoming votes
  1. Accompanying Social Posts (4 per month):
  • Supplementary content that highlights key governance insights
  • Content focused on explaining complex governance topics in accessible formats

Contributors:

PYOR is an analytics and research firm focusing on governance, established in 2022, with expertise in governance communication and community engagement with decentralized protocols.

Funding Requirements:

Quarterly budget of 9,000 USDC for the 3-month engagement period.

Category Monthly Allocation Details 3-Month Total
Research Writer 1,200 USDC $40/hr Ă— ~30 hrs/month 3,600 USDC
Content Editor 800 USDC $40/hr Ă— ~20 hrs/month 2,400 USDC
Video Production 800 USDC $50/hr Ă— ~16 hrs/month 2,400 USDC
Equipment & Software 200 USDC Camera rental, editing software licenses, graphics 600 USDC
Total 3,000 USDC/month 9,000 USDC

Implementation Timeline:

  • Weeks 1-2 (Preparation): Research existing dYdX governance structures, establish content templates, set up production workflows
  • Weeks 3-4 (Launch): Produce first content package, establish publishing calendar
  • Months 2-3 (Regular Production): Deliver biweekly content packages and monthly research reports
  • End of Month 3: Community feedback call to evaluate impact and discuss potential extension

Impact Assessment

Technical Impact:

  • No direct technical impact on the protocol
  • Positive impact on governance infrastructure through improved communication channels
  • Low risk as this is a content-based initiative that doesn’t modify protocol parameters

Economic Impact:

  • 9,000 USDC cost from treasury for the 3-month pilot
  • Potential positive economic impact through more informed token holder participation in governance decisions
  • Improved governance participation may lead to better economic outcomes for the protocol

Social Impact:

  • Increased awareness and understanding of governance processes among token holders
  • Broader community engagement in governance decisions
  • More inclusive governance by making information accessible to community members who don’t regularly visit governance forums
  • Potential for increased voter turnout and participation in proposals

Voting

Voting on this proposal means determining whether to allocate 9,000 USDC for a 3-month pilot of the dYdXVision program.

By voting YES on this proposal, you agree that implementing dYdXVision would benefit the dYdX community by improving governance communication and engagement, and that 9,000 USDC is a reasonable allocation for this initiative.

By voting NO on this proposal, you disagree that the proposed dYdXVision program justifies a 9,000 USDC allocation at this time.

By voting NO WITH VETO, you disagree with the overall concept of the dYdXVision program.

By voting ABSTAIN, you decline to give an opinion on this proposal.

Conclusion

The dYdXVision proposal offers a structured approach to transform complex governance discussions into engaging, accessible content formats. By creating high-quality educational materials about dYdX governance activities, this initiative aims to increase token holders’ understanding of governance processes and decisions, resulting in a more informed dYdX community. The content strategy focuses specifically on making existing governance discussions more approachable and digestible. The 3-month pilot provides an opportunity to test this approach with clear metrics for success before considering longer-term implementation.

Proof of Work:

  • Compound v3 Deep Dive: This comprehensive explainer breaks down Compound v3’s evolution, architecture, and significance to DeFi lending. The video demonstrates our ability to translate complex protocol mechanics into accessible content for both technical and non-technical audiences.

  • Arbitrum Governance Guide: This governance-focused video explores the Arbitrum DAO structure, operations, and participation methods. It showcases our expertise in breaking down governance systems into understandable components with clear guidance for community members.

  • EigenLayer & Restaking Explained: This educational video breaks down restaking and EigenLayer’s revolutionary approach, covering staking fundamentals, EigenLayer’s three trust pillars, and key advantages. The video demonstrates our ability to transform complex blockchain concepts into accessible, engaging content.

  • Linea Rollup Analysis: This research report examines Ethereum’s fastest-growing zkRollup, highlighting our capacity to track emerging technologies and explain their technical differentiators and market positioning in accessible terms.

Trial Run Offer

Before full implementation, PYOR is prepared to create a sample video based on recent dYdX governance activities at no cost. This would allow the community to evaluate our approach before committing to the full proposal.

Questions for the Community

  1. Is there interest in funding a 3-month pilot of dYdXVision?
  2. Which aspects of dYdX governance would you most like to see covered in video format?
  3. Are there specific changes or additions to the content plan that would make this initiative more valuable to dYdX?
  4. Would a trial video be helpful before making a decision?
1 Like
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Hi PYOR team,

Thank you for putting together such a comprehensive proposal. I’m Mega, and I lead the Governance team at the dYdX Foundation. Alongside the Social Media team, we’re responsible for voter education and for making governance processes as clear and transparent as possible.

We appreciate your initiative to help bridge the governance information gap, as this is an ongoing priority for us as well. Just to share some of what’s currently being done: the Foundation regularly publishes proposal summaries, sends voting reminders, and actively reaches out to validators regarding key proposals, given their role in voting in replacement of delegators.

That said, we wanted to invite you to reconsider the current scope of your proposal to ensure it complements rather than duplicates the Foundation’s ongoing efforts. Additionally, given the short 4-day voting window on the dYdX Chain, a weekly/biweekly update cadence may not always align with the speed at which proposals move through the process.

Lastly, a small note - under the “Trial Run Offer” section, it looks like Saucer Swap is mentioned instead of dYdX. Likely just a copy-paste oversight, but we wanted to flag it for clarity.

We’re always open to collaboration and would be happy to explore whether there’s a way to align efforts toward improving governance engagement across the dYdX ecosystem :slight_smile: thanks!

Best,
Mega

2 Likes
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Thanks for your proposal PYOR team!

As @septiandara has pointed out, the dYdX Foundation already provides (what I consider to be pretty comprehensive) information dissemination through different channels to keep voters in the loop. I’d also be interested in seeing an updated version of this proposal that minimizes any potential duplication of efforts.

I’d also be curious to hear from other community members about their perception of the value of video as a medium for governance information and engagement in general, vs text-based formats. Video can be super helpful at distilling complex concepts, yet at the same time, it’s important to avoid any loss of detail or nuance to ensure people are able to make decisions with an accurate understanding. Even if people may engage less with text-based formats, I feel there is less risk of oversimplification of complex issues in this medium compared to video.

1 Like
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@Joanna7459 @septiandara

Thank you for the feedback. We appreciate your insights as the Governance team lead at the dYdX Foundation.

We understand that comprehensive governance information efforts are already undertaken by the Foundation through proposal summaries, voting reminders, and validator outreach. Our intention is not to duplicate these valuable initiatives but rather complement them with additional research and analysis that we’ve identified could enhance governance transparency. These include delegation tracking metrics (not currently visible on existing dashboard) and voter distribution analytics on a proposal basis and many more.

Proposal Metrics (Missing from Current Dashboard)

  • Detailed DIP tracking with chronological overview, including proposal result and quorum status
  • Overview of proposals by state (passed, rejected, on voting, etc.)
  • Historical trend analysis of proposal voting volume over time

Voting Analytics (Incomplete in the Current Dashboard)

  • Participation rate over time with trend analysis
  • Vote distribution analysis by proposal type
  • Correlation between voter turnout and proposal outcome

Delegation Tracking (Not Visible in Current Dashboard)

  • Percentage of delegated voting power actively participating in governance per proposal
  • History of voting and impact analysis on proposal acceptance rates
  • Comparison of delegate voting patterns and voting consistency

After reading your feedback, we’re refining our approach to deliver monthly comprehensive research reports, in a text based format, similar to our existing work here. These reports maintain the technical integrity of governance processes while providing deeper analysis of participation patterns, delegate behaviors, and proposal outcomes over time.

Regarding the “Trial Run Offer” section mentioning Saucer Swap instead of dYdX - thank you for flagging this oversight. This was indeed an error on our part, and we apologize for the lack of attention to detail. It seems I missed changing the protocol name when sending it to multiple forums.

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Hi Aadarsh, which dashboard are you referring to? Currently dYdX Chain proposal metrics are shown on multiple explorers/dashboards:

It would be great if the metrics that you are proposing are not redundant to what’s already shown there.

I’d also let the broader community discuss whether they find a monthly governance research report beneficial. Thank you!