== Strategy #4: Make existing makerspaces more welcoming, inclusive, and human-centered ==
=== Tactic: Consider user experience Makerspaces are often marketed as open, social, and interaction collaborative spaces for designing, tinkering, and inventing. In reality, many of these spaces recreate barriers to entry for populations of individuals not traditionally welcome in technical field. We intend to help spacesbecome more centered on their student populations and less on their tools and equipment. ===
*User-friendly layouts**An obvious flow to the space that draws you in and leads through the areas**Post easy to read descriptions of the equipment with instructions/reminders/requirements for training at each workstation*<span id="docs-internal-guid-2250fa99-7fff-a47e-8208-4c784294440b">Hire a “host” to work in the space - they can welcome users to the lab, help them to find what they need, steer them in the right direction if they need help or other resources, and answer questions</span>*<span id="docs-internal-guid-2250fa99-7fff-a47e-8208-4c784294440b">Hold themed workshops in the = Tactic: Redesign spaces, especially during off-season or less busy times in the semester</span>**<span id="docs-internal-guid-2250fa99-7fff-a47e-8208-4c784294440b">Community building - bring with diverse user experience and interaction in students that are about to graduate and might want to learn more about the programs offered on that campus.</span>**<span idmind ="docs-internal-guid-2250fa99-7fff-a47e-8208-4c784294440b">Have maker nights for female students alone, to welcome them into the space. Include those from outside of the majors that would traditionally use the spaces.</span>**<span id="docs-internal-guid-2250fa99-7fff-a47e-8208-4c784294440b">Have maker nights for transfer students to introduce them to the things they can do in that space.</span>**<span id="docs-internal-guid-2250fa99-7fff-a47e-8208-4c784294440b">Make sure that sign-ups for training sessions and other workshops are advertised before and during these workshops</span>
User-friendly layouts: *An obvious flow to the space that draws you in and leads through the areas*Post easy to read descriptions of the equipment with instructions/reminders/requirements for training at each workstation\ <span id="docs-internal-guid-2250fa99-7fff-a47e-8208-4c784294440b">Hold themed workshops in the spaces, especially during off-season or less busy times in the semester:</span> *<span id="docs-internal-guid-2250fa99-7fff-a47e-8208-4c784294440b">Community building - bring in students that are about to graduate and might want to learn more about the programs offered on that campus.</span>*<span id="docs-internal-guid-2250fa99-7fff-a47e-8208-4c784294440b">Have maker nights for female students alone, to welcome them into the space. Include those from outside of the majors that would traditionally use the spaces.</span>*<span id="docs-internal-guid-2250fa99-7fff-a47e-8208-4c784294440b">Have maker nights for transfer students to introduce them to the things they can do in that space.</span>*<span id="docs-internal-guid-2250fa99-7fff-a47e-8208-4c784294440b">Make sure that sign-ups for training sessions and other workshops are advertised before and during these workshops</span> === Tactic 2: Add a host or guide paid student employee to help/welcome users to the space and find what they need. === <span id="docs-internal-guid-2250fa99-7fff-a47e-8208-4c784294440b">Hire a “host” to work in the space, where they can:</span> *<span>welcome users to the lab</span>*<span>help them to find what they need</span>*<span>steer them in the right direction if they need help or other resources</span>*<span>answer logistical questions/resolve scheduling conflicts</span>
== Related Links ==