2. World Map: The Cohort Journey

The Cohort Journey follows a monthly arc built around an intensive, highly interactive first week, followed by three weeks of async collaboration. This rhythm gives participants a strong social foundation early, then the freedom and agency to build at their own pace — the same way RaidGuild itself operates.

The world map below outlines the full path, including the day-by-day flow of Week 1.

Region I: The Gate of Entry

(Week 1 — Live Interactive Sessions, 1–2 hrs/day)

This is the “arrival at the tavern” phase — immersive, social, high-touch — where participants meet each other, understand the culture, and begin thinking like Raiders.

Day 1 — Welcome, Introductions & Theme Reveal

Participants get to know each other, learn how the Guild operates, and receive the month’s theme.

Focus:

• Who’s here? What are their skills?
• What is RaidGuild? (culture, structure, expectations)
• What is this month’s theme?
• What does success look like?

DM Objective: Set a welcoming tone. Establish belonging. Make it clear that this is a collaborative journey, not a hackathon.

Day 2 — Raider Showcase (Monthly Standup)

Cohort members sit inside RaidGuild’s monthly all-hands.

This is the moment when participants “see behind the curtain.”

What they experience:

• Status updates from active RAIDs
• RIPs reporting on progress
• OGs sharing new ventures, experiments, freelance work, governance updates
• A cross-section of the entire Guild’s heartbeat
• Areas where help is needed
• Momentum, culture, and expectations in practice

This is the point where many participants decide whether the Guild “clicks” for them. RG runs in a decentralized, self-directed, high-agency way — and this is where that becomes real.

DM Objective: Let them witness the living organism of RaidGuild. No explanation is as powerful as the lived experience.

Day 3 — Demo Day (Previous Cohort) + Theme Ideation Kickoff

Cohort members watch the final demos from last month’s builders.

What this accomplishes:

• Sets the bar for what “shipping” means
• Shows the diversity of valid projects (tools, MVPs, research, ops improvements)
• Establishes continuity between cohorts

Afterwards:

• Begin guided ideation around this month’s theme
• Introduce preliminary use cases
• Warm-up brainstorming exercises

DM Objective: Inspire the new cohort with real projects. Show them what is possible. Then start nudging them into creative mode.

Day 4 — Deep Dive + Divergent Ideation Workshops

A major exploration + creativity day.

Activities may include:

• Meme Driven Development
• Social icebreakers
• Hands-on theme deep dive
• Technical brown bag / lightning talk
• Creative breakouts
• Use-case brainstorming

The goal: generate a wide range of divergent ideas. Homework: bring back one wildcard or unconventional idea.

DM Objective: Spark creativity. Lower social friction. Push people to think bigger and stranger.

Day 5 — Convergence & Team Formation

Today, divergent ideas converge into actual project paths.

Goals:

• Align on 1–3 viable project directions
• Form teams with balanced skill sets (product + front-end + back-end + ops/PM)
• Agree on initial roles
• Define early scopes

By the end of Day 5, the cohort has:

• Teams
• A project direction
• A sense of momentum

DM Objective: Facilitate matchmaking and alignment. Gently guide toward commitment and clarity.

Regions II–IV: The Async Buildlands

After the intensity of Week 1, the cohort shifts into asynchronous execution — mirroring how real raids operate inside RaidGuild.

Region II: Planning & Specification (Week 2 — Async)

This week is about establishing the foundation.

Common Activities:

• Finalizing team roles
• Writing the product spec
• Setting up repos, tools, and PM boards
• Establishing communication patterns
• Early research & prototyping
• Optional office hours with hosts

DM Objective: Keep teams unblocked and aligned. Encourage early clarity to prevent Week 3 chaos.

Region III: Implementation & Iteration (Week 3 — Async)

Teams work mostly independently, checking in as needed.

Work includes:

• Active development
• Iteration on prototypes
• Integrating feedback
• Polishing UI/UX
• Drafting early demo materials

DM Objective: Encourage momentum. Connect teams with mentors. Keep teams honest about scope.

Region IV: Polish, Testing & Demo Prep (Week 4 — Async)

The final push before Demo Day (held during the next cohort’s Day 3).

Activities:

• Testing
• Bug fixing
• Preparing demo flows
• Writing decks
• Rehearsing presentations

DM Objective: Help teams focus on delivering something usable, visible, and real — even if scrappy.

Region V: The Arena (Demo Day — Next Cohort, Day 3)

Demo Day happens during the next cohort’s Week 1, creating a bridge between generations of Raiders.

Outcomes:

• Present live demos
• Evaluate projects
• Award Raider of the Month
• Decide on membership sponsorships
• Celebrate wins

This ritual creates continuity, connection, and shared culture.

Summary Timeline