Crowdsourcing is a process that involves different role players in order for the task to be completed successfully. The process has three role players; the client organization with the problem, the platform operator and the community who provides the solutions to the problem.

The Crowdsourcing Process

1. The process is started when a client organization recognizes that it has a problem that could be solved by the process of crowdsourcing.
2. The client organization approaches a platform operator who then distributes the problem via an open call to its community members.
3. The platform operators community then provides solutions to the problem
4. The solutions are then evaluated by the the client organization and the best solution (s) selected.
5. The winner(s) are then provided with a reward.
6. The final step would be the transfer of intellectual property if applicable.

An example demonstrating this crowdsourcing process was a challenge started by SunNight Solar (client organization) and InnoCentive (platform operator):

1. SunNight Solar required an affordable solar-powered device to prevent or limit the spread of malaria (problem).
2. InnoCentive, a platform operator with over 160,000 members distributed the problem via an open call to its community members
3. The InnoCentive community submitted 18 solutions to the problem
4. These solutions were evaluated and the winning solution was selected
5. The winner was awarded $40,000 for the solution
6. The IP was then transferred from the winning solver to SunNight Solar

To read more about the winning solution and how it works read more on the InnoCentive Blog.

1. What I Learnt About Crowdsourcing
2. Crowdsourcing Platforms
3. Crowdsourcing Example – People Participation in Crowdsourcing Platforms
4. Innovation in the Age of Global Collaboration – Crowdsourcing
5. Crowdsourcing Example – Facebook Crowdsourcing for Translations