In this post I’d like to share opportunities for funded feature development over the coming year.
Background
As y’all probably know, our OFN delivery pipe is made up of two streams - core dev and funded features. Core dev is the general maintenance, tech debt and core features that we are developing to ensure that we stay up to date and relevant as a platform and infrastructure to help transform food systems globally. Funded features are features that are requested by users and instances. These might be for specific projects or activities, often for features that are more easily funded or help achieve specific fundable outcomes. Funded features also help to fund the core pipe as a key part of our revenue model.
Our 2023 core pipe roadmap, that can be found here, focuses on fundamental refactoring of our core model to unlock the ‘network’ aspects. This, alongside our focus on interoperability and building out our API (see Roadmap here), are core to our vision for OFN as public infrastructure for the new food system, rather than a siloed platform. NB. If you are writing major substantive funding applications, we encourage a focus on these systemic infrastructural developments. Please contact the Product Team (? or David T?) for support with funding applications in this area.
2023 Funded Features Menu
The following features are on the menu for our 2023 funded feature roadmap. Note that without growing the team it is unlikely that we’ll get to all of them. But we’ll certainly get to many of them and some are already partially funded.
Vouchers
Apply a voucher code at checkout. Sophisticated voucher functionality to support food equity movements.
This work has been designed and implementation is partially funded. You can see the designs here. Additional funding will help to carry this work closer to the full feature set described in the designs. This is still the first step of a bigger piece of work allowing account credits.
Basic White Labelling
Create shopfronts without the reference to Open Food Network. More complete branded experience for hubs and producers.
A basic implementation of this piece has been designed and is in development. Find the designs here. Additional funding will help to continue this work for a more complete solution that will satisfy more user needs.
Orders via DFC
Integrate with the orders endpoints of the DFC.
Continuing the DFC integration to orders will enable more of the potential of the DFC to be realised. This work has been partially funded.
Product Modals
Ability to share a direct link to a product, so a shopper can add to their cart.
A basic version of this has been designed and funded. See the design here. Further funding will enhance the user experience by making the journey from product url to checkout more streamlined.
Order cycle duplication
Automatically recur order cycles to avoid this repetitive task.
This is a small enhancement to remove some of the repetitive tasks in creating new order cycles manually. Find the detail here.
Subscriptions v2
Create a more complete and useful subscriptions/recurring orders implementation
This will require an intensive design process. The first phase will be to raise funds for design (est. 10K euro). The second phase will be to implement the designs. Discourse conversation here but this is a broad and ranging conversation currently.
Checkout via API
Complete the entire checkout flow via the API.
This piece will enable people to develop their own bespoke shopping experiences, while benefiting from the OFN backoffice to manage orders. This is a powerful piece that will unlock huge potential.
How to use this list
If you are talking to your users or funder this year who might be interested in contributing towards platform improvements, this list will serve as an excellent starting point. Developments on this list have momentum behind them. There is a good chance that multiple instances can co-fund these features, meaning funders and users get more bang for their buck.
What if I need something not on the list?
We have other ways to get small or standalone developments done fast - including via N8N and the integrations pipe, and through the papercuts process. The best place to ask and discuss is in Slack 