research-article

Building a Maker Community Around an Open Hardware Platform

Authors:

Fabio Morreale,

Alan Chamberlain,

Andrew P. McPhersonAuthors Info & Claims

CHI '17: Proceedings of the 2017 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

Pages 6948 - 6959

https://doi.org/10.1145/3025453.3026056

Published: 02 May 2017 Publication History

Abstract

This paper reflects on the dynamics and practices of building a maker community around a new hardware platform. We examine the factors promoting the successful uptake of a maker platform from two perspectives: first, we investigate the technical and user experience considerations that users identify as the most important. Second, we explore the specific activities that help attract a community and encourage sustained participation. We present an inductive approach based on the case study of Bela, an embedded platform for creating interactive audio systems. The technical design and community building processes are detailed, culminating in a successful crowdfunding campaign. To further understand the community dynamics, the paper also presents an intensive three-day workshop with eight digital musical instrument designers. From observations and interviews, we reflect on the relationship between the platform and the community and offer suggestions for HCI researchers and practitioners interested in establishing their own maker communities.

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Cited By

Wilner TAdavi KMandava SBhimdiwala AFrluckaj HTurns JArif A(2024)From Concept to Community: Unpacking the Work of Designing Educational and Activist ToolkitsProceedings of the 2024 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/3613904.3642681(1-15)Online publication date: 11-May-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3613904.3642681
Turchet L(2024)Entangled Internet of Musical Things and People: A More-Than-Human Design Framework for Networked Musical EcosystemsIEEE Transactions on Technology and Society10.1109/TTS.2024.34435405:4(355-367)Online publication date: Dec-2024
https://doi.org/10.1109/TTS.2024.3443540
Masu RMerendino NRodã ATurchet L(2024)Sustainable Internet of Musical Things: Strategies to Account for Environmental and Social Sustainability in Network-Based Interactive Music SystemsIEEE Access10.1109/ACCESS.2024.339346812(62818-62833)Online publication date: 2024
https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2024.3393468
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Index Terms

Building a Maker Community Around an Open Hardware Platform
1. Human-centered computing
2. Information systems
  1. Information systems applications
    1. Multimedia information systems

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cover image ACM Conferences

CHI '17: Proceedings of the 2017 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

May 2017

7138 pages

ISBN:9781450346559

DOI:10.1145/3025453

General Chairs:
Gloria Mark
University of California Irvine
,
Susan Fussell
Cornell University
,
Program Chairs:
Cliff Lampe
University of Michigan
,
m.c. schraefel
University of Southampton
,
Juan Pablo Hourcade
University of Iowa
,
Caroline Appert
Université Paris-Sud
,
Daniel Wigdor
University of Toronto

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Published: 02 May 2017

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CHI '17: CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

May 6 - 11, 2017

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CHI '17 Paper Acceptance Rate 600 of 2,400 submissions, 25%;

Overall Acceptance Rate 6,199 of 26,314 submissions, 24%

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Cited By

Wilner TAdavi KMandava SBhimdiwala AFrluckaj HTurns JArif A(2024)From Concept to Community: Unpacking the Work of Designing Educational and Activist ToolkitsProceedings of the 2024 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/3613904.3642681(1-15)Online publication date: 11-May-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3613904.3642681
Turchet L(2024)Entangled Internet of Musical Things and People: A More-Than-Human Design Framework for Networked Musical EcosystemsIEEE Transactions on Technology and Society10.1109/TTS.2024.34435405:4(355-367)Online publication date: Dec-2024
https://doi.org/10.1109/TTS.2024.3443540
Masu RMerendino NRodã ATurchet L(2024)Sustainable Internet of Musical Things: Strategies to Account for Environmental and Social Sustainability in Network-Based Interactive Music SystemsIEEE Access10.1109/ACCESS.2024.339346812(62818-62833)Online publication date: 2024
https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2024.3393468
Pigott JTaylor A(2024)Sonic cultures of making: DIY sound and electronics since 1981Sound Studies10.1080/20551940.2024.230443910:2(254-272)Online publication date: 22-Jan-2024
https://doi.org/10.1080/20551940.2024.2304439
Benford SMcGarry GHazzard AChamberlain AGibson RMartinez Avila J(2024)Augmenting musical instruments with digital identitiesJournal of New Music Research10.1080/09298215.2024.2423613(1-20)Online publication date: 14-Nov-2024
https://doi.org/10.1080/09298215.2024.2423613
Lu ZTan PJi YMa X(2022)The Crafts+Fabrication Workshop: Engaging Students with Intangible Cultural Heritage-Oriented Creative DesignProceedings of the 2022 ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference10.1145/3532106.3533525(1071-1084)Online publication date: 13-Jun-2022
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Jones LNabil SMaiden NSas C(2022)Goldwork EmbroideryProceedings of the 14th Conference on Creativity and Cognition10.1145/3527927.3532809(364-379)Online publication date: 20-Jun-2022
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Renney NGaster BMitchell TRenney H(2022)Studying How Digital Luthiers Choose Their ToolsProceedings of the 2022 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/3491102.3517656(1-18)Online publication date: 29-Apr-2022
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Wang DHuang Y(2022)Self-efficacy is stronger than social support in predicting technology-enhanced hands-on learningInteractive Learning Environments10.1080/10494820.2022.2127776(1-13)Online publication date: 1-Oct-2022
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Liu YTodd Monroe WBelgodere JChoi JTeresa Gutierrez-Wing MTiersch T(2022)The emerging role of open technologies for community-based improvement of cryopreservation and quality management for repository development in aquatic speciesAnimal Reproduction Science10.1016/j.anireprosci.2021.106871246(106871)Online publication date: Nov-2022
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