Read the Beforeitsnews.com story here. Advertise at Before It's News here.
Profile image
By solidsmack (Reporter)
Contributor profile | More stories
Story Views
Now:
Last hour:
Last 24 hours:
Total:

3 Makerspace Mistakes to Avoid (and How to Make One in a Week)

% of readers think this story is Fact. Add your two cents.


Picture this: you’re in a room with like-minded designers, programmers, and coders. You all want the same thing: to innovate. A makerspace. Now imagine that space–the oddest inventions, the whir of electronics and the smell of cutting oil. Ahhhh.

You may be part of a makerspace. You may have started one. You may really want to start one, be it in your garage or that 50,000 warehouse downtown that’s waiting for someone to buy it. You may have experienced the  joys and pains of such a venture, but if you haven’t, read on.

John Spencer, a former middle school teacher, college professor, and co-creator of a  design thinking framework for K-12 students, wrote an article about his experiences in creating a makerspace for his students. He isn’t a bigshot innovator; he just wants to give his students a place to create their ideas. Armed with nothing more than a basic knowledge of coding, simple technology, and a meager budget, John learned three things to work around limitations.

1. Don’t plan too much and just work with what you have

The first version of anything is never the final product. It’s never good to overthink about something and end up not doing it at all. Instead of worrying about your makerspace being the perfect hole where ideas can thrive, just get out there and work on it.

Determine a MVP (minimal viable product) for your makerspace which is simple yet considers all the basics. This way, you can add more to the initial space while still getting work done. There will always be time to make adjustments, but there will never be a way to get back all the time wasted daydreaming about a makerspace.

2. You don’t need the best supplies to have a good makerspace

Be it a 3D printer or the newest iMac, you don’t need a lot of expensive gadgets for your makerspace to work properly. Having trouble with noisy neighbors? Glue some egg cartons onto the walls. Don’t have the newest 3D modelling software? Sometimes clay works just as well.

As long as you don’t forget the most important resource of all (it’s your brain, in case you were wondering), many things can be repurposed to fit your needs. You may discover cheaper alternatives present themselves as time goes on.

3. Help from others goes a long way

Even if you happen to be the offspring of Einstein and a supercomputer, those smarts won’t get you far without other people to back you up. Not only can you get more work done, but you also have others who share your vision for the makerspace and what you want to accomplish with it.

They can even fill you in on topics you aren’t well-versed in. Even though John Spencer was technically the only teacher in his makerspace, collaborating with his friend Javier and his students helped him expand his horizons. In seeing that their teacher was willing to learn, the students developed the same mindset which is at the core of innovation.

These are just a few basic tips to keep in mind when making your own makerspace. When you realize that the best ideas come from collaboration rather than how much expensive tech you have, you can focus on making something totally unique.

The article is a must read if you’ve thought about starting up a makerspace or even turning your garage into a project room. John has a challenge for you at the end of the article too – you may start sweating when you see it, and have a sore rear end from kicking yourself in the butt, finally creating that makerspace.

The post 3 Makerspace Mistakes to Avoid (and How to Make One in a Week) appeared first on SolidSmack.

Read more about CAD, product design and related technology at SolidSmack.com


Source: https://www.solidsmack.com/fabrication/makerspace-mistakes-avoid/


Before It’s News® is a community of individuals who report on what’s going on around them, from all around the world.

Anyone can join.
Anyone can contribute.
Anyone can become informed about their world.

"United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.

Please Help Support BeforeitsNews by trying our Natural Health Products below!


Order by Phone at 888-809-8385 or online at https://mitocopper.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST

Order by Phone at 866-388-7003 or online at https://www.herbanomic.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST

Order by Phone at 866-388-7003 or online at https://www.herbanomics.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST


Humic & Fulvic Trace Minerals Complex - Nature's most important supplement! Vivid Dreams again!

HNEX HydroNano EXtracellular Water - Improve immune system health and reduce inflammation.

Ultimate Clinical Potency Curcumin - Natural pain relief, reduce inflammation and so much more.

MitoCopper - Bioavailable Copper destroys pathogens and gives you more energy. (See Blood Video)

Oxy Powder - Natural Colon Cleanser!  Cleans out toxic buildup with oxygen!

Nascent Iodine - Promotes detoxification, mental focus and thyroid health.

Smart Meter Cover -  Reduces Smart Meter radiation by 96%! (See Video).

Report abuse

    Comments

    Your Comments
    Question   Razz  Sad   Evil  Exclaim  Smile  Redface  Biggrin  Surprised  Eek   Confused   Cool  LOL   Mad   Twisted  Rolleyes   Wink  Idea  Arrow  Neutral  Cry   Mr. Green

    MOST RECENT
    Load more ...

    SignUp

    Login

    Newsletter

    Email this story
    Email this story

    If you really want to ban this commenter, please write down the reason:

    If you really want to disable all recommended stories, click on OK button. After that, you will be redirect to your options page.