Track: Undergraduate Student Paper Competition

Abstract

Makerspaces have been increasingly adapted for schools, libraries, social causes, private companies and many other stratums. Each of them counts with a very unique state of affairs that and specific outcomes. It is common to create makerspaces for specific purposes like entrepreneurship, research, creativity and innovation, or STEAM education to name a few, and find out that results do not flow as expected.

To date there are no guidelines or identified metrics to build a makerspace with the right set of assets to achieve the desired goals. The objective of this study is to identify different types of makerspaces as well as the characteristics, goals and conditions required for their successful operation.

We established the basic parameters to define a makerspace through a literature review of the terms makerspace, FabLab, and co-creation lab. Then, we interviewed ten makerspace representatives in order to analyze their makerspace environments and criteria of success. With this input, we designed a survey intended to recollect information worldwide from makerspace managers and users in order to identify the relationships between characteristics, operation practices and key metrics that make a successful makerspace.