Comments on: All About Crowdsourcing http://blog.utest.com/all-about-crowdsourcing/2009/08/ Software Testing Community Fri, 30 Jul 2010 06:53:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: MattJ http://blog.utest.com/all-about-crowdsourcing/2009/08/comment-page-1/#comment-14434 MattJ Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:58:51 +0000 http://blog.utest.com/?p=1252#comment-14434 Brad -- I agree that free-for-all sites (at least in B2B crowdsourcing) are often a lose-lose for both the crowd and customers. There's an enormous difference between a structured, professional community that's properly incented vs. a loosely assembled, unfiltered mob that's poorly incented. This distinction will become more clear over time as some companies execute crowdsourcing well and others don't. Matt Brad — I agree that free-for-all sites (at least in B2B crowdsourcing) are often a lose-lose for both the crowd and customers.

There’s an enormous difference between a structured, professional community that’s properly incented vs. a loosely assembled, unfiltered mob that’s poorly incented. This distinction will become more clear over time as some companies execute crowdsourcing well and others don’t.

Matt

]]> By: John Winsor http://blog.utest.com/all-about-crowdsourcing/2009/08/comment-page-1/#comment-14433 John Winsor Thu, 13 Aug 2009 04:48:27 +0000 http://blog.utest.com/?p=1252#comment-14433 Jennifer - It was great to see you in Boston. What a great session we had. Thanks to Edward for leading the discussion. I like the idea of a "Director of Crowdsourcing." But I wonder if it should be Director of Co-creation instead. Think about all of the other opportunities there are to collaborate with customers, suppliers and employees. Jennifer -

It was great to see you in Boston. What a great session we had. Thanks to Edward for leading the discussion. I like the idea of a “Director of Crowdsourcing.” But I wonder if it should be Director of Co-creation instead. Think about all of the other opportunities there are to collaborate with customers, suppliers and employees.

]]> By: Brad Sellick http://blog.utest.com/all-about-crowdsourcing/2009/08/comment-page-1/#comment-14430 Brad Sellick Sun, 09 Aug 2009 20:40:20 +0000 http://blog.utest.com/?p=1252#comment-14430 @edwardboches said: "I do, however, think there are some things we can all do right: plan, source from right people, ...reward them, ...and remember to guide the process so the outcome is worth the effort." I'll second this list based on what I'm seeing so far with various forms of freelancing/crowdsourcing sites. The 'free-for-all' sites are poor quality in opportunity for the crowd, and in outcome and trust for the customer (my opinions of course). Having used the uTest platform (as a tester) for a few weeks, I feel that it is a model that will drive the success of crowdsourcing attracting a competent crowd and building a reputation of being trustworthy and reliable, which in turn will attract more and more customers (and in turn more competent crowd, etc). I feel the success of uTest is based significantly on the people there doing the guiding. @edwardboches said:

“I do, however, think there are some things we can all do right: plan, source from right people, …reward them, …and remember to guide the process so the outcome is worth the effort.”

I’ll second this list based on what I’m seeing so far with various forms of freelancing/crowdsourcing sites. The ‘free-for-all’ sites are poor quality in opportunity for the crowd, and in outcome and trust for the customer (my opinions of course).

Having used the uTest platform (as a tester) for a few weeks, I feel that it is a model that will drive the success of crowdsourcing attracting a competent crowd and building a reputation of being trustworthy and reliable, which in turn will attract more and more customers (and in turn more competent crowd, etc).

I feel the success of uTest is based significantly on the people there doing the guiding.

]]> By: Tom Folkes http://blog.utest.com/all-about-crowdsourcing/2009/08/comment-page-1/#comment-14428 Tom Folkes Fri, 07 Aug 2009 15:13:12 +0000 http://blog.utest.com/?p=1252#comment-14428 Hi, the big problem in crowd sourcing is turning the information into something coherent. I have built a system which does that for Semitic information www.alexlib.info. It allows the crowd to build and manage ontologies. -Tom Hi,
the big problem in crowd sourcing is turning the information into something coherent. I have built a system which does that for Semitic information http://www.alexlib.info. It allows the crowd to build and manage ontologies. -Tom

]]> By: Jennifer Moebius http://blog.utest.com/all-about-crowdsourcing/2009/08/comment-page-1/#comment-14426 Jennifer Moebius Thu, 06 Aug 2009 19:06:23 +0000 http://blog.utest.com/?p=1252#comment-14426 Ross - It's my pleasure! Thanks for your note. It will be very interesting to continue following these organizational developments. Seeing as crowdSPRING and uTest are at the forefront of B2B crowdsourcing innovation, we are well positioned to see how it all pans out! Ross – It’s my pleasure! Thanks for your note. It will be very interesting to continue following these organizational developments. Seeing as crowdSPRING and uTest are at the forefront of B2B crowdsourcing innovation, we are well positioned to see how it all pans out!

]]> By: Ross Kimbarovsky http://blog.utest.com/all-about-crowdsourcing/2009/08/comment-page-1/#comment-14425 Ross Kimbarovsky Thu, 06 Aug 2009 18:51:16 +0000 http://blog.utest.com/?p=1252#comment-14425 Jennifer - thanks for posting this summary. I was bummed that I wasn't in Boston to attend the event in person. It sounds like it was a wonderful discussion. It's Interesting to hear Edward's perspective about the "Director of Crowdsourcing". I haven't really thought about companies creating such a position but it really does start to make sense when you see how successful some companies have been in leveraging crowdsourcing. Best, Ross Kimbarovsky co-Founder http://www.crowdspring.com Jennifer – thanks for posting this summary. I was bummed that I wasn’t in Boston to attend the event in person. It sounds like it was a wonderful discussion. It’s Interesting to hear Edward’s perspective about the “Director of Crowdsourcing”. I haven’t really thought about companies creating such a position but it really does start to make sense when you see how successful some companies have been in leveraging crowdsourcing.

Best,

Ross Kimbarovsky
co-Founder
http://www.crowdspring.com

]]> By: Jennifer Moebius http://blog.utest.com/all-about-crowdsourcing/2009/08/comment-page-1/#comment-14424 Jennifer Moebius Thu, 06 Aug 2009 18:42:36 +0000 http://blog.utest.com/?p=1252#comment-14424 Edward: Thank you for your thoughtful insights on crowdsourcing. It was very nice to meet you at the event. I hope you do more like this one in the future. Looking forward to it! Edward:
Thank you for your thoughtful insights on crowdsourcing. It was very nice to meet you at the event. I hope you do more like this one in the future. Looking forward to it!

]]> By: edwardboches http://blog.utest.com/all-about-crowdsourcing/2009/08/comment-page-1/#comment-14423 edwardboches Thu, 06 Aug 2009 16:48:22 +0000 http://blog.utest.com/?p=1252#comment-14423 Jenny: Thanks for attending and continuing the conversation. I think everyone learns from each other. John told me that even Jeff Howe, who wrote the book, realizes he doesn't really know that much about it. In fact, he's off to Harvard to study the subject. I do, however, think there are some things we can all do right: plan, source from right people, allow crowd to participate in selection, reward them, and learn which platforms (public or private) will be most effective, and remember to guide the process so the outcome is worth the effort. Jenny:
Thanks for attending and continuing the conversation. I think everyone learns from each other. John told me that even Jeff Howe, who wrote the book, realizes he doesn’t really know that much about it. In fact, he’s off to Harvard to study the subject. I do, however, think there are some things we can all do right: plan, source from right people, allow crowd to participate in selection, reward them, and learn which platforms (public or private) will be most effective, and remember to guide the process so the outcome is worth the effort.

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