Harnessing collective problem-solving through distributed creativity
Core Idea: Crowdsourcing harnesses Core Drive 3 (Empowerment of Creativity & Feedback) by inviting public collaboration on challenges, transforming passive audiences into active participants engaged in creative problem-solving.
Key Elements
- Distributes problem-solving across many individuals
- Transforms passive consumption into active creation
- Provides immediate feedback on contributions
- Creates community investment in outcomes
Implementation Approaches
- Competitive Crowdsourcing: Participants compete to provide the best solution
- Collaborative Crowdsourcing: Participants build on each other's contributions
- Microtask Distribution: Breaking large problems into small, manageable pieces
- Open Innovation: Inviting external solutions to internal challenges
Psychological Benefits
- Satisfies desire for creative expression
- Provides sense of meaningful contribution
- Creates ownership in the final solution
- Builds community through shared purpose
Example: Foldit Protein Folding
The game Foldit crowdsourced protein folding challenges to gamers who, despite lacking scientific backgrounds, solved complex protein structures that had stumped researchers for years by applying creative problem-solving approaches within the game's constraints.
Additional Connections
- Broader Context: Core Drive 3 - Empowerment of Creativity and Feedback (foundation of crowdsourcing motivation)
- Applications: Distributed Problem Solving (using crowds to tackle complex challenges)
- See Also: Citizen Science (similar approach applied to scientific research)
References
- Yu-Kai Chou, "Actionable Gamification: Beyond Points, Badges, and Leaderboards"
#gamification #crowdsourcing #creativity #collaborative
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