My high school volleyball coach used to always say, "It takes a village to win a volleyball match." (His funny way of saying we have to work as a team to succeed). The idea that collaborative efforts yield superior results is widely accepted. So why is everyone getting so upset about this idea of crowdsourcing?
The issue comes down to semantics. "Crowdsourcing" implicates that a large, overarching group is responsible for a new idea or innovation. Studies have shown, however, that while many people are blanketed in crowdsourcing, only the obsessed, vigilant experts are making meaningful contributions. The word "crowd" doesn't seem to give these experts due credit.
Are we splitting hairs here? I don't think so.
Semantics is such an important aspect of language that is commonly overlooked. So often, we use words that almost communicate what we want, and we are too lazy or complacent to come up with the best. In the end, we wind up with a weakened language and poor communication skills. Sounds pretty inefficient to me.
If "crowdsourceing" is inappropriate, then what term should we use? "Virtuoso Search" has been thrown out there by Forbes.com writer Dan Woods. I am not sure how I feel about that phrase, but it is certainly more descriptive than "crowdsourcing."
We are still in the early stages of the social media phenomenon. Now is the time to get the terminology straight. Otherwise, overtime, the social media/networking language will be twisted, confused and weak. We have enough to learn about this frontier, lets not make it more difficult by misusing words.
For more information:
NPR Adam Davidson
Open Innovation
Forbes Dan Woods
Myth of Crowdsourcing
I am with you on this as crowdsourcing is not intuitive to me.
ReplyDeleteHow about "crowdfishing" (throw it to the crowd and hope someone bites or "hope enough of the right people provide useful responses to our request" (not brief, but feels more accurate)???
Crowdfishing makes sense and evokes interesting imagery.
ReplyDeleteBut doesn't crowdsourcing just mean drawing your source from an undefined crowd. Its not referring to the exact solution, but more the solution process. Sure, its individuals who come up with the best answers, but you open the search to a crowd to find your source. In this way I think the term makes sense.
If we find a good solution here, is this crowdsourcing?
I sort of think that no matter what they name this growing concept, someone will take issue with it. Agree?
ReplyDeleteAdeograc - love your final thought! Good use of crowdsourcing.