Purpose

Technologists that work in the microfinance domain need to be able to talk to domain experts; people out in the field working closely with those that provide and consume microfinance services. This is vital for the following reasons:

1. We want to imagine, produce and evolve a domain model that provides a ubiquitous language that ties domain experts and technologists together. Our current domain model is expressed to some extent here Mifos Domain.
2. We want to produce a product that can enable its users to deliver value to those that use their services. 
   1. If we can understand better the core problems MFIs/NGOs have, if we can understand how their staff provide their services day-to-day, we have a better chance of producing technology solutions that are useful

As we gain deeper insight into the field of microfinance, the problems our existing and prospective customers have, we can use this location to document our knowledge to date.

Means of communication

1. IRC
2. Skype
3. Mailing lists (see Existing Mailing Lists and indication of topics for given list Mailing List Topics)

At present, we will probably use the users mailing list (unless it makes sense to setup a new mailing list, a customer-and-domain-knowledge list).

Approach to Knowledge Crunching

1. Understanding the domain of microfinance better
2. Understanding our customers better and how they deliver value to their customers.
3. Understanding Grameen better and how its delivers value to our customers.
4. Documenting internal and external sources of information

Understanding our Customers

1. What do MFIs expect from an MIS solution (basic functionality that they could not live without)
2. What would excite MFIs?
3. Is there an existing functional gap analysis for existing/prospective customers and our software solution?
4. How do we solicit feeback from users of our software at all levels of their organisation (data-entry up to board level management)
5. Do we survey MFIs using our product to understand their key problems areas (not necessarily with the software)
6. How does a customers existing MIS help improve the day-to-day activities of all staff members?

Uderstanding the Domain

1. What is Microfinance?
2. What credit lending models exist among existing and prospective customers?
3. What savings models exist among existing and prospective customers?
4. What are the major problem areas in the microfinance industry today?
   1. What are the proposed solutions to these?
5. ???

Source of Information

There are probably lots of documents, articles, blogs, domain experts etc that exist internally within Grameen or externally. It might be useful to compile this together so people can access them and that these may provoke some discussions.