Mission
and Vision
Innovation in the software industry was liberated by programmers openly sharing code. Tradespeople represent the natural analog to programmers. The Open Design Institute is dedicated to the next liberation: empowering these programmers of the physical world—the electricians, plumbers, mechanics, and builders—with the tools to work freely and collaboratively with open designs.
These skilled professionals already possess the practical expertise to deploy and maintain physical-world systems based on open designs. In many cases, such designs already exist but are inaccessible due to a lack of appropriate documentation and configuration tools. Tradespeople need resources presented in formats that match their expectations, workflows, and communication styles.
The Open Design Institute enables independent tradespeople and contractors to provide their customers with innovative cost-competitive technology-based solutions that do not suffer the well-known pitfalls of vendor lock-in from closed/proprietary systems. In essence, ODI is solving the “last mile” problem of bringing the benefits of openness to physical-world markets.
Launch
Project
Our flagship effort curates existing open technologies and repackages them with documentation specifically designed for use by people in the building trades. ODI’s launch project focuses on centralized residential lighting control systems, creating comprehensive tools that enable independent electricians and electrical contractors to install and maintain these systems for their clients. This approach frees contractors and homeowners from the high cost and functional limitations of proprietary systems while maintaining professional-grade safety and reliability.
Impact
A 2024 Harvard Business School study estimated the demand-side value of open-source software at a staggering $8.8 trillion. While the software market is certainly large, it is dwarfed by physical-world markets such as the residential construction market.
By creating truly open alternatives to proprietary systems, the Open Design Institute aims to strengthen the economic position of independent tradespeople, reduce costs for consumers, and accelerate innovation through collaborative development. ODI builds bridges between the technical innovation of system designers/engineers and the practical expertise of skilled trades professionals, creating value for both groups while serving the broader public interest.