Governance and Multisigs in Polkadot by Polkassembly

In a recent talk at Polkadot Sub0 2024 Bangkok, Parambir Singh from Polkassembly delved into the intricate world of governance and multisigs within the Polkadot ecosystem. This session provided a comprehensive overview of the evolution of Polkadot’s governance, the current state of multisigs, and the innovations brought forward by Polkassembly to streamline and enhance these processes.

The Evolution of Polkadot Governance

Polkadot’s governance has undergone significant transformations since its inception. Initially, governance involved a semi-centralized structure with a council and a tech committee, which managed one referendum per period. This early stage governance model was suitable for smaller networks but had limitations as the network grew.

Today, Polkadot boasts an advanced governance model known as OpenGov. This model supports multiple tracks for referenda, allowing for greater flexibility and scalability. Key features of OpenGov include:

• Track-level Referenda: Multiple tracks enable handling different types of proposals simultaneously, increasing the network’s capacity for decision-making.
• Guild Delegation: This feature allows users to delegate their voting power to different representatives across various tracks, providing more nuanced and effective governance.
• Support-based Voting: A sophisticated voting system that considers both the support and opposition for proposals, ensuring a balanced and democratic decision-making process.

The Role of Polkassembly in Polkadot Governance

Polkassembly serves as a central hub for governance activities in the Polkadot ecosystem. It provides a user-friendly interface for interacting with the governance process, from viewing proposals to participating in discussions and casting votes. Key functionalities include:

• Proposal Overview: Users can easily access detailed information about each proposal, including its current status, support, and discussion threads.
• Offchain Discussions: Polkassembly facilitates robust community engagement through offchain discussions, allowing for comprehensive debate and deliberation before votes are cast.
• Governance Stats: The platform offers in-depth analytics on governance activities, helping users understand voting patterns, proposal outcomes, and participation levels.

Advancements in Multisigs with Polkassembly

One of the significant pain points in blockchain operations is the management of multisignature (multisig) accounts. Traditional methods for setting up and managing multisigs on Polkadot were cumbersome and often required deep technical knowledge. Polkassembly’s new multisig solution, PokaSafe, addresses these challenges head-on.

Features of PokaSafe

1. Simplified Onboarding: Setting up a multisig account is now a straightforward process involving just a few steps, similar to user-friendly web2 applications.
2. Comprehensive Transaction Management: Users can categorize and label transactions for better accounting and management.
3. Batch Transfers: The ability to execute multiple transfers in a single transaction, reducing complexity and saving time.
4. Cross-Network Integration: PokaSafe supports multisigs that span across substrate-based and EVM-based networks, enhancing flexibility and utility.

Polkassembly Future Directions and Innovations

Polkassembly is continuously evolving to meet the needs of the Polkadot community. Future enhancements include:

• Enhanced Analytics: Upcoming features will offer deeper insights into governance activities across different tracks and referenda.
• Delegate Chat: A new feature that will enable direct communication between token holders and their delegates, fostering greater transparency and accountability.
• Decentralization Efforts: Plans to integrate IPFS and other decentralized technologies to further enhance the robustness and security of governance processes.

Conclusion

Parambir Singh’s presentation at Sub0 highlighted the dynamic and evolving nature of governance within the Polkadot ecosystem. With innovations like OpenGov and PokaSafe, Polkassembly is at the forefront of making decentralized governance more accessible, efficient, and transparent. These advancements not only improve the user experience but also strengthen the overall resilience and effectiveness of the Polkadot network.