By Bitcoin Revista - hai 4 meses - Tempo de lectura: 13 minutos
Liquidación instantánea: a industria da construción
As I delve deeper into the realm of Bitcoin and the Lightning Network, I am consistently struck by the potential benefits it holds for humanity. The realization of how inefficient and broken our societal structures are due to the limitations of fiat currency becomes increasingly apparent to everyone. While the spotlight often shines on the monetary aspects of Bitcoin, my exploration into the Lightning Network, spurred by my work at Breez and our company's visionary goals, has unveiled an aspect that remains largely unspoken. This hidden gem promises significant benefits for humanity, yet it requires the careful alignment of various building blocks before its full potential can be realized.
I will try to illustrate individual pieces of the vision that I have for changing human behavior through the Lightning Network. Those will be examples of different visions for different industries, how they will be disrupted from their current operations, and ways of delivering the benefits of Lightning to each one. I'm not sure how many industries I'll talk about because the more I think about it, the more I see that it's connected to everything, just like Bitcoin. But I will cover as many as needed so the disruptive potential can resonate with more people.
Descargo de responsabilidade: non son un experto en ningún sector en particular, polo que os exemplos pódense mellorar aínda máis de persoas que son expertos neles. A idea é facer chegar o potencial disruptivo para que a xente poida construír con eles; así que non te preocupes demasiado dos detalles.
Os problemas actuais na construción
First I need to define the problems, inefficiencies, and frictions before going into the disruption and the solution. I will talk about a construction project for a building because it is really easy to grasp for this example. There are a few groups of people in the industry that are relevant for this example: Buyers of the building, Planners (these are the people that are responsible for the visual, functional, structural, and mechanical aspects of the building - Architects, Designers, and Engineers), construction company owners, supervisors, and construction workers. Within the existing system, each of these stakeholders operates with distinct incentives aimed at optimizing individual gains, resulting in a complex interplay of motivations and a partial overlap between them.
The incentives that we will keep in mind are - quality, time, and money.
O comprador quere que o edificio sexa construído coa máxima calidade durante o menor tempo posible polo prezo acordado coa empresa construtora.
Os planificadores crearán os seus planos, pero non lles importa se o edificio está construído en absoluto se reciben diñeiro só por elaborar os planos.
A empresa de construción quere construílo o máis rápido posible polo prezo máis baixo (que moitas veces significa a menor calidade) posible ao prezo acordado.
Os supervisores poderían ser incentivados individualmente en función de bonificacións e sancións da empresa construtora. Se teñen unha penalización por traballos deficientes ese será o seu incentivo para querer a máxima calidade para poder aprobalo facilmente. Se teñen unha bonificación por completar anticipadamente, optimizarán o traballo para que sexa rápido e non lles importaría tanto a calidade. Aínda que teñan ambos incentivos, aínda están parcialmente investidos. Os seus ingresos principais son algo separado, eses son só bonos.
Os traballadores da construción queren construír o máis lentamente posible e non lles importa tanto a calidade. Reciben diñeiro por tempo e non por traballo real, polo que canto máis lento o constrúen, máis beneficios obteñen polos seus esforzos.
Mirando os incentivos individuais de cada parte implicada, faise evidente que a xente da industria da construción persegue consciente ou inconscientemente obxectivos diverxentes. Para ilustralo, imaxinamos un xogo deportivo onde os diferentes xogadores están motivados por distintos incentivos: defensas que pretenden poñer o balón fóra do campo, centrocampistas que priorizan o máximo de pases, atacantes centrados en marcar o maior número de goles, porteiros recompensados por salvar máis tiros e adestradores para as máis palabras berradas dende o banco. Podes imaxinar que non será un rendemento óptimo do equipo cando pise o campo. O equipo gañador debe priorizarse sobre o rendemento de calquera xogador individual.
Construír a unidade: resolver friccións e realinear as partes interesadas na industria da construción
In addition to these incentive misalignments, various other factors contribute to friction in the construction industry. Notably, there is an issue with workers' handling of tools and machinery, which are typically owned by the construction company. This lack of ownership often leads to inadequate care, resulting in accelerated tool wear and increased costs for the company. Tensions between workers and the company may escalate, with instances of tools being intentionally damaged or stolen out of frustration. Moreover, disparities in tool quality can lead to resentment among workers, questioning why some have access to new and better tools while others are assigned worn-down equipment.
Ao agravar os retos na industria da construción está o problema dos cambios solicitados polo propietario despois de construír unha estrutura. Pequenas alteracións, como mover unha fiestra medio metro á esquerda, non dan lugar a un pago adicional, e a construtora asume estes custos. Esta práctica non só interrompe o fluxo de traballo, senón que tamén deixa aos traballadores descontentos xa que invisten esforzos en refacer tarefas sen recibir ningunha compensación adicional.
Furthermore, when planners fail to design a component correctly, and builders construct it to specifications only to face subsequent issues, there is a notable absence of accountability on the planner's part. Instead of rectifying their mistakes, planners are often re-hired to redesign the element properly, creating an additional set of plans. Paradoxically, this process results in the planner earning more money, despite their initial error. The burden of the mistake is shifted to others, emphasizing the lack of accountability in the current system just because there is a disconnect between the construction task completion and payment.
A construción dun edificio é un proceso intensivo en tempo que abarca máis dunhas poucas horas e, para xestionar o risco financeiro substancial que supón, as empresas construtoras adoitan estruturar os pagos en prazos. Non obstante, este enfoque non está exento de retos. Introduce un dilema no que a empresa construtora pode estar construíndo partes do proxecto sen ter recibido o pago completo, ou o comprador pode estar pagando por elementos que aínda non foron construídos. Esta tensión inherente desencadea un ciclo continuo de negociación e renegociación entre a construtora e o comprador, que xira en torno a que aspectos están incluídos no prezo global e os que queda fóra del. Este diálogo continuo subliña as complexidades e incertezas inherentes á estrutura de pagos no sector da construción.
The root cause of the multifaceted issues in the construction industry lies in the lack of alignment among stakeholders. Drawing inspiration from Sun Tzu's wisdom in The Art of War “He will win whose army is animated by the same spirit throughout all its ranks.” You can’t expect to win in any project if the whole team is facing in different directions, with different motivations and goals.
Bitcoin and the Lightning Network present an opportunity to bridge this gap, providing instant settlement for work done--a transformative shift that could foster a more unified and harmonious approach within the construction industry. To address these issues, a potential solution emerges with the advent of Bitcoin and the Lightning Network. Unlike traditional payment systems, these technologies eliminate the delay between completing physical tasks, such as placing a brick, and receiving compensation. This instantaneous reward system has the potential to align the interests of all involved parties, fostering a shared purpose and collaborative effort towards common goals within the construction sector.
Now that we have this technology for instant settlement like never before, the benefit of getting paid over Lightning for all the physical tasks will drastically reduce the time delay and it will have a ripple effect in so many ways. In my role at Breez, I have a unique vantage point, witnessing the dedication of Lightning developers as we and other companies strive to make this technology effective. Now let me paint a picture of what will happen in the construction industry but outside of the fiat system and plugged into the Lightning Network.
Settling the payment instantly when the work is done - changes everything.
The Workers' Reputation and Compensation
I am envisioning a bottom-up transformation, where workers in the construction industry would transition from receiving payment for time working to being compensated for completed tasks. Whether it's constructing a wall, assembling windows, or installing the electrical system on a floor, each task earns instant payment. This shift eliminates the need for time-based bonuses, as workers are motivated to complete as many tasks as possible to accumulate satoshis. The focus for supervisors transitions solely to quality, with payments contingent on meeting established standards.
By operating on a task-by-task payment model, companies no longer need to maintain a workforce on the payroll. Instead, tasks are posted for upcoming construction, and individuals can apply, complete tasks, and receive immediate payment for each execution. This approach minimizes the risk of overpaying someone for subpar or slow performance. There's reduced uncertainty in the payment for the worker. Non-payment results in discontinued work from the worker, creating a self-regulating system.
A medida que os traballadores acumulan máis tarefas, as súas habilidades melloran, o que permite unha realización máis rápida das tarefas. Desenvólvese un sistema de reputación que documenta o historial de tarefas, incluíndo a eficiencia e a calidade do tempo. Esta reputación convértese nun activo valioso, o que facilita aos traballadores cualificados conseguir tarefas e aprobación. Para ter claro a reputación será un historial de todas as tarefas que fixeron, o tempo que lles levou, cal foi a calidade ao final, se tiveron que refacer o seu traballo para acadar o resultado final desexado. En definitiva, este cambio a un sistema de pago instantáneo centrado nas tarefas transforma a dinámica da industria da construción, fomentando a eficiencia, a calidade e unha forza de traballo baseada no mérito.
Tools of Empowerment - Unleashing Efficiency and Accountability
With compensation decoupled from time, individuals have a strong incentive to expedite tasks. The optimal way to achieve this acceleration is by utilizing proper tools in maintained and in prime condition. In a Bitcoin standard environment, individuals can progressively invest in superior tools, fostering a personal incentive to acquire and own these resources. In a competitive scenario where two workers apply for a task, the one equipped with superior tools gains a significant advantage, completing the task much faster than their counterpart.
Alternatively, if a company provides tools for a task, a parallel assignment system is implemented--just like the task itself, tools are designated to specific individuals. To increase accountability, workers must submit a deposit upon taking company-provided tools. This deposit substantially heightens their responsibility for the tools' maintenance. Upon task completion, if the worker breaks the tools, the company utilizes the deposit to procure replacements, leaving the damaged tools with the worker. Returning the tools in the same condition prompts the company to refund the deposit and reclaim the tools. If the company declines to refund the deposit, the worker retains the tools, creating a strong incentive for workers to invest in and use their own tools, rather than relying on company-owned equipment. This transformative approach encourages a culture of personal responsibility and ownership in tool usage.
In the current system, organizing workers presents a significant challenge. Oftentimes one person is actively working while eight are merely observing. Supervisors are burdened with the task of monitoring and optimizing resource allocation, differentiating between those slacking and those hustling to expedite the job. However, the system I propose transforms this dynamic. Workers become self-organizing entities, driven by the prospect of earning 100% of the "sats" for an individual task. In this new paradigm, workers collaborating on a task receive a shared payment, but the efficiency gains from self-organization can significantly reduce the time required. A senior worker might choose to take on a larger share, say 70%, while assigning a less experienced colleague to handle less skilled aspects - the grunt work. This creates an equitable distribution of payments for the completion of the work. Alternatively, if a worker possesses specialized tools, they may negotiate a larger portion of the payment. Inefficiently organized teams face the risk of not securing future tasks, compelling them to either refine their coordination or face unemployment. The role of the supervisor is streamlined, focusing solely on the completion of tasks with the stipulated quality standards, rendering much of their traditional responsibilities obsolete with this framework.
Blueprints in Action: Responsabilidade no mundo real e coñecementos prácticos
No sistema proposto, os planificadores experimentan un cambio fundamental na súa estrutura de compensación. Aínda que reciben un pago inicial do 20% (a porcentaxe é un exemplo, pode ser calquera por cento) ao finalizar o proxecto, a maior parte da súa compensación está condicionada á execución exitosa do proxecto de construción segundo as especificacións indicadas nos seus plans. . Esta transformación aliña os seus incentivos cos resultados do mundo real do proceso de construción.
To ensure accountability and quality control, planners are required to be physically present on-site during the construction phase. This hands-on involvement in overseeing the translation of their blueprints into reality serves a dual purpose. Not only does it allow them to verify that workers are adhering to the plan, but it also empowers them to make real-time adjustments and improvements based on practical insights. This direct engagement with the construction process fosters a deeper understanding of what works in practice, accelerating the planners' learning curve.
Os planificadores protexen o seu traballo e mantéñense comprometidos usando sinaturas criptográficas nos seus planos e confirmando o seu papel no proxecto. Se o comprador rescinde o contrato mentres segue o plan acordado, os planificadores deben recibir o 80% restante do seu pago. Este enfoque garante que os planificadores sexan máis que creadores de planos separados; participan activamente en converter os seus deseños en realidade. Isto elimina a práctica de cobrar por planos sen construción real, facendo fincapé no obxectivo de completar o proxecto, non só de recibir o pago.
Equilibrar a autonomía e a experiencia para a realización do proxecto sen problemas
Neste futuro con liquidación instantánea, as empresas construtoras desempeñarán un papel crucial na supervisión de todo o proxecto. A pesar do aumento da autoorganización dos traballadores e dunha maior responsabilidade nos planificadores, segue sendo a necesidade dunha entidade centralizada para garantir a perfecta finalización de todo o proceso de construción. Esta entidade será a encargada de coordinar e facer un seguimento de todos os recursos necesarios para cada etapa da construción, así como de atraer ás persoas adecuadas para realizar as tarefas no momento oportuno. O fermoso é que unha entidade centralizada podería ser o comprador da construción rematada. Deste xeito, non van pagar a unha empresa para supervisar e aproveitar este sistema de autoorganización para completar o proxecto eles mesmos.
Aínda que moitos aspectos desta supervisión poderían xestionarse a través dunha aplicación completa, a complexidade dos proxectos de construción pode requirir a experiencia dunha empresa de construción dedicada. Os compradores, que quizais non sexan expertos en xestión da construción, probablemente prefiran contratar unha empresa profesional para garantir a entrega exitosa do proxecto. Do mesmo xeito que o modelo actual de nodos lóstregos, onde calquera pode configurar un nodo pero algúns prefiren pagar taxas pola xestión profesional, os compradores poden optar por pagar ás empresas de construción pola súa experiencia na xestión eficiente do proxecto.
Aínda que algunhas persoas poden optar por usar a aplicación e xestionar eles mesmos o proceso de construción para evitar tarifas adicionais, tamén asumirían o 100 % da responsabilidade do resultado. O papel das construtoras, neste escenario, convértese no de expertos que axilizan o proceso de construción e ofrecen un servizo valioso para aqueles que buscan un enfoque máis práctico.
Task-Centric Harmony - Streamlining Construction Projects with Instant Settlements
Neste modelo, a construtora funciona esencialmente como un supervisor que supervisa o proxecto, e todas as persoas implicadas actúan como autónomos responsables de tarefas específicas. Os supervisores céntranse en comprobar e garantir a calidade das tarefas realizadas. Se unha tarefa cumpre os estándares esixidos, os supervisores márcana como completada, fotografían e informan na aplicación, permitindo que as persoas implicadas reciban os seus pagos instantáneos en satoshis e pasen ás seguintes tarefas.
The payment-per-task system not only streamlines the workflow but also reduces the risks associated with large payments for the overall project. For example, if a buyer is unfamiliar with a construction company's reliability in maintaining high-quality standards, they can conduct daily tours with supervisors. Based on the quality observed, the buyer approves and transfers funds for specific tasks that will be made for the next day.
If the buyer decides to make changes or request a task to be redone, they must consider the associated extra cost and time delay. The construction company provides a clear price for each additional task, and upon the buyer's agreement, the settlement occurs instantly. This approach ensures transparency and fair compensation for everyone involved in the project.
A flexibilidade de calquera parte para rescindir a súa relación en calquera momento mellora significativamente a estabilidade de todo o sistema. O traballador pode deixar de traballar se non se lle paga pola última tarefa. O supervisor ou o planificador pode negarse a pagarlles porque o traballador non pode ofrecer calidade. O comprador pode negarse a pagar polo mesmo motivo ou, se considera que está pagando en exceso, contrata outra empresa. A empresa pode deixar de traballar por non recibir o pago das tarefas realizadas ese día.
O risco de interromper a prestación de valor/servizo en calquera punto ou nivel é significativamente menor porque hai un prepago mínimo e se realiza un traballo mínimo antes de recibir o pago. Esta facilidade de rescisión fomenta un sistema dinámico onde todas as entidades implicadas están moi motivadas para optimizar o seu rendemento e entregar proxectos de construción coa calidade acordada ou mesmo superando eses estándares. A capacidade de abordar as preocupacións e facer cambios rapidamente contribúe a un proceso de construción máis eficiente e responsable en comparación cos sistemas tradicionais baseados en fiat.
This is the effect of introducing instantly settled payments and split payments in the construction industry. A person who is in the construction industry can paint an even more accurate picture of how to optimize it than me because he knows so many more details that the instant settlement dynamic can solve than I ever would. The key now is for someone within the industry to recognize the direction in which the future is heading and take the initiative to develop an app that can seamlessly coordinate all stakeholders. Fortunately, adapting existing apps from the fiat system to incorporate the Lightning Network has become remarkably straightforward, requiring minimal comprehension of Bitcoin or the Lightning Network, much like the conventional banking system. The focus shifts to leveraging instant settlement payments to resolve long standing issues.
Agora imos construír esa aplicación.
Esta é unha publicación de invitado de Ivan Makedonski. As opinións expresadas son totalmente propias e non necesariamente reflicten as de BTC Inc ou Bitcoin Revista.
Orixe orixinal: Bitcoin Revista