The use of open design in the fab lab ecosystems: lessons learnt for knowledge management

In the last decade, the processes of designing have significantly changed through the emergence of digital technologies and manufacturing tools. Particularly, increasing use of digital technologies and tools, reframes fabrication laboratories (fab labs) as vital ecosystems naturally growing their creative capabilities and evolving knowledge management competences through open design. Then, how the open design (OD) is implemented in such ecosystems? What would be the lessons learnt for the knowledge management regarding the OD processes occurring within the fab labs? This study explores the essential drivers for OD through the meta-analyses of the literature. For the case study, the features of fab labs in Türkiye are analysed with regard to capabilities, events and networking components. The findings reveal three essential drivers that enable OD in fabrication processes, namely open fabrication, co-creation and open service. The paper also provides a framework for knowledge management for the implementation of OD within fab lab ecosystems.