Crowdsourcings

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The practice of obtaining input, ideas, services, or content by soliciting contributions from a large group of people, typically from an online community; this method harnesses collective expertise and resources for problem-solving or project advancement
2. A process where tasks, problems, or funding are outsourced to a wide audience, often via digital platforms, enabling collaboration and innovation beyond traditional boundaries
3. An approach to gather voluntary contributions, knowledge, or financial support from diverse participants, usually through widespread public engagement, to achieve a common goal or complete complex tasks

Etymology: "Crowdsourcings" is simply the plural of "crowdsourcing", so it names several distinct instances of the practice rather than a separate concept. The base term was coined by the American journalist Jeff Howe in 2006, in an article for the magazine Wired, where he used it to describe firms turning to ordinary people online to perform tasks once handled by employees or specialist contractors. The word is a blend of "crowd" and "sourcing", and its construction followed the pattern of "outsourcing", which had long been used for handing work to outside companies. Howe modelled the new coinage on that existing term, so that "crowd" took the place of the outside firm. The "-ing" ending turns the process into a noun, and the plural form simply counts individual projects or campaigns of this kind.

Synonyms: collaborations, outsourcings, collective efforts