Interview+Questions+EF+2


 * INTERVIEW QUESTIONS MEMO II **

These are some sample questions that I would consider asking someone who runs or is part of a Makerspace


 * General Life Questions: **

Tell me your life story: What do you do and why? How did you get where you are today? How long have you lived in the Troy/Schenectady area?

When did you start playing around with tools and/or taking things apart? Why did you start?

Do you have any family or friends that also helped to start the Makerspace and are involved?


 * Makerspace, Maker Questions: **

What does the term "Makerspace" mean to you? Do you think it means something different than "Hackerspace?" Do you consider this space a "Hackespace, a Makerspace or both?

What instigated this space? What are the intentions behind it? What are your personal intentions for making?

Do you consider Making to be a political act, or do you do it just for fun? Or both?

Do you ever think critically about your own projects? How do your projects change as you are working on them? Do they ever change as a result of input from others in the space, or do you consider who will be using the end-product?

Have you heard of the term "critical-making"? (If not define critical-making)

Do you think this makerspace would start or work well to instigate 'critical-making' practices?

Do you hope "Making" can become something more than a hobby for you, possibly a means of employment?

What do you think about online Making communities such as Instructables.com? Do you think they have the same effect of physical, making spaces?

How and where do you promote your space or program? Who are you trying to reach?

Are there any particular workshops or programs that you are excited about? Do you have a particular realm of "Making" that you are interested in?

Do you ever rework or change technology that you own to better suite your needs?

When you think of science within your local community and its particular availability to you, where can you find scientific knowledge that is engaging and relates to you on a personal or social level? Where and how do you access this information?

When you go to science museums, do you enjoy the hands-on exhibits that give you scientific information, or do you enjoy digital kiosks that give you information and explain issues but do not have hands-on demonstrations?

How do you find or interface with scientific information? In books or through digital media? Has this changed for you over time?