Makerspaces are not for everyone. Setting one up takes a great deal of hard work, and planning. It took Michael Groenendyk and his partner six to nine months before they set up their makerspace at Dalhousie University. Setting up a makerspace requires a deep awareness of the target market and location. Some aspects to consider include:
- Community – Makerspaces are not for everyone. People interested in makerspaces tend to be explorers, tech – savvy, and creative. If your community is not oriented in that direction, then people will not be responsive.
- Demographics – Most people interested in creating, fit into a younger demographic-between 20-40 years old. Many have at least some college or university experience. The majority of people involved in makerspaces (65-85%) tend to be male.
- Potential Competition – Many libraries, schools and non- profits are expanding services to include makerspaces. Call local institutions and find out if they have or are planning to set one up.
- Location – Access via public transportation, especially in urban centers is key. Also important is access to hardware stores (to purchase equipment for repairs, restock etc.) and food services (many users of makerspaces often put in long hours and need access to quick pick -me-ups)
Discussion: What other factors should be considered when assessing a community location for a makerspace venture?
Discussion Summary: The ETEC522 2013 Winter Term 1 cohort discussion revealed other factors that should be considered when assessing a community. These include:
- Location, and Seasons of Operation – In rural areas with little or no public transit, poor weather, road conditions and darkness make accessibility difficult especially in winter months.
- Background of Community – Knowing if your community is made up of artisans, tradespeople, specialists, hunters etc. would help direct the location, type of makerspace to create and the type of tools/programs to offer.
- Commitment to Safety – Having equipment and a strong supportive community is all well and good, but if members are not willing to use equipment safely, a lawsuit or insurance claim could be forthcoming, jeopardizing the business. Therefore, it is important to ensure your members are willing to strictly follow all safety guidelines.
Please view the cohort experience in the comments below. If you are accessing this OER after November 3, 2013, you are welcome to further contribute to the discussion.
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In my community, the hours and season(s) of operation are important to consider.
It is a small, rural community with limited public transit. It can be very cold in the winter, with poor road conditions, so people may not be willing to venture out at night. Many people also go away for extended periods in the summer. Therefore, it becomes even more important to be aware of the characteristics of your target clientele, as well as their needs and wants. You may have to be very flexible with respect to when your space is available, who it is available to, and what it is available for. In this community, small focused groups seem to be more successful than larger broad interest groups.
I wonder about the statement in the Demographic sub-section that “many have at least university/college background”.
When I watched the video in the introduction to this Makerspaces topic, I saw a lot of industrial equipment like lathes, cutting tools, etc. The type of equipment used in metalworking, woodworking and other technical trades.
To my mind, people with the technical skills to use that type of equipment have come from backgrounds of no formal education, VET or apprenticeship-based learning.
It would contrast with the more ‘geeky’ kind of Hackerspace whose participants might be computer technicians and IT graduates from university or college backgrounds.
Just my thoughts.
An interesting thought about tradespeople! I don’t know why the bulk are university educated, but they are. It might have to do with exposure, marketing, or even interest. Maybe makerspaces appeal to people who are into the creative entrepreneurial aspects. Many tradespeople probably work with many of those tools day in, day out and may not want to work with them after hours. After all, for those of us who are teachers, how many of us want to go volunteer teach after hours, or do the same work we do all day at home? I think those numbers are few.
It may be that universities tend to focus on idea generation at their very core, rather than procedure and accuracy (although they are included, of course). I noticed that many ventures are made of teams that met in university through some common activity, course, goal, etc.
What about a community with a large population of a certain background? Background knowledge is extremely important when beginning any learning activity. What do I have to build on to take me in a certain direction. The direction of makerspace within a native community may establish itself differently than that in an urban area.
Very true! Know your audience, if you live in an artistic community, then certainly some part of your space should appeal to them, a native community, then maybe some of the tools that would cater to traditional knowledge and new ways to relate it to the 21st century. An Inukshuk/totem pole that lights up? Dancing polar bear sculptures, new tools for hunting, ways to immortalize – who knows how traditional knowledge and modern interests/tools can bring if brought together – never mind the potential for cultural exchange. sorry just thinking of northern communities where you have lots of mining, engineering interests and native culture – what could be created?
I agree with all said. It is important to look at the environment when setting up a Makerspace, will the community be able to sustain the space when reflecting on the geographic setting and weather. My community is similar in that it is cold in the winter and there are times you may not be able to get around that easy due to snowfall. One thing we do have which could provide a Makerspace is the community college.
Another factor to consider would be internet and phone service availability. For those makerpsaces using internet as a main source of information, they will require the proper hardware, software but also require access to high speed internet and Wifi. And although it may seem funny but having proper cell service is also key if these individuals want to be able to keep in contact with others not at the makerspace location as well as with family. Many may not want to sign up, if the workspace is in the middle of nowhere and they will not have access to either one of these tools.
Hello Marie-Astrid,
Good point on the wifi/cell reception, especially in spaces that could potentially provide a lot of interference with signals. (edit: On Friday, November 1, this concept came to life as the wifi signal dropped during our Interview with a Founder in his makerspace. He blamed it on his “shaky signal.”) Location is a key factor not only for repeat clients, but for access to exposure – Artisan’s Asylum has benefited tremendously from having a location that is within walking distance to popular local attractions. The real-estate may be expensive in this sort of community, but it does help to ensure and facilitate opportunities for use.
For me, It would be difficult to decide on how much specialization whould occur in the space. It would take a lot of research of the surrounding resources, existing maker spaces, and public interest to find what would be appropriate for continued operation. Things like surrounding schools, weather, and programming would all influence the success of a Makerspace.
Hello @jetz66,
You’re right, there are a tremendous number of variables that go into the decisions underlying this sort of space and into the development of a community user base. Planning is the key to success, and knowing the clients and their needs and desires first would inform the growth of any space.
I had the experience a few years back of renting out my (jewellery) studio equipment, and it blew our minds (myself and my partner) how unsafe people were, and how much adults resent being told how to correct misbehavior that can lead to serious injury. This, and as we watched some of our $50 tools being mistreated and destroyed we began to fear for our $800 tools. We were clear about safety standards in the contracts our customers signed, but ended up closing that part of the business as we were afraid of lawsuits and losing more money in the end. The problem was people did not know what they were doing, even when they said they did, and we had not set up our business model to stay on top of that.
This is where making sure safety standards are followed and why insurance companies are so demanding about safety standards. Most makerspaces get around this issue by ensuring that before new members or visitors use any equipment they take a standard safety class. Anyone who violates safety standards can face penalties i.e suspensions, banned use etc. Almost all makerspaces seem to have at least ones staff member on duty to great members, take care of maintenance issues and I assume to ensure that people are following safety regulations. The makerspaces I researched, have not had any serious incidents to date.