Project Assumptions

Purpose: Central tracking of all project assumptions

Confirmed Assumptions

C1. Art of Living DC currently has <200 yearly registrations (baseline for growth target)
C2. Approximately 60 volunteers available: 10 in-person + 20 online + 30 course graduates
C3. Board's primary concern is immediate campaign results (registrations), not infrastructure
C4. There is an established DC Center physical space
C5. Budget requests can be made if they solve a purpose greatly (not a hard limit)
C6. 501(c)(3) compliance is established and maintained

C7. Target demographic is urban professionals aged 30-50 in DC area (20009 zip code focus)
C8. Mainstream DC professionals respond better to "wellness" framing than "spiritual" framing
C9. Wellness-first positioning won't alienate the spiritual core community

C10. Focus on direct human outreach through various channels (not Sattva app conversion - that's central body's domain)
C11. "Sattva" (purity/harmony) as a principle guides interactions, not as an app funnel
C12. Diverse volunteer representation matters - people need to see themselves in the community

C13. World Meditation Day (December 21) is a fixed date - 3 weeks timeline
C14. Mega Course (January 2025) is first of many, taught by star teacher - goal is momentum building
C15. Phased Go/No-Go gates will satisfy board's risk concerns

C16. Stories should be crisp and string together benefits of a coherent plan
C17. Some stakeholders focus on HOW to generate numbers (registration & awareness > revenue)
C18. Fees are predetermined by larger body; discount codes can be requested if important
C19. Higher budget requests possible if urgency/importance case is made

C20. Volunteer burnout is a real risk that professional systems will mitigate
C21. Some volunteers are devoted from day one; others need nurturing - adapt approach

C22. Core journey: Intro session → SKY Course → Sahaj Samadhi → Silent Retreat
C23. Intro session gives partial experience; retention needs continued nurturing through the journey

C24. Multiple research studies available at artofliving.org/research-sudarshan-kriya
C25. Keep citations focused and effective; create separate research doc if needed

C26. IT team (couple of volunteers) builds tools using n8n/Camunda behind the scenes
C27. General volunteers only interact with familiar tools (Google Sheets, WhatsApp, Slack)
C28. NotebookLM used by IT team as knowledge base, with Google Docs + WhatsApp for general volunteer access

C29. Both new acquisition AND retention are important success metrics
C30. Current state is poor - any improvement is building success (no fixed threshold)

C31. Sprint timeline Nov 20 → Jan 15 confirmed; volunteer capacity sufficient
C32. More volunteer activation with creative push is ideal
C33. 6-month target for most initiatives; deeper works (entrance construction) may extend beyond

C34. Immediate: WMD (3 weeks) + Mega Course (ongoing, first in ~1 month)
C35. Immediate/Parallel: Basic communication streamlining (must be in place first)
C36. High/Parallel: Neighborhood presence (can proceed with conventional channels)
C37. Backlog (prioritized): Center presentation, digital kiosk (high priority for presence/communication)
C38. Backlog: Deeper IT infrastructure (after requirements clear)

C39. Whitney Building is brief mention only ("initial testing location") - not a strategic focus

U1. Libraries, Busboys & Poets, and embassies receptivity varies - need contacts, collaterals, and approach tips per venue
U2. Property managers/HOAs openness varies - need specific outreach approach and success stories

U4. Sprint 0 can activate 20+ graduate ambassadors and contact 10 property managers (numbers not validated)

DC public office & insurance sponsor provide free online SKY course for DC residents
Challenge: Free participants often don't value as much
Opportunity: Offer in-person repeat for ~$50 (non-zero value)
Status: Not actively promoted but can be leveraged