<p>Crowdsourcing and coworking.&nbsp; Two words that sound similar and are indeed connected.&nbsp; Related to alternative work methods, coworking and crowdsourcing allow groups to join together to solve problems and create business value.&nbsp; This article attempts to defines these trends and explores the ways in which they are connected.</p> <p><strong>Coworking 101</strong><br /> Many independent professionals dream of having their own office for conducting business with employees, partners and customers.&nbsp; As is often the case, reality sets in and we discover that negotiating a lease as well as hiring a realtor, lawyer and subcontractor could put us out tens of thousands of dollars.</p> <p>The alternative?&nbsp; Starbucks or Tully&rsquo;s.&nbsp; Being able to meet with colleagues, grab a cup of coffee and perhaps check email while on the go is a great way to get business done and stay productive.&nbsp; The coffee shop option can work, provided that your meeting topic is conducive to the location.&nbsp; For example, it may be a great place to discuss ongoing projects, but may not be suitable for a first time meeting with a client or potential investor.</p> <p>A new&nbsp;option&nbsp;that is gaining momentum is coworking.&nbsp; Coworking combines the benefits of a traditional office with the coffee shop model.&nbsp; The idea is that you come to work each day (to an actual office), but work in cubicles, small workstations or desks like you would at a coffee shop. Coworking allows you to network and connect with like-minded individuals,&nbsp; allowing you to share common interests and potentially share resources.&nbsp; The fact that each worker represents a different company or interest actually strengthens the network, allowing groups to form that represent various backgrounds and experiences.</p> <p><strong>Crowdsourcing 101</strong><br /> The term &ldquo;crowdsourcing&rdquo; relates to large groups that are organized to solve a specific problem.&nbsp; Mentioned frequently in relation to Web 2.0, crowdsourcing is often associated with other&nbsp;terms like &ldquo;mass collaboration&rdquo;.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The crowdsourcing model can been seen in many Web 2.0 applications currently being used to today such as <a href="http://www.wikipedia.com">Wikipedia </a>and <a href="http://www.jointcontact.com">Joint Contact</a>.</p> <p>Building on the idea of a traditional printed encyclopedia, Wikipedia solves the problem of content&nbsp; management and creation by permitting anyone (anywhere) to contribute to its online archives.&nbsp; An enthusiastic volunteer force of contributors provides not only an adequate number of topics to rival Encyclopedia Britannica, but redefines our notion of an informational resource by providing a number of unique and diverse subjects.</p> <p><a href="http://www.jointcontact.com">Joint Contact </a>also supports the crowdsourcing model by allowing groups to create documents, tasks, discussions and other items related to project management.&nbsp; Joint Contact solves the problem of information management, allowing professional groups to build supportive models that foster communication and collaboration.</p> <p><strong>Making the connection </strong><br /> Crowdsourcing and coworking provide tremendous benefits to the small business community.&nbsp; Under a coworking model, individuals who have complementary skills can work together to answer questions, provide different points of view and create value.&nbsp; As mentioned,&nbsp; the benefit of gaining different perspectives when faced with a problem are usually better than working in isolation.</p> <p>Crowdsourcing relates to coworking in that both groups (virtual and physical) are likely to produce more than if they where to work independently.&nbsp;&nbsp; For example, conducting an in-person project review meeting will always produce diverse and interesting results.&nbsp; In some cases, more questions may be produced than answers which may result in your project taking a new and unanticipated direction.</p> <p>Social networking websites like <a href="http://biznik.com">Biznik</a> represent the coworking model in the virtual world.&nbsp; One example of this concept is through the use of Biznik&rsquo;s &ldquo;<a href="http://biznik.com/forums">BizTalk</a>.&rdquo; Using BizTalk, people submit questions to the Biznik community that may be related to business, marketing, technology or human resources.&nbsp; Under this crowdsourcing model thousands of people instantly access this information, allowing them to respond, contribute and add value.</p> <p>Lastly, both models allow small business owners to benefit from economies of scale, allowing entrepreneurs to reduce their monetary cost by spreading any expenses with their peers.&nbsp; Surprisingly, crowdsourcing and coworking are based on a similar pricing model (a prepaid monthly subscription), if cost does become a factor.&nbsp; In small business, this provides great flexibility as circumstances often change.</p> <p>Even though coworking is not a definitive technology, it can be associated some of the most widely adopted technology concepts and services available.</p> 2008-06-13T17:15:09Z 2008-06-15T15:57:22Z -21.6119 566 1123 true 15 4581 how-crowdsourcing-supports-coworking 2 2008-06-15T15:57:16Z 2008-06-15T15:57:16Z

<p>Crowdsourcing and coworking.&nbsp; Two words that sound similar and are indeed connected. This article attempts to defines these trends and explores the ways in which they are connected.</p>

0 2009-02-24T09:44:46Z