MN Collaboration tools - Revision history

Amylee at 21:53, 6 March 2025

2025-03-06T21:53:40Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:53, 6 March 2025
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			[[Category:Maker Nexus Makerspace]]

	Maker Nexus uses a variety of tools to facilitate communication, collaboration, and dissemination of information inside and outside the organization. Some of these are self-hosted and administered by members (e.g. this wiki and our badge system), while others are provided to Maker Nexus as a hosted service (e.g. #Slack and #Google Workspace). Although tools, techniques, and technologies are always changing, the following list is what we currently rely on, and encourage members to use as well. If you are interested in testing out new software tools, you can create a group of like-minded people and pitch the idea on Slack.		Maker Nexus uses a variety of tools to facilitate communication, collaboration, and dissemination of information inside and outside the organization. Some of these are self-hosted and administered by members (e.g. this wiki and our badge system), while others are provided to Maker Nexus as a hosted service (e.g. #Slack and #Google Workspace). Although tools, techniques, and technologies are always changing, the following list is what we currently rely on, and encourage members to use as well. If you are interested in testing out new software tools, you can create a group of like-minded people and pitch the idea on Slack.

Jschrempp at 14:54, 12 October 2023

2023-10-12T14:54:13Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:54, 12 October 2023
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	Maker Nexus uses a variety of tools to facilitate communication, collaboration, and dissemination of information inside and outside the organization. Some of these are self-hosted and administered by members (e.g. this wiki and our badge system), while others are provided to Maker Nexus as a hosted service (e.g. #Slack and #Google Workspace). Although tools, techniques, and technologies are always changing, the following list is what we currently rely on, and encourage members to use as well. If you are interested in testing out new software tools, you can create a group of like-minded people and pitch the idea on Slack.		Maker Nexus uses a variety of tools to facilitate communication, collaboration, and dissemination of information inside and outside the organization. Some of these are self-hosted and administered by members (e.g. this wiki and our badge system), while others are provided to Maker Nexus as a hosted service (e.g. #Slack and #Google Workspace). Although tools, techniques, and technologies are always changing, the following list is what we currently rely on, and encourage members to use as well. If you are interested in testing out new software tools, you can create a group of like-minded people and pitch the idea on Slack.

	~~Note that as of January 2022 we are working to consolidate many of our disparate systems into one. Craig Colvin is leading that effort; contact him to get involved.~~

	=== Website ===		=== Website ===
	The [http://makernexus.org Maker Nexus homepage] is the public-facing entry portal to our organization. It has the most current information about the Maker Nexus organization. Website content is overseen and managed by the [[Executive Director]]~~. As of October 2021, Eric Hess is managing a project to update our current web site; contact him to get involved in the project~~.		The [http://makernexus.org Maker Nexus homepage] is the public-facing entry portal to our organization. It has the most current information about the Maker Nexus organization. Website content is overseen and managed by the [[Executive Director]].

	=== Slack ===		=== Slack ===
	[[Slack]] ([https://slack.com/ corp site]) is a popular, proprietary group chat platform used by many enterprises and organizations. Discussions are organized into "channels" based on topic and function like many other online chat systems ~~such as [https://matrix.org/ Matrix], [https://discord.com/~~ Discord~~], or [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Relay_Chat IRC]~~. Slack is the primary way to engage in low-latency, ephemeral communication with other members and staff and is great for things such as arranging for training, asking questions about machines, suggesting ideas, and sharing pictures of project progress or your pets. Here are some [[tips on using Slack]].		[[Slack]] ([https://slack.com/ corp site]) is a popular, proprietary group chat platform used by many enterprises and organizations. Discussions are organized into "channels" based on topic and function like many other online chat systems; we do not use Discord. Slack is the primary way to engage in low-latency, ephemeral communication with other members and staff and is great for things such as arranging for training, asking questions about machines, suggesting ideas, and sharing pictures of project progress or your pets. Here are some [[tips on using Slack]].

	===Google Workspace===		=== Google Workspace ===
	[[Google workspace]] provides a large collection of the tools that we use regularly, including email, documents, spreadsheets, calendars~~, manage documents, and time~~. Each Maker Nexus member is provided a Google Workspace account in the form of firstname.lastname@makernexus.org		[[Google workspace]] provides a large collection of the tools that we use regularly, including email, documents, spreadsheets, calendars. Each Maker Nexus member is provided a Google Workspace account in the form of firstname.lastname@makernexus.org If you don't have access to your account, email info@makernexus.org

	====~~Team~~ Drives in Google ~~Drive~~====		==== Shared Drives in Google Workspace ====

	* MN Members: Where the vast majority of documents live. You must access this using your @makernexus.org Google account.		* MN Members: Where the vast majority of documents live. You must access this using your @makernexus.org Google account.

	* ~~Steering Committee~~: ~~A group of people who volunteer a significant amount of time~~ to ~~keep~~ the ~~makerspace running~~. ~~The few docs here are about making id badges~~, ~~policies under discussion but don't have agreement from the steering committee yet, draft versions~~ of ~~the monthly report to members, etc~~.		* MN Public: Documents in this drive are available to the general public without access control. As a result, we generally put copies of documents here.

	* ~~Donation Processing~~: ~~Our donor's personal~~ information is ~~kept private. This team drive supports those few people in the organization who are working on donation programs~~.		* Staff: The docs here are about keeping the makerspace running, but contain information that is not appropriate to share with all members.

	* Finance: A few people who work on accounting tasks have access to this.		* Finance: A few people who work on accounting tasks have access to this.

	* Operations: A few documents pertaining to the operations staff at MN. Things like personnel scheduling, vacations, etc.

	* Board of Directors: Only available to official board members. Being an open organization, we try to keep very few documents here. However, some information must be tightly held. For example, personnel docs, contracts with strict NDAs, working documents that the board has not gotten to the point of sharing the proposal with others, etc. If you want to know what's here, ask a board member.		* Board of Directors: Only available to official board members. Being an open organization, we try to keep very few documents here. However, some information must be tightly held. For example, personnel docs, contracts with strict NDAs, working documents that the board has not gotten to the point of sharing the proposal with others, etc. If you want to know what's here, ask a board member.
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	* IT Backups: Only available to a few people. It holds backups of our systems and share drives.		* IT Backups: Only available to a few people. It holds backups of our systems and share drives.

	* Events: Unsure of the plan for this drive.		We have a few others, but try to use these existing Shared Drives so that we don't have too many "buckets" to choose from when saving a new document.

	=== Wiki ===		=== Wiki ===
	[[Main Page\|This wiki]] is a repository of public information. Here we try to document more factual things, after they have been hammered out by a group. This wiki is public. Anyone can read what is here. Anyone can contribute. You can sign up for a wiki account in the upper right corner of this screen. This wiki contains information about Maker Nexus. It also serves as a knowledge base for the larger community of makers around the world - you can see that on the home page of the wiki.		[[Main Page\|This wiki]] is a repository of public information. Here we try to document more factual things, after they have been hammered out by a group. This wiki is public. Anyone can read what is here. Anyone can contribute. You can sign up for a wiki account in the upper right corner of this screen. This wiki contains information about Maker Nexus. It also serves as a knowledge base for the larger community of makers around the world - you can see that on the home page of the wiki.

	===Email===		=== Email ===
	info@makernexus.org Someone monitors this email daily. If you need something or have some question, don't hesitate to send in an email. Please try to put something descriptive in the subject line.		info@makernexus.org Someone monitors this email daily. If you need something or have some question, don't hesitate to send in an email. Please try to put something descriptive in the subject line.

	Each member also receives an email that is your Google Workspace user to access our team drives. Your email is in the form of firstname.lastname@makernexus.org If you have trouble accessing your Google Workspace account, please email info@makernexus.org		Each member also receives an email that is your Google Workspace user to access our team drives. Your email is in the form of firstname.lastname@makernexus.org If you have trouble accessing your Google Workspace account, please email info@makernexus.org

	===Amilia===		=== Amilia ===
	Our CRM. It keeps track of account information, personal training records, and is used to manage equipment and room reservations~~. Soon we will manage our class reservations in Amilia as well~~. Members can access it through [https://app.amilia.com/en/Login self service portal]. The [[MN_Member_Dashboard\|Member Dashboard]] provides links to many systems.		Our CRM. It keeps track of account information, personal training records, and is used to manage equipment and room reservations and classes. Members can access it through [https://app.amilia.com/en/Login self service portal]. The [[MN_Member_Dashboard\|Member Dashboard]] provides links to many systems.

	=== Activity Hero ===		=== Activity Hero ===
	[https://www.activityhero.com/biz/maker-nexus Activity Hero] is used for class registration. To sign up for a class you need to create a user on the Activity Hero site.		[https://www.activityhero.com/biz/maker-nexus Activity Hero] is used for teen class registration. To sign up for a class you need to create a user on the Activity Hero site.

	===Public Share===		===Public Share===
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	===An Example===		===An Example===

	As an example of how these all might work... ~~Someone thinks~~ we need a ~~privacy statement (~~good idea!). ~~On Slack~~ the start a new #~~privacystmt channel~~ and ~~posts~~ in the #general channel ~~their interest~~ and ask people to join ~~them~~ in the new channel. After some lively discussion the group realizes that this is going to take some group work and longer term focus. They chat in Slack and decide to create a new folder in ~~our GDrive~~ to capture their ideas. They gather some existing ~~privacy~~ statements from other ~~places on the web~~. They create a new Google Doc and begin assembling a ~~privacy~~ statement. They involve ~~the steering committee~~, since this policy will need ~~executive~~ approval. Eventually ~~we have~~ a ~~privacy~~ statement ~~we can~~ all support. ~~It's added~~ to ~~this wiki to document~~ it. ~~That new wiki page~~ is ~~locked~~ to ~~prevent random editing~~. ~~A link to~~ the wiki ~~page is added to the website~~. The ~~folder on~~ the ~~GDrive~~ is ~~Archived~~.		As an example of how these all might work... You think we need a policy on cooking in the break room. On Slack post in #general that you are interested in a new policy about cooking in the break room. See if you get positive response from others. Socialize this policy by asking staff if they think it would be a good idea. Talk with a member of the management team to get their support. Since this policy would affect all members and guests, be sure to have a brief talk with the Executive Director to get their agreement - not with specifics, but that they agree a policy might be a good idea.

			If you get a lot of positive response, then start a new Slack channel with an appropriate name (#breakroompolicy might work for this) and invite people you know are interested in the topic. Post in the #general channel and ask people to join your group in the new channel.

			After some lively discussion the group realizes that this is going to take some group work and longer term focus. They chat in Slack and decide to create a new folder in the MN Members Shared Drive to capture their ideas. They gather some existing policy statements about cooking in the breakroom from the websites of other makerspaces. They create a new Google Doc and begin assembling a policy statement. They involve at least one staff member, since this policy will need Executive Director approval.

			Eventually the group has a policy statement that they all support. They ask the Executive Director to review it, approve it, and implement it.

			If the ED agrees, then a communication plan is made to alert members and guests and staff. Appropriate signage is created as needed. The policy is moved into other documents where appropriate, perhaps the Member Handbook, the Membership Agreement, the working document for an area of the makerspace, perhaps this wiki. The working document in the shared drive is deleted.

	All that could have been done in a day by one person without any of these tools. However, if the issue is contentious or very complex, the tools help the team converge on a solution.		All that could have been done in a day by one person without any of these tools. However, if the issue is contentious or very complex, the tools help the team converge on a solution.

Jschrempp: /* EZ Facility */

2023-08-30T22:56:54Z

EZ Facility

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:56, 30 August 2023
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	Each member also receives an email that is your Google Workspace user to access our team drives. Your email is in the form of firstname.lastname@makernexus.org If you have trouble accessing your Google Workspace account, please email info@makernexus.org		Each member also receives an email that is your Google Workspace user to access our team drives. Your email is in the form of firstname.lastname@makernexus.org If you have trouble accessing your Google Workspace account, please email info@makernexus.org

	===~~EZ Facility~~===		===Amilia===
	Our CRM. It keeps track of account information, personal training records, and is used to manage equipment and room reservations. Members can access it through [https://~~makernexus~~.~~ezfacility~~.com ~~the Self Service Portal~~].		Our CRM. It keeps track of account information, personal training records, and is used to manage equipment and room reservations. Soon we will manage our class reservations in Amilia as well. Members can access it through [https://app.amilia.com/en/Login self service portal]. The [[MN_Member_Dashboard\|Member Dashboard]] provides links to many systems.

	=== Activity Hero ===		=== Activity Hero ===

Jschrempp: /* Slack */

2022-12-13T16:53:55Z

Slack

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:53, 13 December 2022
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	=== Slack ===		=== Slack ===
	[[Slack]] ([https://slack.com/ corp site]) is a popular, proprietary group chat platform used by many enterprises and organizations. Discussions are organized into "channels" based on topic and function like many other online chat systems such as [https://matrix.org/ Matrix], [https://discord.com/ Discord], or [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Relay_Chat IRC]. Slack is the primary way to engage in low-latency, ephemeral communication with other members and staff and is great for things such as arranging for training, asking questions about machines, suggesting ideas, and sharing pictures of project progress or your pets.		[[Slack]] ([https://slack.com/ corp site]) is a popular, proprietary group chat platform used by many enterprises and organizations. Discussions are organized into "channels" based on topic and function like many other online chat systems such as [https://matrix.org/ Matrix], [https://discord.com/ Discord], or [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Relay_Chat IRC]. Slack is the primary way to engage in low-latency, ephemeral communication with other members and staff and is great for things such as arranging for training, asking questions about machines, suggesting ideas, and sharing pictures of project progress or your pets. Here are some [[tips on using Slack]].

	===Google Workspace===		===Google Workspace===

Jschrempp at 20:33, 7 February 2022

2022-02-07T20:33:29Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:33, 7 February 2022
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	Maker Nexus uses a variety of tools to facilitate communication, collaboration, and dissemination of information inside and outside the organization. Some of these are self-hosted and administered by members (e.g. this wiki and our badge system), while others are provided to Maker Nexus as a hosted service (e.g. #Slack and #Google Workspace). Although tools, techniques, and technologies are always changing, the following list is what we currently rely on, and encourage members to use as well. If you are interested in testing out new software tools, you can create a ~~[[committees\|committee]]~~ and pitch the idea on Slack.		Maker Nexus uses a variety of tools to facilitate communication, collaboration, and dissemination of information inside and outside the organization. Some of these are self-hosted and administered by members (e.g. this wiki and our badge system), while others are provided to Maker Nexus as a hosted service (e.g. #Slack and #Google Workspace). Although tools, techniques, and technologies are always changing, the following list is what we currently rely on, and encourage members to use as well. If you are interested in testing out new software tools, you can create a group of like-minded people and pitch the idea on Slack.

			Note that as of January 2022 we are working to consolidate many of our disparate systems into one. Craig Colvin is leading that effort; contact him to get involved.

	=== Website ===		=== Website ===

Jschrempp: /* Website */

2022-02-07T20:31:50Z

Website

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:31, 7 February 2022
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	=== Website ===		=== Website ===
	The [http://makernexus.org Maker Nexus homepage] is the public-facing entry portal to our organization. It has the most current information about the Maker Nexus organization. Website content is overseen and managed by the [[Executive Director]]. ~~We are working~~ to ~~create a [[Communication Committee]]~~ to ~~manage the website for~~ the ED.		The [http://makernexus.org Maker Nexus homepage] is the public-facing entry portal to our organization. It has the most current information about the Maker Nexus organization. Website content is overseen and managed by the [[Executive Director]]. As of October 2021, Eric Hess is managing a project to update our current web site; contact him to get involved in the project.

	=== Slack ===		=== Slack ===

Jschrempp: /* Google Workspace */

2022-02-07T18:29:50Z

Google Workspace

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:29, 7 February 2022
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	===Google Workspace===		===Google Workspace===
	[[Google workspace]] provides a large collection of the tools that we use regularly, including email, documents, spreadsheets, calendars, manage documents, and time.		[[Google workspace]] provides a large collection of the tools that we use regularly, including email, documents, spreadsheets, calendars, manage documents, and time. Each Maker Nexus member is provided a Google Workspace account in the form of firstname.lastname@makernexus.org

	====Team Drives in Google Drive====		====Team Drives in Google Drive====
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	* Events: Unsure of the plan for this drive.		* Events: Unsure of the plan for this drive.

	* Project 1330 Orleans: Used by the management team running the move process. Will be deleted as the move completes.

	=== Wiki ===		=== Wiki ===

Jschrempp: /* Email */

2022-02-07T18:28:29Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:28, 7 February 2022
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	===Email===		===Email===
	info@makernexus.org Someone ~~from the steering committee~~ monitors this email daily. If you need something or have some question, don't hesitate to send in an email. Please try to put something descriptive in the subject line.		info@makernexus.org Someone monitors this email daily. If you need something or have some question, don't hesitate to send in an email. Please try to put something descriptive in the subject line.

			Each member also receives an email that is your Google Workspace user to access our team drives. Your email is in the form of firstname.lastname@makernexus.org If you have trouble accessing your Google Workspace account, please email info@makernexus.org

	===EZ Facility===		===EZ Facility===

Jschrempp: /* Activity Hero */

2022-02-07T18:26:36Z

Activity Hero

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:26, 7 February 2022
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	=== Activity Hero ===		=== Activity Hero ===
	[https://www.activityhero.com/biz/maker-nexus Activity Hero] is used for class registration.		[https://www.activityhero.com/biz/maker-nexus Activity Hero] is used for class registration. To sign up for a class you need to create a user on the Activity Hero site.

	===Public Share===		===Public Share===

Jschrempp: /* EZ Facility */

2022-02-07T18:26:09Z

EZ Facility

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:26, 7 February 2022
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	===EZ Facility===		===EZ Facility===
	Our CRM		Our CRM. It keeps track of account information, personal training records, and is used to manage equipment and room reservations. Members can access it through [https://makernexus.ezfacility.com the Self Service Portal].

			=== Activity Hero ===
			[https://www.activityhero.com/biz/maker-nexus Activity Hero] is used for class registration.

	===Public Share===		===Public Share===