Difference between revisions of "Starting a FabLab"

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http://fablabamersfoort.nl/nl/user/106/content and download [http://fablabamersfoort.nl/sites/default/files/Fab%20Lab%20Instructable.pdf the grassroots instructable.pdf]<br>  
 
http://fablabamersfoort.nl/nl/user/106/content and download [http://fablabamersfoort.nl/sites/default/files/Fab%20Lab%20Instructable.pdf the grassroots instructable.pdf]<br>  

Latest revision as of 09:06, 12 December 2015

The real stuff

Original research: Sending a questionnaire to fab labs

Many starting fab lab initiatives send some sort of questionnaire to existing fab labs -- so many that almost no week passes without such a request. But lab managers of running labs do not have even a second to attend to those requests (as I have tentatively shown in a study carried out on an otherwise uneventful bus ride at Fab6--so I was not stealing time-on-task from those lab managers). The typical reaction to questionnaires is ignorance. Sometimes, one is lucky to receive an answer like that:

First: congratulations!  It is a courageous venture that you are starting, and I am happy for you that you already found an investor.
Developing a business plan for a Fab Lab is a challenge of its own and I understand that you are seeking advice.  However, we are in actual fact 
inundated by similar requests on a weekly basis, with questionnaires ranging from a few to ten and more pages and some including more than 100 questions.  
As soon as you have your lab up and running, 
you will be targeted as well -- and you will find that you just do not have the time to respond to these requests appropriately.  
So I am sorry that I have to decline your request on these grounds.
From my experience setting up and managing Fab Labs, I would advise you not to look too much to other labs and what they are doing.  
Your business plan needs to start from your own needs and dream, from your own community, your own capabilities and opportunities, and it has to take your local situation into account: 
who are you targeting, who are your competitors in your target markets, etc.
If this sounds to generic, there is help out there as well.  I know of at least two studies who have very profoundly analyzed and reported on Fab Labs:
- http://fing.org/?Fab-Labs-overview&lang=fr
- http://www.fablabedp.edp.pt/sites/default/files/uploaded_files/Benchmarking%20report.pdf
And I include links to two papers in which I deal with the issue of developing a Fab Lab business model in more detail:
- http://wikis.fu-berlin.de/download/attachments/59080767/Troxler-Paper.pdf
- http://square-1.eu/site/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/TroxlerWolf2010_BendingTheRules_FablabInnovationEcology_pub.pdf
Finally there is a growing resource on how to set up and run a Fab Lab: http://wiki.fablab.is/wiki/Portal:SetUpRun

Indeed the Icelandic wiki (http://wiki.fablab.is) is the place with the most comprehensive information on Fab Labs in general -- and it also hosts the community-curated list of Fab Labs on which you certainly will want to add your lab -- just request a login and add yourself on the list of lab locations.

Golden rules, version 2

(1) make sure you have enough people around you to get the project started.

  • Typically, for a sponsored lab, that is supposed to become part of a larger institution, you can work the project with 5 people, of which one is the institutional sponsor, one is an expert/guru and one is the designated "studio master" or "lab manager"
  • Typically, for a self-funded lab, you would want a larger group. Obviously there is no institutional sponsor, but you need people who are prepared to put in a bit of money (you should be able to buy your first machines and pay the rent for a few months) and a lot of time, in the project and once up and running. It certainly helps to have an expert on board and your prospective lab manager(s).

(1bis) make sure you understand well what the options grass-roots vs. sponsored mean:

  • grass-roots = freedom, speed, permanent beta, little financial security, loads of voluntary time investment
  • sponsored = paperwork, external requirements, lengthy negotiations, meeting external targets, secured funds for a while

(2) do shop around at other labs in your country -- they might have solved practical problems from health and safety and insurance to finding material suppliers: those are areas that differ most from country to country. Ideally, you can get to know a few other labs by going there and work for a little while.

(3) A business plan is a helpful tool but secondary in a Fab Lab. Sure you have to pay your bills etc. -- but the most important factor is the social capital in and around your lab. Start to build your community early and make sure to grow it, keep in touch with those people and make them help you. Second budget your time first before you budget your pounds -- the worst thing that can happen to an initiative is when personal circumstances of a few key people change and they are not able to put in those hours they promised. It is bound to happen. And of course take care of your cents, don't spend money on computers when a local company is throwing out their old machines, same for furniture etc. Even in institutional projects: most institutions have old or unused equipment somewhere that might come in handy for your lab.

(4) make sure to not only connect to your local community but nationally and internationally, too.

(5) beware of consultants and other labs promising to help you for a fee: only do it if you have a government- or industry-sponsor who believes in consultants, double-check their credentials, check that their fee is less than 15 % of your total budget, define clear deliverables (what? when? acceptance criteria), check their references

  • most of the "knowledge" consultants will bring you is freely available on the Internet (e.g. at wiki.fablab.is)
  • individual consultants often have no experience of actually working in a lab
  • labs normally do not know a lot about organizational and managerial issues beyond their own experience
  • do hire a consultant or a lab if that helps to boost your funding proposal (make them help you to write the proposal for free and only give them the job if the proposal is successful)

Golden rules, version 1

to call your lab a Fab Lab you have to meet the requirements set out here: http://wiki.fablab.is/wiki/ConditionsForFabLabLabel

  • note: there are no fees involved in becoming a Fab Lab
  • note: you are not allowed to use the term MIT in the name of your lab

to set up a lab I've got a few tips on how to go about it:

  • make sure you are not starting on your own -- if you want to start a grass-roots fablab, you should aim for around 10-12 active supporters, if you go for a government- or industry-sponsored lab, you might be able to start with 5-6 people
  • make sure you understand well what the options grass-roots vs. sponsored mean:
    • grass-roots = freedom, speed, permanent beta, little financial security, loads of voluntary time investment
    • sponsored = paperwork, external requirements, lengthy negotiations, meeting external targest, secured funds for a while
  • make sure you get to know a few other labs (ideally by going there and work for a little while)--check here for locations: http://wiki.fablab.is/wiki/Portal:Labs
  • do your homework--read about fab labs on the Internet
  • beware of consultants and other labs promising to help you for a fee: only do it if you have a government- or industry-sponsor, double-check their credentials, check that their fee is less than 15 % of your total budget, define clear deliverables (what? when? acceptance criteria), check their references
    • most of the "knowledge" consultants will bring you is freely available on the Internet (e.g. at wiki.fablab.is)
    • individual consultants often have no experience of actually working in a lab
    • labs normally do not know a lot about organizational and managerial issues beyond their own experience
    • do hire a consultant or a lab if that helps to boost your funding proposal (make them help you to write the proposal for free and only give them the job if the proposal is successful)
  • when setting up do not forget to connect to the rest of the world--in your neighbourhood, in your city, in the fab lab community
  • stream your launch party over the Internet
  • come to Fab9, 10, 11, ....
  • have fun!

Purpose of this page

A collection of questions starting FabLabs have. Many FabLab initiatives are seeking answers to the same or similar questions. About what to do, what machines to get, how to fund, how to find a place etc. Some questions are 'big' others are very specific and detailed. This is the place to ask those questions, so that in answering them we are at the same time building a collection of questions and answers given.

How to use this page

When asking a question

Put your question in the relevant section (orientation, location, machines and material, funding and business models, community building, other). Then send out e-mails to FabLab people you know to point them to your question(s) and ask them to add any answers they may have. (Otherwise no-one might notice you have a question!) In short: posting a question is not enough, you need to reach out to others to help you find answers! Using this list does not replace talking to people at other FabLabs and learning from their stories, it is merely a place to collect some of those learnings.


When answering a question

When you answer a question, put the answer below the question. Where possible link to other pages in this wiki or sources elsewhere on-line, to avoid replicating content. Do not make assumptions about what the person asking already knows, or come back with put-downs like saying it's a very easy or stupid question. There are no such things as stupid questions: you simply have forgotten whether it was hard to learn something when you learned it yourself. What may seem obvious to you may look completely confusing to someone else. If your answer becomes very lengthy, either try to cut it down in size, or put the answer in a seperate wiki page and link to it here. Add a little bit of context to your answer so that others may be able to judge whether your answer applies to their situation: add your name and FabLab to your answer, or add something like "When I was looking for a location in Berlin, I....."


Questions on orientation of a FabLab

How do I start?

By defining the ambitions of your fablab. Should it be large, medium, small? How to involve the local community?
Please sit back and contemplate. Also about the fabcharter

These pointers may help:

http://fablabinternational.org/fab-lab/how-to-start-one

http://minifablab.nl

http://fablabamersfoort.nl/nl/user/106/content and download the grassroots instructable.pdf

http://p2pfoundation.net/Fab_Labs as an intro to 'business models'


Questions on the location of a FabLab

Questions on machines and material

Questions on funding an business models

Questions on community building and the FabLab network

Questions on other topics

Wordpress sites

...what plugins have you used that are time-savers or that you wouldn't do without for your site? (I would really like to hear about calendar/registration and crowdfunding platforms? Thank you :)

I’m rather concerne dabout security plugins than crowdfunding -- for crowdfunding I’d go to a proven crowdfunding site/platform.--trox [at] fabfolk [.] com 03:17, 2 April 2015 (UTC)

Good point! But in my case (French Quebec), the existing platforms are not as popular and 2nd, I intend to implement a system in which individual projets (kids mainly) and teachers can get their participation funded by the public)(I like to make my life complicated ;) Thank you Mylene Createca