Logo Design and Crowdsourcing
Synopsis
The case flyer discusses the concept of Crowdsourcing and the issues related to it. It is an activity of outsourcing a task to a large, often anonymous group for a nominal fee. While the article talks only about Logo Design and highlights the cost and creative advantages that small and medium firms gain through it, it also points out that even big firms are opting to Crowdsource. Though there are pros and cons of Crowdsourcing, the usage of the concept is on a rising trend. However, there are issues like the payment and security concerns of the designers’ ideas, credibility of the Crowdsourcing Company, etc. Moreover, in a scenario where such firms are cropping up, what would be the points of differentiation within the industry? How could such firms scale up to compete with established conventional players?
Expected Learning Outcomes
- • The concept of Crowdsourcing and its increasing relevance in the current times
- • The issues of credibility and trust between the Crowdsourcing company, its client and the ‘crowd’ to whom the task is assigned
- • When should a business opt for Crowdsourcing?
- • How Crowdsourcing companies can scale up and compete with bigger players in the industry?
Positioning and Setting
The case flyer can be used in the following courses:
- a) Business Strategy – Value Chain concept – how to reduce the cost by outsourcing a business necessity
- b) Business Model – from the point of view of Crowdsourcing companies
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Suggested Orchestraton
Before The Case Flyer Discussion in the Classroom
a) Students/participants were asked to read Jeff Howe’s article “The Rise of Crowdsourcing” and Paul Dombowsky’s article “Crowdsourcing Risk and Reward – How to Evaluate Options for Success”
b) Reading these two articles would give them a complete idea about the concept and diverse perspectives about the operations of such a business model. This provided the students/participants with enough points for the classroom discussion.
c) The students were asked to visit the websites of a few Crowdsourcing companies – Printmind, Jade Magnet, CrowdStudio, Idiom Design, 99designs, etc., – to understand their customer value propositions, and business dynamics (business model, operating model, revenue model, etc.).
d) Most importantly, the students should be encouraged to analyze all the questions given in the case flyer (either individually or in learning teams or appropriate discussion forums) to enable them to participate effectively and enrich the learning outcomes.
During the Case Flyer Discussion in the Classroom
This case flyer can effectively be discussed in the classroom under three broad related topics.
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The flow of questions to be discussed in the classroom has been elaborated in Annexure (TN)-I: The Board Plan
I. Crowdsourcing: The Concept
• The class was initiated by posing a question to the students, about the process that the Government of India undertook to design a symbol for its currency (the Indian Rupee). On March 5th 2009, the Government of India announced a contest to create a sign/logo for the Indian rupee. From around 3,331 responses received, the symbol created by Udaya Kumar ( ), Associate Professor, IIT Guwahati, was chosen on July 15th 2010. Students were asked if they knew about any other such initiatives by any firm and whether they have participated in any such events. They shared a few examples of Crowdsourcing for films, start-up funding, etc. A few said they participated.
• Once their knowledge regarding these was assessed, the concept was introduced and the basic difference between Crowdsourcing and other related concepts like outsourcing, consulting and freelancing were discussed.
• Following which the business model, operating model and the revenue model of these companies, were explained [Exhibit (TN)-I].
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Exhibits
Exhibit (TN)-I: Crowdsourcing: Business and Revenue Model
Exhibit (TN)-II: Crowdsourcing: Cost of Work vs Scope of Work
Annexure
Annexure (TN)-I: The Board Plan