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Public Utility Guide

If you are looking for a way to get started with using, joining, or creating your own identity network, then you have come to the right place!

Using or joining an existing network

To use or join an existing network, the name links on this page have instructions for getting started on each individual participating network.

Still not sure which network to use or join? Details about the background for some of the participating networks, who can use them, and why they exist can be found by reading their stories.

Creating your own utility network

None of the existing networks fill your needs? Here is a high level overview of the steps that you will likely need to do to build your own network. More details are included in this document and examples of how others followed the steps below are included in the stories.

Phases:

  1. Learn

    Before prospective stakeholders embark on the creation of a Utility Project, they must first gather some fundamental knowledge. Why do you need it? What legal entity must be created to run it and how? Risks, legal, and regulatory requirements must be discovered and considered. <Links to documents on how to learn and best practices>

  2. Convene

    Now that you have learned enough to know that you want to proceed, gather your potential stakeholders and address the next level of decision making for your network. What will be unique about your network, who will participate, what are your motivators, and what are your requirements, are among the top things to decide before moving to the next phase. <Links to documents on how to convene and best practices>

  3. Define

    Now that you have some of the basics out of the way, it’s time to decide some more details. Define things like the following: network governance, ledger technology details, sustainability requirements, and a network service provider. <Links to documents on how to define and best practices>

  4. Create

    It's now time to create your legal entity, a governance framework, and the legal contracts needed to manage your network. <Links to documents on how to Create and best practices>

  5. Implement

    Stand up the network by publishing your governance framework, onboarding node operators and other members, and instantiating the network. <Links to documents on how to Implement and best practices>

  6. Maintain

    Monitor your network for performance and reliability, onboard new node operators as needed, and establish a set of ledger environments (e.g. test, demonstration, production). <Links to documents on how to Maintain and best practices>

    The Utility Foundry Working Group was created to help organizations do what is outlined in this introductory guide. A set of “best practices” guides <add link here> has been designed to help you with some of the above steps. Also, please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or need any assistance. utility-foundry-wg@lists.trustoverip.org

    “Glossary” explanation and link

    “Decentralization by design” explanation and link

    How to participate in the UFWG.