Emerging Tech

Blockchain Deployment Checklist

• By Sara Friedman
• 03/28/19

See also: Blockchain's Potential for Education

When it comes to using blockchain technology, there are several use cases across all sectors that institutions are interested in. However, some considerations need to be taken into account before jumping into the technology in full force. New America’s Blockchain Trust Accelerator has released a checklist for deploying a blockchain-powered solution in the blockchain sector:

1. Define your challenge, define your solution. Before adopting a blockchain-based solution, know your goal and how blockchain technology will help to achieve it.

2. Prep your data to ensure data to ensure that it is accurate and high quality before moving to the blockchain.

3. Collaborate with partners in order to lower costs, improve outcomes and deliver more powerful solutions for everyone. Identify potential stakeholders and consider inviting them to the party.

4. Think ahead in terms during the design process to address both legacy systems and other frontier technologies.

5. Innovate ethically because privacy is your responsibility.

6. Consider accessibility to ensure marginalized populations still have access.

7. Solve for identity to determine how user identity, biometrics, passwords, government issued IDs and knowledge-based authentication should or could be a part of your solution.

8. Assess risks by anticipating potential pain points between collaborators and carefully weigh the pros and cons of design features like vendor and platform lock-in.

9. Expect to grow and think about how your ultimate goal is to reach full-scale operation as you conduct pilots and proof of concepts.

10. Comply with regulations related to the transfer of financial assets and tokens with monetary value. Engaging with legal counsel can save potential headaches later on in your process.

11. Assume unknown unknowns. Incorporate flexibility into your project timelines to accommodate surprises along the way.

Source: New America’s The Blueprint for Blockchain and Social Innovation https://www.newamerica.org/bretton-woods-ii/blockchain-trust-accelerator/reports/blueprint-blockchain-and-social-innovation/checklist-for-deploying-a-blockchain-powered-solution/