Crowdsourcing facts for kids
Imagine needing help with a big project. Instead of hiring just a few people, you ask a large group of people to help. This is called crowdsourcing. It means getting ideas, help, or even money from many different people. These people might be volunteers or get paid a little. Today, many crowdsourcing projects happen online. People use websites and apps to share tasks. But crowdsourcing isn't new; it has happened for a long time! The word "crowdsourcing" mixes "crowd" (a lot of people) and "outsourcing" (getting work done by people outside your main group).
Crowdsourcing has many benefits. It can lower costs and make work faster. It can also improve the quality of ideas and make projects more flexible. Plus, it brings together many different viewpoints. Some crowdsourcing projects are like contests. People share their ideas, and the best ones win. For example, Lego Ideas lets fans suggest new toy sets. Other projects use online platforms like Amazon Mechanical Turk. These platforms connect small tasks with many workers. Crowdsourcing also helps nonprofit organizations. They use it to create things like Wikipedia, a free online encyclopedia.
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What is Crowdsourcing?
The word "crowdsourcing" was first used in 2006. Two editors from Wired magazine, Jeff Howe and Mark Robinson, created it. They saw how companies were using the internet to get work done by many people. Think of it as asking a big group for help instead of just a few employees.
The main idea is always to share a problem with the public. Then, anyone can offer their ideas or solutions. People who help can be everyday amateurs or volunteers. They might also be experts or small businesses. Sometimes, people get prizes or public recognition for their help. Other times, they just feel good about contributing.
Crowdsourcing Through History
Even though the word "crowdsourcing" is new, the idea has been around for centuries. People have always asked large groups for help with big challenges.
Famous Historical Examples
- 1567 – King Philip II of Spain offered a cash prize. He wanted to find a way to calculate a ship's position at sea.
- 1714 – The British government offered a big prize. They wanted to find a way to measure a ship's longitude. This was called the longitude rewards.
- 1849 – The Smithsonian Institution started a weather project. They asked 150 volunteers across the USA to report weather data. This helped create the first large weather map. It was an early form of the National Weather Service.
- 1884 – The Oxford English Dictionary was created. About 800 volunteers helped collect and organize words for it.
- 1916 – The famous Mr. Peanut logo was designed. A 14-year-old boy won a contest held by Planters Peanuts.
- 1957 – Jørn Utzon won a design competition. His design was chosen for the famous Sydney Opera House.
- 2001 – Wikipedia was launched. It became a free online encyclopedia. Many volunteers from around the world write and edit its articles.
- 2004 – OpenStreetMap started. This project lets people work together to create a free map of the world.
- 2011 – Lay's potato chips launched a "Do us a flavor" campaign. Customers in Spain helped create a new chip flavor.
Real-World Uses of Crowdsourcing
Businesses, governments, and scientists use crowdsourcing for many reasons. It helps them get new ideas and solve tough problems. It also lets them reach more people than they could on their own.
Getting Ideas and Solutions
Crowdsourcing helps businesses get many ideas. They can ask people for solutions to problems in science or manufacturing. Often, there are rewards for the best ideas. Even simple tasks can be done cheaply and well through crowdsourcing.
Helping with Science and Research
Scientists use crowdsourcing to gather data. Platforms like Amazon Mechanical Turk help them collect information. This can include creating language databases or running surveys. It helps researchers get lots of data from many different people.
Astronomy
In the 1800s, astronomer Denison Olmsted used crowdsourcing. He asked people to report what they saw during a meteor shower. Their reports helped him understand that meteors fall from space. More recently, NASA asked internet users to help identify locations in space photos.
Behavioral Science
In behavioral science, crowdsourcing helps study human behavior. Researchers create online surveys or experiments. Many people can complete these, giving a lot of data. This helps scientists understand how people make decisions.
Genealogy Research
Genealogical research is about family history. For a long time, groups like the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have asked members to share family information. This helped build large collections of family records. Institutes also use volunteers to create catalogs for historical records.
Ornithology
A great example from the past is the Christmas Bird Count. In 1900, Frank Chapman asked bird watchers to count birds on Christmas Day. Thousands of people now take part every year. This helps scientists track bird populations.
Seismology
The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) uses crowdsourcing to detect earthquakes. They watch website traffic and social media posts. Spikes in activity and keywords can show where an earthquake just happened.
Making Decisions and Policies
Governments and non-profit groups also use crowdsourcing. It helps them solve public problems and get people involved.
- City Planning: In 2008, Salt Lake City used crowdsourcing for transit planning. They asked the public for ideas on how to improve transportation.
- Improving Patents: The Peer-to-Patent project asked the public for input. This helped improve the quality of patents in the United States.
- Making Laws: In 2011, Iceland used crowdsourcing to help write its new constitution. Finland has also asked citizens for ideas on new laws. This lets people help shape their country's rules.
- Government Feedback: The Obama Administration used crowdsourcing. They asked for suggestions to improve federal websites.
Designing Products and Art
Crowdsourcing is great for creative projects. It helps artists and companies get new designs and ideas.
- Lego Ideas: Users can design new Lego sets. If a design gets 10,000 votes, Lego might make it. The creator even gets paid royalties!
- Art Projects: Artist Aaron Koblin asked people to draw sheep online. He collected 10,000 drawings from around the world. Artist Sam Brown asked website visitors for sentences to inspire his paintings.
- Navigation Apps: Companies like INRIX use crowdsourcing. Millions of drivers share their travel times. This helps the app give better directions and real-time traffic updates.
Other Interesting Uses
- Libraries and Museums: Volunteers help correct text from old digitized books. They also add tags to artworks. This makes information easier to find.
- Agriculture: Farmers and experts use crowdsourcing. It helps them identify different types of weeds in fields. It also helps find ways to remove them.
- Uncovering Unfair Play: In bridge, a card game, Boye Brogeland used crowdsourcing. He investigated claims of unfair play by top players. This led to suspensions for some players.
- Open-Source Software: Many software projects, like GNU and Linux, are built by volunteers. Programmers from all over the world contribute their skills.
How Crowdsourcing Works
Crowdsourcing uses the internet and digital tools to connect many people. The way it works can be either clear (explicit) or hidden (implicit).
Different Ways to Crowdsource
- Explicit Crowdsourcing: Users know they are helping. They work together to share ideas or build things. For example, people might rate books or edit articles.
- Implicit Crowdsourcing: Users help solve a problem without even knowing it. They are doing one task, but their actions also help with another. For example, when you type a CAPTCHA to prove you're not a robot, you might be helping to digitize old books.
Types of Crowdsourcing Tasks
There are many ways to organize crowdsourcing projects:
- Crowdvoting: People vote on ideas or products. Websites gather opinions from a large group. For example, on Reddit, users vote on web content and discussions. The California Report Card lets people vote on important issues.
- Crowdfunding: Many people give small amounts of money to a project. This is often done online. It can be for new businesses or charities. People might get a reward for their donation.
- Contests with Prizes: Companies offer prizes for the best solutions. IBM's "Innovation Jam" gathered thousands of ideas. The Netflix Prize offered $1,000,000 to improve their movie recommendation system. Companies like InnoCentive post scientific problems for experts to solve for cash prizes.
- Microwork: These are very small tasks that computers can't do well. Amazon Mechanical Turk offers many tiny jobs for a small payment. For example, users might identify objects in images.
- Creative Crowdsourcing: This involves getting people to help with creative projects. This could be for graphic design, product ideas, or writing.
- Crowdshipping: This is when people help deliver packages. Travelers might carry a package as part of their luggage. Truck drivers might take extra items along their route.
Why People Join Crowdsourcing Projects
People join crowdsourcing projects for many different reasons. These reasons can be about personal enjoyment or getting something in return.
What Motivates People?
- Fun and Enjoyment: Many people enjoy the tasks themselves. They like learning new skills or working on interesting projects. It can be a fun way to spend their free time.
- Helping Others: Some people want to make a positive impact. They might help with projects that benefit their community or important causes. For example, helping researchers identify cells for medical studies.
- Learning and Skills: Participants can learn new things. They might gain skills that help them in the future. Being part of a project can also help them get noticed by potential employers.
- Money and Rewards: Many projects offer payment for completing tasks. Others give prizes, public recognition, or even royalties for successful ideas.
- Community and Status: People like being part of a group. They might enjoy connecting with others who share their interests. Gaining a good reputation in a project can also be a motivator.
The "crowd" in crowdsourcing is made up of many different kinds of people. They come from all over the world and have various skills and backgrounds. Some are students, some are professionals, and many are just everyday people who want to contribute.
