Mod Your Makerspace

Mod Your Makerspace is a Work Party meetup that happens a few times a month in the space.

MYM is the members' night to get stuff done around the space. It is not a discussion time, but a time when we gather to get things done and and make our space better. That includes voting on proposals, helping out around the space, helping with community projects, and planning long-term improvements.

During the build-out of 3890, every Tuesday Open Hack Night will be dedicated to MYM. [subject to vote] We'll move in to a bi-weekly cadence later on with one on a Tuesday evening, and one on a weekend time.

This pattern worked well for organizing and rallying the space in one of the members' old spaces. The people who show up for these meetings are the ones who set the direction of the space so it's important that these meetings are available for as many members as possible.

Before the meeting

• Proposals for voting are posted on the #ems-general discord group for discussion at least a week before voting
• Proposals locked one week before MYM
• Proposals should be small in scope, operational, and actionable. (i.e. "I've made and tested this xxx system", and I'd make it official, not "I propose we need an xxx system")
• Members have the ability to dismiss a proposal because they feel it's too broad or should be handled by the board
• Proposals should be discussed in depth on the forums prior to MYM. Please try to say something of more substance than "+1" or "I agree."

At the Meeting

• Any member can begin the meeting promptly at 6pm, with or without a quorum of 6 members.
• The first part is the vote; voting happens quickly, generally without discussion.
  • Member moderating the meeting picks a note taker before the meeting
  • If there's no quorum, the vote may be skipped or delayed until later in the meeting.
  • A majority vote wins (abstains are not counted toward a vote, so if two vote yea, one votes nay and five abstain, the vote passes.)
  • Voting results will be sent to the Discord by the note-taker.
• The second part is getting stuff done:
  • consult the in-space TODO boards
  • grab a mop or broom
  • organize parts bins & tool storage
  • new-member and prospective-member tours and orientation
• The meeting "ends" when folks run out of things to do and start hanging out or making things.

Principles of Conduct

• Keep the Community Norms in mind.
• Vote with your actions more than your raised hand.
  • "I will do this" is much more powerful than "I want this done"
  • It is up to individuals not "the community" to implement proposals.
  • A good proposal, is one that has the fewest and least-demanding physical requirements. For example, a proposal that requires the existence of a physical object is worse than one that doesn't. A proposal that dictates that someone now has a duty is worse than one that doesn't. Remember that the content of a proposal does not need to correspond to reality. Therefore it is possible for a proposal to clash with reality, and when it does so, it becomes nonsense. Don't make proposals that are nonsense.