A Task-Fit Model of Crowdsourcing: Finding the Right Crowdsourcing Approach to Fit the Task

New paper by RT Nakatsu, EB Grossman, CL Iacovou: “We develop a framework for classifying crowdsourcing approaches in terms of the types of tasks for which they are best suited. The method we used to develop our task-fit taxonomy followed an iterative approach that considered over 100 well-known examples crowdsourcing. Our taxonomy considers three dimensions of task complexity: (1) task structure–is the task well-defined, or does it require a more open-ended solution;(2) task interdependence–can the task be solved by an individual or does it require a community of problem solvers; and (3) task commitment—what level of commitment is expected from crowd members? Based on our taxonomy, we identify seven categories of crowdsourcing, and discuss prototypical examples of each approach. Furnished with such an understanding, one should be able to determine which crowdsourcing approach is most suitable for a particular task situation.”