Marketing Executives Network Group (MENG) Crowdsourcing Speech

July 17th, 2007 speech before MENG on the topic of Crowdsourcing. The following videos are dubed over PowerPoint slides. Rough notes accompany. Episode one covers:

• “Crowdsourcing” coined by Wired magazine Writer Jeff Howe The Rise of Crowdsourcing. Wired Magazine issue 14.06, June 2006
• Nothing new but the term: Guild systems Granges, etc. practiced “crowdsourcing” long before term was coined (dev of steam engine, Niagara Falls suspension bridge)
• The process is all about people wanting to contribute in a highly social way. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs top of the pyramid “Self-Actualization”

Tenants are:

• Self organization (naturally gravitating to what members like are good at).
• Democratic decision making (Linux votes / Google links / Wikipedia edits)
• Open systems Linux Wikipedia are free, Google open API / Apps (No good “traditional” economic reason for doing this!)
• Unusual Economic Model: Create the environment and then make money of related services. “Shovels & picks to the miners”
• Customer service via mass collaboration