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Crowdsourcing is exactly what it sounds like—generating ideas, opinions, or micro-tasks from a group or ‘crowd’ of people, often with a shared interest.
Think about Google Maps. It relies on its users to report traffic collisions or provide information on public transportation, such as accessibility.
Others like LEGO allow fans to submit and vote on ideas for new models. Zooniverse enables researchers around the world to tap into the data-crunching skills of ‘citizen scientists’. So yes, it’s everywhere!
So, let’s explore ‘what is crowdsourcing,’ the ‘types of crowdsourcing,’ the ‘benefits’ it has to offer, and ‘crowdsourcing platforms’.
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A Short History of Crowdsourcing
Although the term ‘crowdsourcing’ is recent (allegedly it was coined in a Wired article by Jeff Howe during 2006), the concept has been around far longer.
In fact, one of the earliest examples of crowdsourcing comes from 1567, when King Philip II of Spain offered a cash prize for solving the issue of calculating the longitude of a vessel while at sea! This was followed by further prizes across the years, until the problem was finally cracked in 1773, following the offer of a reward by the UK government.
The next time you open a can of beans or soup, just remember that that’s down to Napoleon’s offer of 12,000 Francs to improve food preservation in 1795. The technique used by the winner, Nicolas François Appert, still forms the basis of canning techniques today.
Fast-forward to 1884 and over 800 volunteers cataloged words for the first version of the Oxford English Dictionary. No individual could’ve carried out a task of this size, but a group of passionate individuals did.
But crowdsourcing really took off only more recently, and we have the internet to thank for that. SETI@Home was set up by the University of California in 1999, where users could install a program that scanned for signs of extraterrestrial life whilst their computer was idling.
And of course, we’ve got the most well-known crowdsourcing project of them all – Wikipedia. Launched in 2001, Wikipedia enables individuals to contribute to a global bank of information.
The Need for Crowdsourcing
Crowdsourcing helps solve complex problems by leveraging a collective intelligence, offering diverse perspectives, driving engagement and accelerating innovation.
But no, this is not to be confused with crowdfunding, where groups of people provide money to support a business idea or good cause!
Crowdsourcing enables organizations to think beyond their internal ideation capabilities, allowing you to cast a wider net for ideas. This widens the circle, enabling others outside the circle to step in, express their concerns and solve crucial problems.
But how do we do it? Online websites, software tools like edison365, social media, in-person events such as hackathons, are all great ways to carry out crowdsourcing.
Uses of Crowdsourcing
Crowdsourcing is everywhere. It’s become such an integral part of everyday life that we barely notice it – from providing reviews on travel apps, to voting for new products on social media.
Here are some potential uses of crowdsourcing in business:
- It can be used to collect fresh, diverse and unique ideas.
- It enables problem-solving by encouraging solutions from a wider pool of contributors.
- It can be used to understand the market needs, and evaluate new offerings.
- It can be used to engage consumers, fostering loyalty.
- It increases cost savings, making sure tasks are completed more efficiently.
Crowdsourcing in the Modern World
The truth is, the modern era of crowdsourcing demands more than just creativity. Accountability in terms of how ideas are gathered, evaluated, and implemented is essential in today’s world.
While AI has significantly altered an individual’s capacity to generate ideas at an unprecedented rate, it raises questions about originality and authorship.
Besides there’s more focus on data protection, consent and data privacy now, than ever before. The responsibility lies with organizations, to ensure that contributors are aware of how their ideas are used, and safeguard their data with provisions to opt-out.
The rising concerns about authenticity are increasing the need for platforms to integrate mechanisms for filtering, reviewing and validating ideas.
The Benefits of Crowdsourcing
With markets becoming more complex by the day, organizations can’t afford to stick to traditional methods of problem-solving.
By using crowdsourcing, businesses can stay ahead of the curve, solving issues and collecting ideas to drive change. Crowdsourcing has numerous benefits which include:
Generate More Ideas
More heads mean more ideas! It’s just that simple.
With more people working towards solving a problem, you’re bound to get more suggestions. Idea sourcing is a lot more effective with more people involved in it.
Save Time and Money
You won’t have to organize multiple meetings and set long timelines to put together ideas. With the right ideation software bringing people together digitally, you’ll save a lot of time, money and effort, making ideation happen.
Greater Diversity
No, we’re not just talking about diversity in terms of gender or race, but also thought, personality, and job roles. The thing about having a wider range of perspectives is that you get a holistic set of solutions for your business problems.
Employee Engagement
Surprised to see employee engagement on the list? Crowdsourcing is a great way to bring people together, and enhance engagement.
Making use of intuitive innovation management software or other crowdsourcing tools enables you to tap into collaborative features, such as voting and gamification, which are designed to boost employee engagement. In turn, this helps add meaning to an individual’s work, greatly improving employee retention.
Employee crowdsourcing
Employee crowdsourcing allows companies to tap into the experience and expertise of their employees. So, instead of relying on a select group of individuals with a narrow view, employee crowdsourcing opens the doors to a far more diverse group.
It’s all about appreciating the importance of intrapreneurship and collectively sourcing new, diverse ideas and opportunities, rather than relying solely on the management.
Want to improve processes in your manufacturing plan? Ask the people carrying out those processes and creating your products!
According to Forbes, actively engaging individuals in crowdsourcing for innovation can improve employee engagement, as week as breaking up internal monopolies. This is especially important in the current climate, with 38% of the UK workforce looking to leave their jobs, as engagement improves employee retention.
Hackathons
While most examples of crowdsourcing take place virtually, another method of sourcing ideas from a group is hackathons.
Hackathons can be a great way to crowdsource new ideas, and regardless of what industry or field you operate in, there are many types of hackathons that might work for you.
Although hackathons can take place online, most consist of in-person events that are dedicated to solving a specific challenge or create innovations.
They provide employers with a focused session for generating ideas from a specific group of individuals and give participants the chance to network, develop their skills and enjoy the challenge of solving a problem.
Leveraging Idea Management Tools
Tapping into crowdsourcing with Innovation Management Software is a great way to simplify the end-to-end innovation process. It ensures organizations can solve the most challenging problems collaboratively and from anywhere in the world.
Leveraging intuitive tools like edison365 can help you truly evaluate, strategize and implement new ideas, all in one place.
Be it kickstarting with configurable templates, assessing ideas with triage, engaging your team with gamification, or leveraging comprehensive reports, the right idea management software makes it all happen.
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Want to Learn More?
If you’re looking to tap into your teams’ ideas with employee crowdsourcing, check out our articles on ideas generation:
- What Makes a Good Idea?
- What Makes a Good Challenge?
- How do Hackathons Work?
- How to Organize a Successful Hackathon
We also have information on innovation management for specific industries, such as healthcare and construction.
