Tapping the wisdom of the crowd
October 17th, 2006 by Wendy PollockEarlier discussion about the relationship between ExhibitFiles and the ISEN-ASTC-L list got us thinking. Paul Orselli notes that topics recur and wonders whether we could create an FAQ or resource drawn from the list archive. Like Paul, we wondered whether there is a way to integrate ExhibitFiles and the list, with its well-established community of 1,370+ members. And then: Is there a way to tap the collective wisdom of the exhibit community to add value to the discussions already happening on the list? We’ve come up with these ideas:
- Draw ISEN-ASTC-L messages directly into the ExhibitFiles site, identifying threads and perhaps adding photos for registered ExhibitFiles users. (We would notify ISEN-ASTC-L subscribers, of course, and also encourage them to register as ExhibitFiles users.)
- Add a simple rating system: “Did you find this message useful? Yes or No“
- Enable registered ExhibitFiles users to add messages (and threads) to a list of “favorites” within their profiles
These ratings would then help sift out what’s of most lasting interest and make it available for others.
Andrea Bandelli (drawing on James Surowiecki’s Wisdom of Crowds) has reflected elsewhere about the qualities that make a crowd “smart.” “It needs to be diverse, so that people are bringing different pieces of information to the table. It needs to be decentralized, so that no one at the top is dictating the crowd’s answer. It needs a way of summarizing people’s opinion into one collective verdict. And the people in the crowd need to be independent, so that they pay attention mostly to their own information, not worrying about what everyone around them thinks.”
We hope that the design approach we envision will help us, collectively, tap the wisdom of the exhibit “crowd.”
October 24th, 2006 at 9:26 pm
One potential problem with a “did you find this message useful?” or rating approach is the possibility of creating an even larger class of “lurkers” on the
ASTC listserve. It feels a little like getting “graded” for asking or answering a question.
My experience with soliciting contributions to the Cheapbooks is that many talented, creative exhibit folks have a real reluctance to appearing naive or foolish in front of their peers.
While the “rating system” on sites like Apple Computer’s discussion boards may have merit, it can’t help but strike me as also a little inbred and/or obsessive.
“Old dogs” in the field need to be aware of the “new tricks” and new folks constantly shaping and reshaping the field. I’d rather focus on search mechanisms that allow users to winnow through the results in their own way, and not inadvertantly create a “drastic pre-screening” process.