Introducing Make Works Roulette

Make Works Roulette is a manufacturing inspiration tool.

It allows users to navigate the Make Works directory by browsing a loop of randomly selected factory listings, designed to inspire people to try out a new fabrication process. As users click through they are presented with an image of a factory, maker, workshop or supplier, which quickly turns into an extract of short film.

By selecting a location or process, users can ‘lock’ to find similar results on their next round. By clicking on the company name, users are taken to the company’s Make Works listing, where they can get in touch with the manufacturer directly. 

Make Works Roulette was built on one of the ideas that came out of ‘Make Work Data Work’, a project by dutch design collective, Open Work. The project was based around a two week design sprint, where the collective used the dataset and taxonomies of the Make Works directory to create new ways of discovering information and browsing the Make Works site. The work, a series of eight concepts, was presented by Lizzie Malcolm and Dan Powers, last October.

Over the next year we hope to be developing a number of these concepts, beginning with roulette, which we felt provided an instantaneous way to get a feel for the possibilities of manufacturing in Scotland. 

You can try Make Works Roulette here.