Shared Infrastructure
A framework for designing, contributing to, and leveraging network infrastructure that enables collective coordination while maintaining individual autonomy.
A framework for designing, contributing to, and leveraging network infrastructure that enables collective coordination while maintaining individual autonomy. Based on mycorrhizal network principles where shared fungal infrastructure enables plant coordination, resource-sharing, and collective resilience without centralized control.
When to Use Shared Infrastructure
When evaluating infrastructure strategy (build vs. buy vs. share), assessing network positioning (hub vs. node vs. isolated), designing platform governance, or determining contribution-extraction balance in shared ecosystems.
How to Apply
Map Infrastructure Dependencies
Identify all critical infrastructure your organization depends on across computing, logistics, energy, finance, information, and supply chain domains.
Questions to Ask
- What infrastructure do we depend on?
- What is the criticality of each dependency?
- Do we have redundancy or single points of failure?
- Do we contribute to or only consume from each infrastructure?
Assess Network Position
Determine if your organization is a hub (many depend on you), node (you depend on shared infrastructure), or isolated (building proprietary systems).
Questions to Ask
- Do many organizations depend on our infrastructure/platform/services?
- Do we see network-wide information others don't?
- Would removing us fragment the network?
- Are we building proprietary infrastructure that could be shared?
Evaluate Four Infrastructure Layers
Analyze each layer: Physical Infrastructure (cables, servers, warehouses), Protocols/Standards (APIs, communication protocols), Resource/Information Flows (data, electricity, goods), and Governance/Enforcement (rules, norms, sanctions).
Outputs
- Physical layer assessment
- Protocol layer assessment
- Flow layer assessment
- Governance layer assessment
Apply Five Design Principles
Implement: (1) Invest in shared infrastructure, not proprietary duplication; (2) Adopt open standards, contribute to standards development; (3) Enable bidirectional flows - contribute proportionally to value extracted; (4) Build redundancy, diversify hub dependencies; (5) If you're a hub, serve the network rather than exploit it.
Outputs
- Shared infrastructure adoption plan
- Standards participation strategy
- Contribution-extraction balance
- Redundancy implementation
- Hub governance practices
Implement Enforcement Mechanisms
Design sanctioning for cheaters and partner choice rewarding cooperators. Without enforcement, cooperation collapses regardless of mutual benefit.
Questions to Ask
- How do we detect underperformance or exploitation?
- What sanctions exist for network-harming behavior?
- How do we reward reliable partners?
- Is governance transparent and accountable?