I wasn’t trying to nitpick your specific comments about crowdsourcing, but rather just wanted to add my general perspective on the industry buzz on the topic, at least as far as what I am hearing. I agree that it is always worth considering new approaches for what they might bring, and crowdsourcing lends itself to solving some types of problems better than others. New Internet tools allow for community solutions that didn’t exist before, so some current examination is warranted.

Crowdsourcing, while a recent term as it applies to community-based design, really becomes a question of the wisdom of the crowds, as well as efficient process. Here are some problems described in a Wikipedia article on “wisdom of the crowds”: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisdom_of_the_crowd#Problems Yes, I understand the irony that Wikipedia is itself crowdsourced – a great example of a successful crowdsourcing implementation.

Crowds can easily determine the most popular answer, but knowledgeable, thoughtful and innovative answers of the highest quality often come from few individuals. When the solution is complex, a group process can slow things down considerably. I had a discussion just yesterday with a developer who suggested surveying users regarding a new program feature. While never a bad idea, often the time and money spent on market research and focus groups is better spent elsewhere, if someone internally already has the right answer. IF, is the big question, and who has the guts to take a stand on it? Is there leadership that understands the problem, can innovate (or foster innovation), and set clear direction (and know when they have to ask the crowd)? So often users have shown they did not know what they wanted until it was shown to them, then it is an “ahhh” moment. Clear leadership can set course from point A to point B much faster than asking a crowd for directions. Of course, a lot is riding on whether the quality of direction is a good one, and that risk-taking decision is a whole other discussion.

Sometimes it is smart to ask the crowd. Sometimes the crowd will slow you down and lead you astray.

Gary

Thanks for the comment and the link. I don’t think crowdsourcing will replace traditional R&D, just redefine it (I chose my words carefully). Like most things, crowdsourcing is the right approach for some projects, and the wrong approach for others (the basic point of the HBR posting I referenced). Whether its crowds or individuals, the main point I was making is that software innovation is coming from a much broader community than a software vendor’s internal resources.

Adrian