This proposal aims to address the lack of technical documentation and educational resources in languages other than English, as well as the absence of beginner-friendly guides for non-technical users. It focuses on making Hydra, Cardano’s key scalability solution, more accessible to a global and diverse audience by translating core documentation and producing a step-by-step tutorial video.

The core deliverables include translations into Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese (Mandarin), and Italian of the following essential resources:

• User Manual: Provides essential information to help users interact with Hydra.
• Hydra Node API Documentation (v0.20.0): Crucial for developers building on Hydra.
• Benchmark Reports: Demonstrates Hydra’s performance, improving understanding of its efficiency.
• Hydra Head V1 Protocol Specification (Coordinated Head - Draft): Advanced technical documentation for experienced developers.
• Architecture Decision Records: Documents design decisions, offering insight into Hydra's development process.
• Developer Documentation: Complete guides for integration and application development.
• Topology Guides: Explains how Hydra nodes are structured and connected.
• Use Cases: Practical examples (e.g., auctions, instant payments) to inspire real-world applications.
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Answers common questions to reduce entry barriers.
• Coding Standards: Best practices and conventions for working within the Hydra project.
• Testing Strategy: Ensures reliability and security of implementations.
• Additionally, a tutorial video will be produced in English with subtitles in all target languages. This video will guide both technical and non-technical users through the process of installing, configuring, and launching a Hydra node—lowering the technical barrier and encouraging broader participation in the Hydra protocol.

The translation process will combine AI-assisted tools and human review by professional translators, including potential collaboration with the Cardano community, ambassadors, and existing translation efforts, such as Cardano Community Translations.

By improving multilingual access and producing a practical, visual learning tool, this proposal will empower a broader global audience to understand and use Hydra, thereby supporting decentralization and scaling efforts in the Cardano ecosystem.

The lack of documentation and educational resources in languages other than English, along with the absence of beginner-friendly and non-technical guides, is restricting the accessibility and adoption of Hydra, a key scalability solution for Cardano. This gap especially affects diverse global communities, making it difficult for non-English speakers and non-technical users to understand and use Hydra, thereby limiting its impact and adoption worldwide.

If implemented, what would be the benefit and to which parts of the community? Please include the demonstrated value or return on investment to the Cardano Community. The benefits of this proposal directly reflect the positive outcomes of addressing the identified problem. Based on the analysis, the key benefits include:

• Increased Accessibility: Translating materials into Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese (Mandarin), and Italian—alongside the original English—will make Hydra documentation accessible to a much broader global audience, covering over 2.6 billion speakers worldwide.
• Improved Understanding: A step-by-step tutorial video in English with subtitles in the additional target languages will significantly enhance comprehension, especially for non-technical users, by offering clear and visual instructions. This aligns with the documented need for beginner-friendly resources.
• Easier Node Setup: The video guide will help users more easily set up and run Hydra nodes, reducing technical barriers and potentially increasing participation in the protocol.
• Promotion of Inclusion and Diversity: By reaching non-English-speaking communities, the proposal promotes inclusion and aligns with Cardano’s core values—as demonstrated by initiatives like Cardano Community Translations.
• Potential Growth in Hydra Adoption: Making Hydra more accessible could lead to greater usage, directly supporting Cardano’s scalability goals in the Basho era, as outlined in the Cardano roadmap.

1. Translation Planning (Weeks 1–4)

• Identify and list all documents to be translated.
• Define the translation workflow and select the tools to be used.
• Recruit translators for each language or establish a community-driven translation process.
• Set up a translation management system (e.g., Crowdin or Transifex). Definition of Done: A detailed translation plan is finalized, tools are in place, and translator teams are organized for five languages (Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese (Mandarin), and Italian).

2. Translation Execution (Weeks 5–20)

• Translate all selected documents simultaneously across all five languages.
• Conduct multiple review cycles to ensure accuracy, consistency, and terminology alignment. Definition of Done: All initial translations are complete and reviewed, and ready for final approval and formatting.

3. Finalization of Translations (Weeks 21–22)

• Final review by subject matter experts.
• Organize and format documents per language for publication. Definition of Done: All files are reviewed, formatted, approved, and ready to be published in their final form.

4. Video Scripting and Planning (Weeks 1–4)

• Develop a detailed video script covering the installation, configuration, and execution of a Hydra node.
• Plan visuals, demos, and narration structure. Definition of Done: A finalized script is ready, and production logistics are in place.

5. Video Production (Weeks 5–16)

• Record and produce the tutorial video in English.
• Include clear voiceovers, practical demos, graphics, and animations. Definition of Done: The full English version of the video is completed, professionally edited, and ready for subtitle integration.

6. Subtitling (Weeks 17–20)

• Transcribe the English video.
• Translate subtitles into five target languages.
• Sync and test subtitles for accuracy and usability using tools like Aegisub. Definition of Done: Final video has fully functional, synchronized subtitles in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese (Mandarin), and Italian.

7. Publication and Promotion (Week 23)

• Upload all translated documents to a public repository (GitHub or GitBook), clearly organized by language.
• Publish the video on YouTube with multi-language subtitles enabled.
• Promote the resources through the Cardano Forum and social media platforms. Definition of Done: All materials are publicly available, fully accessible, and have been shared with the Cardano community.

Target State of This Tranche of Work At the conclusion of this proposal, the Cardano community will have access to: A complete set of core Hydra documentation in six languages (English + 5). A high-quality, multilingual tutorial video for Hydra node setup. Open contribution channels for future updates and translations. These outcomes will empower non-English and non-technical users to better understand and utilize Hydra, advancing Cardano’s scalability and decentralization goals.

Project Manager: 1 person working 120 days at $40/day = $4,800 USD = 9,600 ADA Translators: 5 people working 60 days each at $50/day = $15,000 USD = 30,000 ADA Reviewers: 5 people working 10 days each at $240/day = $12,000 USD = 24,000 ADA Scriptwriter: 1 person working 10 days at $50/day = $500 USD = 1,000 ADA Hydra Technical Specialist: 1 person working 30 days at $120/day = $3,600 USD = 7,200 ADA Video Editors: 2 people working 21 days each at $120/day = $5,040 USD = 10,080 ADA Total Estimated Cost: $40,940 USD = 81,880 ADA

This project will require a multi-disciplinary team working over a period of 24 weeks (approximately 6 months). Below is an estimate of the team composition and workload required to deliver all key proposal milestones: Project Manager: 1 person responsible for coordinating the team, managing time and resources, and resolving conflicts. Estimated workload is 120 person-days across 24 weeks.

Translators: 5 individuals translating the documentation and subtitle texts into Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese (Mandarin), and Italian. Estimated total workload is 300 person-days, with peak activity between weeks 5 and 10.

Reviewers: 5 individuals reviewing translations and suggesting improvements. Estimated total workload is 50 person-days, focused around week 21.

Scriptwriter: 1 person developing the full tutorial video script, with 10 person-days of work during weeks 1 to 4.

Technical Expert (Hydra Installation): 1 person who executes and records the Hydra node installation steps for the video and provides technical support. Estimated workload is 30 person-days over 6 weeks (weeks 5 to 10).

Video Editors: 2 individuals responsible for recording, editing the video, and synchronizing subtitles in 5 languages. Estimated combined workload is 42 person-days, with peak workload between weeks 5 and 20.

Overall, the team will consist of approximately 15–18 members at peak, with a total estimated effort of 552 person-days to complete the proposal deliverables within a 24-week timeframe.

Soraya Ponce is a specialist in human talent management and public administration, with extensive experience coordinating and facilitating projects involving diverse stakeholders. She has actively participated in several Cardano workshops in Ecuador and has contributed to blockchain education sessions, helping onboard new users into the ecosystem.

Although her expertise is primarily in governance and organizational management, she has strong connections with technical contributors within the Cardano ecosystem, enabling effective collaboration and support for technically complex components of the proposal. Her experience bridging technical and non-technical communities makes her well-suited to coordinate multilingual and inclusive initiatives like this one.

Post-development maintenance and support will focus on three key areas: updating translations, updating the tutorial video, and supporting users. Each aspect is designed with a community transition plan to ensure long-term sustainability.

1. Storage and Updates of Translated Documents

• Platform: All translated materials—including the user manual, Hydra Node API documentation (v0.20.0), benchmark reports, Hydra Head V1 specification, architecture decision records, developer guides, topologies, use cases, FAQs, coding standards, and testing strategies—will be hosted on a public GitHub repository. This will allow community members to submit updates via pull requests, following standard open-source contribution practices (e.g., Cardano Community GitHub).
• Translation Management: Tools such as Crowdin or Transifex will be used to manage multilingual content, enabling native speakers to contribute updates collaboratively. These platforms provide a streamlined workflow for proposing, reviewing, and approving translation changes. This ensures all translated content stays current with any updates made to the original English documentation.
• Community Transition: After the initial development phase, community maintainers—identified and trained during the project—will take over the responsibility of reviewing and approving translation updates. This ensures that translations remain accurate and aligned with the evolving official documentation.

2. Tutorial Video Updates

• Hosting: The step-by-step tutorial video (with Spanish audio and subtitles in all target languages) will be hosted on YouTube, a widely accessible and easily updatable platform. This ensures free global access and easy community sharing.
• Update Strategy: As Hydra evolves and new versions or setup procedures emerge, video updates can be managed in two ways:
  • By creating new video segments or updated versions.
  • By adding updated notes, links, or annotations in the video description or comments. For example, if Hydra API v0.20.0 is updated, the community can record a short follow-up and link it directly in the original video description.
• Community Responsibility: Future video updates and improvements will be managed by community contributors, ensuring sustainability without requiring ongoing centralized resources.

This community-focused maintenance model ensures the longevity of the materials and empowers the global Cardano community to maintain and improve Hydra resources over time.

There is strong evidence of community interest in multilingual accessibility, which supports the goals of this proposal:

Forum Discussions: On the Cardano Forum, the thread titled "Interested in Translating Cardano Content?" shows ongoing interest from community members in translating Cardano content, including videos and posts, into multiple languages. This reflects a clear demand for multilingual resources aligned with this proposal.

• https://forum.cardano.org/t/interested-in-translating-cardano-content/19447

Cardano Improvement Proposals (CIPs): CIP-124: "Extend token metadata for translations" highlights the need for multilingual support in metadata, demonstrating a broader ecosystem interest in translation and accessibility, even if not specific to Hydra.

• https://cips.cardano.org/cip/CIP-0124

Technical and Community-Led Translation Initiatives: On GitHub, the issue "Multilinguization of the user manual" for Hydra shows a Japanese contributor offering to translate the Hydra user manual, emphasizing the real need for multi-language support.

On the Cardano Forum, the post "Hydra: the multi-headed ledger protocol – Cardano Greek Translation" provides a Greek translation of Hydra documentation, confirming grassroots community engagement.

• https://github.com/cardano-scaling/hydra/issues/323
• https://forum.cardano.org/t/hydra-the-multi-headed-ledger-protocol-cardano-greek-translation/59127

Social Media and Ambassador Activity: On X, official Cardano posts such as "Are we not speaking your language?" and this acknowledgment of translators show a consistent commitment to supporting multilingual initiatives within the ecosystem.

• https://x.com/Cardano/status/1430081192657833992
• https://x.com/Cardano/status/1368169495081148421

There are no external or internal dependencies required for this proposal. All activities, including translation, video production, and community collaboration, can begin and be completed independently by the project team.