Open source hardware development – A handbook for collaborative product creation

Open source hardware (OSH) involves freely sharing designs online, permitting their use through free/open licences and opening up the product development process to external collaboration. OSH development offers enormous potential for restructuring the social organisation of product creation and reforming traditional industrial practice. At first glance, it seems that these values and practices threaten conventional value-creation models. A company may ask how it can make money while working ‘in the open’; a solo entrepreneur may ask what they stand to gain from opening up their products. However, this mode of participation can harbour benefits to both companies and consumers. To this end, this handbook gives highly practical information on what OSH and OSH development is, how to get started, develop a strategic approach, document systematically, identify the right licence and collaborate with online communities and makerspaces. It taps into several dozen case studies to draw rich insights into best practice and dos and don’ts of OSH development. The book addresses a practitioners’ audience of managers, engineers, business owners, makers and researchers who want to know more about the book’s subject which is at the forefront of societal needs and trends.