Group 42

Crowdsourcing: A term commonly used to describe mass collaboration via social media tools.

The unwashed masses coming together to solve a business problem? Interesting theory but could it work in practice? The answer seems to be yes.

In her presentation to the HTCE, Vancouver social media consultant Monica Hamburg explains the power and pitfalls of crowdsourcing. From toothpaste to gold mining, companies have found ways to benefit from expertise outside their company. And one individual even found love. Is crowdsourcing for you? Monica may have your answer.

Crowd Sourcing: Using Mass Collaboration to Inject Creativity and Innovation into your Workplace

The video can also be viewed directly: Crowdsourcing - HTCE November 2008 at blip.tv

Website References:

• HTCE Meeting Description: Crowd Sourcing: Using Mass Collaboration to Inject Creativity and Innovation into your Workplace
• Monica Hamburg's Post-Presentation Notes (Slides & Links): Crowdsourcing - Presentation at HTCE
• Me Like the Interweb
• Your Dose of Lunacy
• One Degree, "The inside scoop on digital marketing and social media for Canadian marketers"

Last week I had the pleasure of attending and recording Paul Sullivan of Orato speaking on Citizen Journalism at the September meeting of the High-Tech Communicators' Exchange (HTCE). Sullivan is a passionate and articulate speaker with a background in both classic and citizen journalism. Not only has he held senior editor positions at major Canadian newspapers and the CBC, he's Editor-in-Chief of the citizen journalism website Orato, and recently appeared on a list of the 20 most visible Vancouverites on the web.

Sullivan begins with Andrew Keen, of The Cult of the Amateur: How Today's Internet is Killing Our Culture fame, and goes on to compare and contrast citizen journalism with classic journalism, describing how citizen journalism has changed the business landscape, and makes the argument citizen journalism is ultimately good for society. Virtues and warts, he talks about both the good and the bad. Although his talk clocks in at just over an hour, with another 15 odd minutes of Q & A, I was engaged the entire time, and from my vantage point so was the rest of the audience.

Citizen Journalism - HTCE September 2008 (Part 1 of 2)