[hackerspaces] How to create a steady-state makerspace/hackerspace business model

[Al Billings]

I like this idea and I could see using "zones" to help organize things and to get people to step up. 

-- 
Al Billings
http://www.openbuddha.com
http://makehacklearn.org


On Tuesday, June 4, 2013 at 11:15 AM, Alan Fay wrote:

> One of the things Freeside does is promote ownership of an area (we call them zones and the people who run them zone captains, or space commanders) in order to motivate volunteers.  For some individuals, being able to arrange, modify, or improve an area is a rewarding experience.  As a direct result of creating the zone concept, a metal shop, CNC area, woodshop, HAM radio station, biolab, media lab, 3DP area, and electronics zone appeared.  They don't all have consistent zone captains, but they each serve as a good rally point for our member interests.
> 
> That is primarily what motivates me - unless you're extremely lucky (and it is luck - talent, intelligence, or political skills don't matter) working in a typical American corporate setting means you don't have autonomy over the products of your work or the conditions of your work.  A hackerspace, on the other hand, is a blank canvas to draw out the collective sum expression of member interests with very few restrictions.  At least at Freeside, we try to encourage space modification and we resoundingly say, "Yes!" whenever a member wants to alter the surroundings.  It's only "guided" in the sense of having a concept of zones - ultimately all the decisions about the space come from the membership. 

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