Where Makers Collaborate
Website: melbourne.techguilds.au Status: Restructuring & Development Phase Last Updated: December 2025
Melbourne Tech Guilds is a non-commercial community of makers, engineers, and technicians across Melbourne. We provide support, mentorship, and resources for individual maker projects while fostering a collaborative environment where members discover new technologies and interests.
We help makers succeed with their individual projects through:
- Technical support and guidance from experienced members
- Best practices for version control, documentation, and design
- Cross-pollination of ideas across different technologies
- A supportive community that speaks your language
The community is organized into 5 guilds, each focused on specific technology domains:
- 🤖 Robotics - Sensors, actuators, AI/ML, autonomous systems
- ⚙️ Mechanics - CAD/CAM, CNC, 3D printing, laser cutting, fabrication
- 📡 IoT - Raspberry Pi, Arduino, ESP32, home automation, sensor networks
- 💻 Coding - Embedded systems, Python, C/C++, firmware, software architecture
- 🔬 Deep Dive - Applied mathematics, analog/digital electronics, FEA, engineering theory
Key Principle: Most members work on their own projects with guild support. Collaborative projects emerge naturally but are not the primary focus.
We are restructuring from our origins as a Raspberry Pi-focused group to a broader tech guild model that better reflects our diverse membership and interests.
Active Members: ~50 (from ~1,200 total membership) Timeline: Planning to launch new website mid-2026
melbourne-tech-guilds/
├── README.md # This file
├── docs/
│ ├── guild-charter.md # Governance and community guidelines
│ ├── Group-Guild-Member-function.md # Group, guild, and member relationships
│ └── website-requirements.md # Feature specifications
├── design/
│ ├── logo/
│ │ ├── mtg-logo.svg # Primary brand logo
│ │ └── guild-icons.svg # Individual guild badges
│ └── branding-guidelines.md # Colors, fonts, usage
├── website/
│ ├── landing-page.html # Homepage content and design
│ ├── concierge-registration.jsx # Interactive member onboarding
│ └── content/ # Page content and copy
├── development/
│ ├── trello-board-structure.md # Project management setup
│ └── technical-decisions.md # WordPress vs Node.js, hosting, etc.
└── assets/
└── Group-Guild-Member-function.md # Organizational diagram
Comprehensive governance document covering:
- Core principles (knowledge sharing, collaboration, community-first)
- Safety protocols (physical, digital, privacy)
- Inclusive environment and anti-discrimination standards
- Liability and legal considerations
- Conflict resolution processes
Status: ✅ Complete - awaiting member feedback
Defined three-tier model:
- Group Level: Melbourne Tech Guilds (umbrella organization)
- Guild Level: 5 specialized communities
- Member Level: Individuals participating in 1+ guilds
Key Features:
- Project-centric rather than guild-centric
- Members can span multiple guilds
- External collaboration encouraged
- Individual projects are primary focus
Status: ✅ Complete - documented in Miro diagram
- Main logo with interlocking gears (collaboration + tech)
- Individual guild icons with unique gradients
- Brand colors: Purple gradient (#667eea to #764ba2)
- Tagline: "Where Makers Collaborate"
Status: ✅ Complete - SVG files ready for use
Modern, responsive homepage featuring:
- SEO-optimized content with specific device mentions (ESP32, Arduino, Raspberry Pi)
- All 5 guilds prominently displayed
- Project showcase section
- Multiple join options (Discord, video, in-person, registration)
- Mobile-responsive design
Key Messaging:
- Support for individual projects (primary focus)
- Discovery of new interests through community exposure
- Mentorship and best practices guidance
- Social connection with like-minded makers
Status: ✅ Complete - ready for WordPress implementation
Interactive onboarding flow that:
- Collects member information and experience level
- Identifies interests across guilds
- Maps existing skills
- Captures current projects and help needed
- Automatically recommends 2-3 guilds based on profile
- Explains next steps clearly
Status: ✅ Complete - React component ready for integration
- Platform: WordPress (quick launch, non-technical contributors, low maintenance)
- Hosting: To be determined (SiteGround, Cloudways, or similar)
- Custom Tools: React apps for complex features (concierge, etc.)
- Project Management: Trello for task tracking
Rationale: No committed developers currently, volunteer-driven, need to launch quickly
Status: ✅ Complete - documented in development/technical-decisions.md
Comprehensive Trello board template with:
- 7 workflow columns (Requirements → Done)
- 30+ predefined cards covering all features
- Priority labeling system (P0-P3)
- Role-based task categorization
Status: ✅ Complete - ready to implement in Trello - Account: mtg-website-development
- Guild Charter review
- Landing page messaging
- Organizational structure validation
- Feature prioritization
Next Steps:
- Consolidate feedback
- Make revisions based on input
- Get final approval from core team
Goal: Launch functional website with core features
Priority Tasks:
- Set up WordPress hosting and domain
- Implement landing page design
- Configure user roles and permissions
- Set up guild pages structure
- Implement basic member registration
- Configure email system
- Launch to core members for testing
Deliverables:
- Public website at melbourne.techguilds.au
- Working registration flow
- Guild pages with basic content
- Contact and communication channels
Goal: Enable member participation and project sharing
Priority Tasks:
- Member profile system
- Individual project showcase
- Event calendar and RSVP
- Discord integration
- Best practices library
- "Getting Help" guides
Deliverables:
- Members can create and share projects
- Event management system
- Educational resources
- Integrated communication
Goal: Empower guild coordinators to manage their communities
Priority Tasks:
- Guild editor role implementation
- Event publisher role
- Guild-specific email/newsletter
- Project categorization by guild
- Cross-guild collaboration tools
Deliverables:
- Guild coordinators can manage content
- Automated guild communications
- Clear project-to-guild relationships
Goal: Add advanced features based on usage patterns
Potential Features:
- Advanced member matching (skills + needs)
- Collaborative project workflow
- External group integration
- Advanced analytics and insights
- Mobile app (if needed)
Note: This phase is flexible based on what members actually use and request
- Expansion to other cities (sydney.techguilds.au, brisbane.techguilds.au)
- Headless WordPress or custom rebuild (if committed developers available)
- Physical space/makerspace (long-term aspiration)
Most members come with their own projects needing help. Guild structure exists to support individual work, not replace it.
Both for members joining and volunteers contributing. WordPress chosen specifically for this reason.
The website is a tool, not the product. Focus on enabling human connections.
Members come for ESP32 help, discover 3D printing at Show & Tell. Design for this serendipity.
Encourage GitHub, backups, documentation, good design practices. This is mentorship, not just problem-solving.
No single person is critical. Structure must survive people coming and going.
- Review and provide feedback on documentation
- Contribute to content (guild descriptions, best practices)
- Share project showcase examples
- Help test new features
- See
development/trello-board-structure.mdfor current tasks - WordPress theme customization
- React component development for custom features
- Integration work (Discord, email, etc.)
- Refine logo and guild icons
- Create social media graphics
- Design event promotional materials
- Improve UI/UX of website elements
- Write best practices guides
- Create tutorial content
- Document case studies
- Develop getting help resources
Discord: Join our server Email: info@techguilds.au Legacy Site: melbourne-rpi.com.au (being phased out)
All content in this repository is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0).
This means you can:
- Share and adapt the content
- Use it for any purpose, even commercially
Under the following terms:
- Give appropriate credit
- Indicate if changes were made
- Distribute under the same license
Code components (React, HTML, etc.) are additionally licensed under the MIT License for maximum flexibility.
Built with contributions from members across all guilds. Special thanks to:
- Original Melbourne Raspberry Pi User Group community
- Guild coordinators stepping up to lead
- Everyone providing feedback during restructuring
- Noisebridge for guild structure inspiration
Start by reading:
- This README (you are here!)
docs/guild-charter.md- understand our values and principlesdocs/organizational-structure.md- see how we're organizeddevelopment/trello-board-structure.md- find tasks to help with
Key documents:
docs/guild-charter.md- your authority and responsibilitieswebsite/folder - content you'll managedevelopment/technical-decisions.md- platform capabilities
Key files:
development/technical-decisions.md- why WordPressdevelopment/trello-board-structure.md- full feature listwebsite/folder - designs to implement
This is a living document. Update it as:
- Project status changes
- New artifacts are created
- Decisions are made
- Phases complete
Last significant update: December 2025 - Initial repository setup
Melbourne Tech Guilds - Empowering makers, one project at a time. 🛠️