Help to create an open lab
Definition: an open lab is a community-operated workspace where people with common interests and goals can meet, socialize and collaborate (examples: fab labs, makerspaces, coworking spaces, hacker spaces, and OVN spaces ...)
You want to create an open lab? You have an open lab and want to adopt the OVN model and perhaps join our larger ecosystem? Here you can learn how.
Readings
General documentation
- MESI memo for the collaborative economy [see also the french version]
- The age of the collaborative entrepreneur
- Économie Collaborative - présentation pour MESI
- A lot more on the OVN wiki
- How-to - OVN proto-manual
Larger ecosystems, see NOICE - LEVOICE - Verdun project
Examples
Study the examples below, remix from them.
- Sensorica Montreal lab
- add others...
How-To
CAUTION: Starting up a new open lab or a new OVN requires a lot of experience and know-how. Mistakes can be very costly. We strongly encourage you to contact us for support.
! Under development ...
Design considerations
Decide on the vocation of your open space. This determines what's in the space, how it is arranged, safety and security features, etc.
Take the following characteristics into consideration in your design process.
- Transparent: provide easy access to information about activities contained within
- Open: provide easy access to participation in activities
- Shared: makes cohabitation easy, contains shareable materials, tools and equipment
- Collaborative: foster collaborative behaviour
- Modular: can easily be modified to accommodate new activities
- add others...
Navigation
Design signalization, consider function, safety and security. See examples.
Administration
Define support roles with responsibilities and benefits (example from Sensorica lab).
Define important tasks to maintain the space and the community, consider incentives, adopt a task management tool (Ex. Trello).
Define important procedures and methodologies.
Get more information from the administration of the Sensorica lab.
Resources
Think about the various types of resources that you need to gather and allocate
- Tangible
- Material: consumables, tools, equipment, furniture, space
- Currency: money, tokens
- Intangible
- Branding
With respect to the lifetime: kick start --> roll --> close/re-purpose
IT tools
- Documentation - any open and shared service, can be Google Drive, in conjunction with an integration and aggregation tool such as a website (Google Sites for example).
- Coordination - any open and shared service, can be Google Calendar, Trello, etc
- Contribution accounting system - See Sensorica's NRP-CAS
- Planning - see Sensorica's Trello, also use the NRP-CAS
- Inventory - see Sensorica's inventory using the NRP-CAS
- add others...
Governance
Formulate lab access rules - get inspired from Sensorica lab rules.
If you sublet space, subleasing agreement - remix from Sensoirca's template.
Formalize relation with a Custodian - remix from Sensorica's template (under development).
Endogenous project governance - remix from Sensorica's template.
Service project governance - remix from Sensorica's template.
Custodian Agreement for projects - remix from Sensorica's template.
Deal with for-profit organisations - open Sensorica's doc.
Partnership and memorandum of understanding - remix from Sensorica's template.
Open Innovation Partnership Agreement - remix from Sensorica's template.
Exchange Firm Agreement for projects - remix from Sensorica's template.
