Creating Social Impact

Creativity and sharing reinforce each other in a circular dynamic of innovation that powers digital DIY. This creative dynamic is magnified and strengthened by digital capabilities and internet-based activity, boosting innovation and inspiration and providing new creative opportunities online and offline. That’s the finding of an in-depth report into digital DIY and making that analyses interviews with leading figures in the digital DIY world.

This report explains that digital DIY is a strongly emerging phenomenon, explores new areas of activity in online and offline creative platforms such as makerspaces, and articulates where social impacts have the most potential to occur. Case studies based on face-to-face interviews provide current and compelling evidence demonstrating why making is relevant to a wide spectrum of society. The report explores how digital DIY could bring changes from fostering empowerment with technology to citizen-based engagement with well-being and sustainability.

Representing an extraordinary range of new businesses, new ventures and new activity, the case studies include two new creative companies, two new start-up ventures taking part in business incubation schemes, four new makerspace projects, three new online platforms, a new global initiative, and even a new museum: Derby Silk Mill’s Museum of Making. Case study reports on Maker Faire and Barcelona Fab Lab alongside new and established makers complete a comprehensive report that places digital DIY in the wider context of making.

Case Studies on Social Impact: Deliverable 5.2