Crowdsourcing Knowledge
Today, crowdsourcing is everywhere. It has moved from its initial fundraising activity to a broader community-based business model for new products, start-ups, and more. And, it is easily a model for the learning and development field…with numerous possibilities.
Crowdsourcing has always included a reliance on an entire population of known and unknown sources. This community effect is quite valuable. To some degree, we already do it now for learning by using Slack, the various Salesforce Communities and LinkedIn Groups.
So, how does this relate to the learning & development industry as a whole? Is crowdsourcing knowledge a valid idea? Would pooling as much knowledge and information on a topic, project, product, or process be helpful? Yes.
By crowdsourcing knowledge, it offers different perspectives, weeds out what is (and isn’t) working, engages participants, generates a sense of ownership, as well as empowers the person, as s/he feels productive and helpful. It is a form of active collaboration. It is a model that tends to be more immediate and contagious. Crowdsourcing is also a trendier name. It is cool. Many of today’s generations in the workforce, along with Gen Z, will easily take to the concept, encouraging further adoption.
It will only gain momentum as technology evolves. We already have our mobile devices to facilitate it. Crowdsourcing will become that much more secure. It can also be filtered with more trusted sources only, while still generating a broad community to cull advice and knowledge. It can literally be a brain trust. For example, as a potential digital strategy according to the AMA, doctors could crowdsource information from their colleagues anywhere in the world, at any time by utilizing their mobile devices, significantly impacting patient outcomes in a positive way.
A crowdsourcing knowledge platform can incorporate different forums – discussion groups, file sharing, and so forth. The best thing is that it brings your ideas and knowledge to a broad community to help others, which goes back to the basic tenets of crowdsourcing since its inception. This sounds like a win-win for learners, and especially for Scrimmage customers!
For more information on learning through collaboration, crowdsourcing and mobile learning tools, please visit our website, www.wescrimmage.com. Reach out and schedule a meeting with us to discuss!
About the author:
Derek Lundsten
Having his career intersect with the mobile revolution of the past decade, Derek, as CEO, inspires the Scrimmage team everyday with his entrepreneurial spirit, positive attitude and quick business sense. He enjoys the art of the deal and bringing together respective business relationships, as he also serves on many advisory boards for various trade organizations and numerous start-up firms. Derek holds a Bachelor of Science degree from James Madison University with a double major in Psychology and Philosophy. Originally from just outside of New York City, he now enjoys the city life of Philadelphia with his wife, not to mention its venerable history.