Group Strategy and Plan of Action
Divided into 3 Tasks:
(A)	Software Development—to be executed by experienced Computer Programmers and User-Interface Designers 
(B)	Plant Research and Data Entry—data will be solicited and collected through on-line Permaculture/Agriculture/Horticulture forums, listservs, and communities; existing informational resources (books, magazines, journals, etc.) and plant databases; Permaculture or related conferences, and on-visits to developing or developed guilds (many guild designers have already offered their expertise)
(C) Further Outreach/Dissemination—to be performed through the same channels as data collection

Stage 1 - Design, 1 month
A1) Detailed technical spec to be drawn up.  Inc: database schema, mockup of user interface, selection of software environment.
B1) Format for information on plants to be agreed.
C1) Contacting partner organizations.  Research into third party datasets.
For the above, we would like to have a 1 week physical meeting (ideally at a Permaculture conference, in order to simultaneously collect information, solicit participation from interested parties, and make contacts with partner organizations).

Stage 2 - implementation, 3 months
A2) Implementation of software. Core database engine and user interface.
B2) Collecting and inputting plant and guild data.  Once this web resource is available for input, this task will continue perpetually, carried out by the resource’s users.  For purposes of devising a timeline, the initial ‘prototype’ of the web resource will occur in Stage 2. 
C2) Incorporating comments from partners.

Stage 3 - First working version, Testing, 1 month
A3) Importation of plant data to main database.  Initial
evaluation of database and user interface.  Testing.
B3) Iteration of A3).  More data collection.  Editorial review of data.
C3) Incorporating third party datasets.

Stage 4 - Refinement, Production of first release candidate, 1 month
A4) Refinement of software and interfaces.
B4) Iteration of B3).
C4) Outreach/dissemination activities.  Database launch publicized. 
The next project-participant meeting/Permaculture conference occurs.

Stage 5 - Maintenance of live version, Processing Feedback, 5 months
A5) Ongoing maintenance.  At this stage main software track decreases in time
Involvement.  However continual maintenance and improvements are needed one week/month for remainder of grant period.  Ultimately, the web resource should be self-sustainable, not requiring a permanent salaried moderator (a responsibility we will assume throughout the grant period), but instead depending on the interest and volunteer efforts of its constituents.
B5) Editorial control of data input by users.

Stage 6 – Project Conclusion, 1 month
C6) Begin spec for next phase.  Complete final report for funding source(s).