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What would online spaces look like if the people using them designed them? And what can we learn by researching it together as we go?

Since this summer, Warwick has been piloting its own OpenScience Network's serverLink opens in a new window that operates as a living lab specially aimed at researchers. Open Science NetworkLink opens in a new window (powered by BonfireLink opens in a new window) is an open-source, federated community space that can connect with other academic communities and the wider fediverse. But more than a service, it is envisioned as a living lab for and by researchers. Now we're meeting in person to decide together what it should become.

We'll start with a short introduction about alternatives to Big Tech social media: what the fediverse is, what makes it so unique, and what Bonfire does differently. Then we'll work on three levels at once:

• This space, for Warwick. How it should look, feel and work for your research, collaborations, teaching, knowledge sharing or discovery: which features and settings, what community agreements, how it's run and who decides.
• The method itself. We'll be researching how co-design works while doing it: who gets a say, how feedback flows back into the design, what makes participation easy or hard. What we learn becomes an openly shared methodology.
• Better community spaces for everyone. What we build here feeds back into Bonfire and the Open Science Network, so other universities, research groups and communities of all kinds can create better spaces of their own.

You don't need any technical background. Bring your frustrations with the tools you use now, and your ideas for something better. Everything we produce will be openly shared, and you'll see your input shape what gets built in the following months.

When: Wednesday 14 October 2026, 3:00 to 5:00 pm

Where: REX3, Wolfson Exchange, Library

Participants are encouraged to familiarise with it by creating an account on Warwick's Bonfire instanceLink opens in a new window (use this invite link to register) and having a look around, as that's also where we'll work together during the session.

This project is part of Mayel de Borniol's (who is a Bonfire developer/maintainer) Methods Hub fellowshipLink opens in a new window at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Methodologies.

Contact Carlos.Camara@warwick.ac.ukLink opens in a new window and/or Mayel.De-Borniol@warwick.ac.ukLink opens in a new window with any questions.