Innovation platform

[SandervG 1,521]

Hopefully we can count on you too, when such a platform surfaces

[00D00B 58]

Hopefully we can count on you too, when such a platform surfaces

 

Sure !

Get me on touch about it ! (And other stuffs if you have too ahah)

[danilius 118]

An innovation platform is a step-up from the likes of youmagine or thingiverse, with some caveats. First of all, it really has to be quite simple to use - no long and complicated setup for a project, easy to join and easy to manage projects.

Secondly, the biggest problem with youmagine and thingiverse is that there are shedloads of models and they are not curated. So, if searching for something, you have to spend hours trying to figure out what the designer might have called it. Therefore I suggest that a core feature should be forcing the project creator to place their project into a specific category or categories, and having that curated as well. It does not have to be instantly checked, but every now and then admins should be able to move projects into a different category if necessary. Above all, a gentle hand at the tiller is required; I do not post to stackexchange because the admins there invariably have a very brutal attitude to any question is is even slightly off-topic, which I find unhelpful and annoying.

Lastly, it makes a great deal of sense for Ultimaker and the open source/hardware community in general to have this kind of collaboration platform. I have a project I want to work on that will need some help with electronics and advanced maths, probably some engineering too. With a platform that is well thought out, with gaming-style scoring as well, it might just attract someone to my project who has no interest in 3D printing, electronics or engineering, but is a hotshot at maths. If it succeeds, then it will make a substantial change to 3D printing and the Ultimaker as well, but it will need quite a bit of input from people with specialist knowledge to be all drawn together on the project.

This will require some considerable social momentum, but with a brand like Ultimaker backing it and the success of the Olsson Block, I think this has a very real chance of succeeding. Some interesting/funny competitions with good or funny prizes every now and then will only help to promote the whole idea.

[SandervG 1,521]

Hi @Danilius, thank you for your post and I could not agree more.

So, have you checked out the Artella platform?

Just to be clear, it is not ours but I find it inspirational how it is set up, and I am wondering how it fits your vision on such a platform.

As curation and moderation attitude, I think it should fit the forum values and I feel there is a good atmosphere here, plus social guidelines. Please correct me if I am wrong

[00D00B 58]

This kinda platforma just needs a strong team to lead it and make it attractive to people whenever they come because it can fastly be annoying if nothing never moves

So yes, social is the word, it's the real power of this movement !

[SandervG 1,521]

And, the platform must be intuitive to use, and support the users in uploading and quickly viewing the uploaded files. Have a clear overview of what is done and needs to be done, an option to apply and an agenda to commit people to agreements. And much more to keep people involved. A challenge would definitely be to keep people involved and compete with regular life and its obligations.

In this thread there were a few platforms mentioned, and i am curious to hear what you think of them. I'm not asking to write a detailed review but check it out with as much time as you are willing to invest.

Artella

Hitrecord

Github

openbuilds

[danilius 118]

I don't really have the time to sign up to these sites and play around with them. My feeling anyway is that none of them are going to have all the specific features that such a platform would need, and the commonalities are really quite basic.

 

• Logins
  
• project creation
  
• file viewing in the browser (STL, IGS and bla)
  
• mini-forum for each project
  
• site-wide forum for discussing projects with other people on the site who might not know about individual projects etc.
  
• task manager for each project
  

 

As the site grows people will suggest more features and refinements of existing ones, so start with something simple. Lowest possible common denominator.

[00D00B 58]

Github is pretty advanced in project-sharing but it's also technic, not usable by everybody.

OpenBuilds is intresting because we can follow a from scratch project at 100% but the idea is to share what you're doing and then get some comments and/or help to get it done. People don't really take part to the project as you would like to do @Sander

So I discovered Artella by this topic and can't say much but this kind of UI is great, it seems to be easy to use and so easier for people trying to make a collaborative project. It's smooth, clear and easy to handle. You project could be more "hilighted" on this kind of platform.

I don't know HITRECORD, I'm gonna shut up on this one.

[Labern 775]

Hi @3DofTom, thanks for sharing! That platform has a lot of similarities of how I imagined such a collaborative platform could look like!

The way different projects are being displayed, the creator and to what percentage it is completed is very nice. Also the tools required / used is useful. The option to apply as well. But besides that it still looks rather closed. Like for example what 15% is finished?

Concrete, what are all the steps and for what steps is the owner still looking for help?

For us we would also need a good viewer, to visualize as many different uploaded files as possible.

But I understand it is still under development. So far it is looking pretty good!

Curious to see what direction this will go.

What does everyone else think of this platform? Things you like / don't like?

@Nicolinux, @Danilius, @UltiArjan, @Foehnsturm, @ivan-lipunov, @Neotko, @Dim3nsioneer, @Didierklein, @Labern?

 

It looks like a nice simple visual format but agree with your comments that a bit more information is required in some fields. It needs to be a easy format where you don't have to enter tons of information but be enough for people to visualize the scope of the project.

If people can add fields for things like cad designs, electrical schematics, software / firmware and plugins etc would be good. If the project can be broken down into smaller tasks it maybe be easier for some people to commit to small items.

I have a project that requires a lot of firmware work and maybe a plugin. As I don't know much about firmware or software in general it may good if a contributor can have the ability to be able to break down the work required and add smaller tasks so they don't have as much work on their plate.

A project also may start as proof of concept and if works grow into fully working completion but may then need upgrades to improve it further or add another feature.

@SandervG you tagged me in your comments but I didn't receive a notification.

[Kevparang 10]

I love ultimaker though I cannot get one:angry:, I have a RoBo3D, and the Monoprice Select Mini I use cura on the Monoprice. I love your forums, because RoBo3D has blocked me....

[SandervG 1,521]

Hopefully you'll be able to get your hands on one

Why did they block you?

[Kevparang 10]

Some people where on my forum talking off topic and then I spammed to get them off and they blocked me from the forums.

[SandervG 1,521]

Well, spamming is never a good idea, and lets all just try to stay on topic

If you are interested to learn how we behave on our forums, here is a link to our house rules.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

[Kevparang 10]

I did not spam really, because they were inappropriate. Futhermore, this is a diffferent website and I have the right to keep it private now.

[LePaul 331]

Okay so let's get back on topic....

I agree with the earlier comment about Github. I know the developers like it since it's pretty advanced. But to the arm-chair novices...or non developers...it can be hard to sort out what you are looking at where you should be (part of why I stopped posting some feedback in Cura in Ultimaker's).

That Artella site looks interesting...I think I'll kill off some more of my productivity at work and look at it further

[Kevparang 10]

Agreed, LePaul.