be an effective use of all that computing power. Finally, a massive crowdsourced effort was to create masks and face shields for the local community to compensate for the breakdown in transportation at the beginning of the pandemic. Due to the lack of easy access to PPE, people across the nation stepped up and knitted cloth masks and 3D printed face masks to donate them to essential and healthcare workers. This crowdsourced solution was not prompted by anyone, but the movement was able to get widespread enough through word of mouth and social media that it was almost enough to make up for the lack of support through the official channels. This form of crowdsourcing relies on volunteers willing to do something to make a change on their own despite no group directly pushing for a change. It seems to be the hardest to replicate, and might only be possible in the most dire situations.
“This form of crowdsourcing relies on volunteers willing to do something to make a change on their own despite no group directly pushing for a change. It seems to be the hardest to replicate, and might only be possible in the most dire situations.”
All of these examples show how with the right conditions the community can come together to solve problems faster and more effectively as a collective than as separate individuals, even if some were more successful than others. In the past, crowdsourcing was seen as a lazy way to solve a minor problem whereas now it seems like a viable way to create solutions for the global community. Was this just a fluke of the right conditions at the right time, or does this mark a shift towards a future where crowdsourcing becomes the norm rather than the exception? How can a project best optimize itself for crowdsourcing? These questions are what might take us into the future but right now, collaboration is saving lives in ways individuals simply cannot.
exception? How can a project best optimize itself for crowdsourcing? These questions are what might take us into the future but right now, collaboration is saving lives in ways individuals simply cannot. Edited by Lina Itenberg Artwork by Nandini Shyamala Design by Akila Muthukumar
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