Fablabs, Makerspaces, and Third Places are spaces for innovation, creativity, and collaborative learning where communities come together to bring ideas to life. At the core of these spaces, documentation and project sharing play a fundamental role. Creation, learning, and innovation are inherently collaborative processes, and the sharing of knowledge is at the heart of their essence. While the need to document and share projects is evident in these spaces, encouraging members to dedicate time to document their achievements often proves to be a challenge.

Documentation and Project Sharing in makerspace

Spaces for making are dynamic communities where creative minds gather to design, create, learn, and share knowledge. One of the cornerstones of these spaces is project documentation and the sharing of expertise.

  • Knowledge Transmission: Members of these places share their expertise and skills with others, fostering learning. Project documentation helps preserve and transmit this knowledge.
  • Inspiration and Collaboration: Documented projects serve as inspiration for other members, fostering creativity and collaboration. Ideas and concepts flow freely, promoting the creation of exciting collaborative projects.
  • Community Building: Sharing projects strengthens the sense of belonging to the community. It's a way to showcase what one can contribute, receive constructive feedback, and find collaborators for future projects.

Encouraging members to dedicate time to document their achievements proves to be a challenge for many spaces.

Creativity and innovation are often fueled by the immediate enthusiasm that drives participants to delve directly into realizing their ideas without considering documentation. The challenge lies in transforming this creative energy into a documentation process.

Several factors come into play: lack of time, the perception of documentation as a tedious task, or even a lack of knowledge about how to effectively document a project. However, documenting a project not only preserves and transmits knowledge but also strengthens the community by sharing ideas, receiving feedback, and enabling future collaborations.

Therefore, encouraging project documentation within Fablabs requires a motivating and accessible approach. Workshops dedicated to documentation can be organized to familiarize members with best practices. Highlighting the benefits of sharing projects can also encourage members to document their achievements by showcasing the positive impact it can have on the community as a whole.

Another approach is to create a culture of documentation within these spaces, valuing and celebrating the process as much as the result. Successful examples of documented projects can be shared to illustrate the importance of this practice. Implementing rewards or recognition for the most involved members in documentation can serve as additional encouragement.

Documenting projects in Fablabs, Makerspaces, and Third Places, although sometimes challenging to initiate, is essential for fostering learning, innovation, and community. Encouraging members to document their projects requires a shift in mindset, awareness, and a collaborative approach to transform documentation into an integral part of the creative process within these spaces.

OpenLab: The Project Sharing Network

OpenLab represents an exciting opportunity for Fablab members. It's a network that allows users of Fab Manager software to share projects created within their spaces. This initiative aims to facilitate knowledge sharing, inspire the community, and enable innovative collaborations. Presently, the OpenLab network gathers over 1500 shared projects.

What are the benefits of participating in the OpenLab network?

  1. Ease of Sharing: OpenLab simplifies the project sharing process. Fab Manager users can upload information about their creations, including plans, schematics, photographs, and detailed descriptions.
  2. Increased Visibility: Projects shared on OpenLab are accessible to a global audience. This means your achievements can inspire and assist other enthusiasts worldwide, showcasing the creativity of your space.
  3. Constructive Feedback: Comments from other users, whether from your local community or beyond, can offer valuable perspectives on your projects. This feedback can lead to improvements, unexpected collaborations, and new opportunities.
  4. Convenient Archiving: OpenLab also serves as an archive for your projects, making research, reference, and reuse more accessible. This feature contributes to preserving a history of your space's accomplishments.

How to participate in this network?

To join this network, Fablabs using Fab Manager as their management software must request access by emailing the software support team (support@fab-manager.com) to obtain an ID and password to activate the OpenLab option in their Fab Manager instance. Once activated, projects documented by members will be shared on the network, contributing to a culture of sharing, collaboration, and inspiration within the Fablab community.

What does the OpenLab network look like?

Explore the OpenLab network through La Casemate's Fablab in Grenoble here. This dynamic Fablab actively participates in the OpenLab network, sharing its projects and contributing to the creative buzz of the network.

Focus on two projects shared on the OpenLab network:

  1. "Layered Puzzle - Ladybug Lifecycle" by the Third Place Le Kaleidoscope, Copeaux Numériques: https://reservation.lescopeauxnumeriques.fr//#!/projects/puzzle-a-etages-cycle-de-vie-de-la-coccinelle This project offers an interactive experience exploring the lifecycle of a ladybug through a three-dimensional puzzle. This engaging creation provides a playful and educational perspective on the fascinating world of nature.

  2. "Wind-Powered Aerial Photography Basket" by Fablab du Dôme, Caen: https://fablab.ledome.info/#!/projects/nacelle-aerophotographique-a-energie-eolienne This project proposes an aerial photography solution powered by wind energy, showcasing the potential of renewable energies in aerial photography.

Fablabs, Makerspaces, and Third Places are hubs of creativity, learning, and innovation. Project sharing and documentation play an essential role in these communities, fostering learning, collaboration, and growth. OpenLab, by enabling Fab Manager users to share their projects, opens new opportunities for these spaces and their members, thereby reinforcing the culture of innovation and creativity within these dynamic communities. Let your next creative adventure begin on OpenLab!