IC2™ Approach
Crowdsourcing leverages the power of a "crowd" to help solve “problems" or challenges your business faces. In fact, the word “Crowdsourcing” is based on “open sourcing,” which implies completely turning the ideation process over to the crowd. In our view, that is a more extensive use of the crowd than is either realistic or necessary. We believe a successful innovation process merges silos (e.g. your internal teams, key subcontractors, customer base) to form a more powerful problem solving team.
Crowdweaving™ is our method to harness the power of the crowd, and is tailored specifically for the researcher’s toolkit. We developed our Crowdweaving framework in order to weave the creative juices of the crowd throughout the process, engaging all constituents to stay on track. This approach is collaborative in nature and engages researchers, consumers, marketers, engineers, brand managers, and anyone else with a stake in the outcome. By embracing this more collaborative form of Crowdsourcing, we can simultaneously tap into the creative power of the consumer and the pragmatic perspectives of those who will make things happen. An iterative process also filters out less useful ideas, while collaboratively improving the ones that have the most merit.
Crowdweaving starts with a well articulated "Challenge." This is a specific problem that is presented to the crowd, which is given the chance to present solutions within a specific timeframe. Then the "crowd," which we define as a diverse group of passionate consumers who know your product or service, can offer solutions from a variety of perspectives. In the initial round of Crowdweaving, you will begin to grow a large crop of "raw ideas." This is the point where the "weaving" starts to happen.
Using the Innovation Center that is part of our IC2 community platform, we introduce other stakeholders into the process as "guides" who help to pluck the "weeds" and nourish the strongest ideas. We continue to repeat this iterative process until we ultimately turn seedling ideas into fully-matured, actionable ideas. What Crowdweaving gives you is a crowd-vetted, stakeholder-approved idea that you can have confidence in.
Click here to view a more in-depth presentation on Crowdweaving.
