Why magazine and how we pivoted
Why Magazine: Our Evolution
We chose the magazine format as a deliberate commitment to quality and consistency. Unlike a blog—which can start and stop unpredictably—a magazine signals a sustained promise to readers. But the magazine itself was never the end goal. It was the vehicle for something larger: systematically collecting lessons from grassroots projects and eventually distilling them into best-practice guidelines, similar to how PMI's PMP certification standardizes commercial project management.
The underlying insight was behavioral: people naturally choose lower-risk options. Contributing to grassroots initiatives feels riskier than a stable job or casual entertainment. By accumulating and publishing "how-to" lessons, we aimed to reduce that perceived risk and make contribution more accessible and for project aims to be impactful they have a map tells them areas we have been through. We were essentially using public choice theory to reshape the incentive structure—lower the cost of participation, and more people participate.
The First Pivot: Finding a Platform
Our initial vision was a printed or electronic version of a E-Pub files on magazine or E-book platforms. E-Pub files were technically possible but created friction for readers. The user experience for our readership forced us to change our mind. We decided to go for a dedicated website with a polished interface. But development costs made this impossible. We needed a compromise.
