What type of problems is crowdsourcing best suited for?

Crowdsourcing is particularly well-suited for open-ended questions requiring broad input because it taps into the collective intelligence and diverse perspectives of a large number of people. This approach allows organizations to gather a wide range of ideas, solutions, and feedback that might not be available from a single expert or a small group. By soliciting contributions from the crowd, businesses and researchers can harness creativity, leverage different experiences, and uncover innovative solutions to complex problems.

In contrast, highly technical engineering problems typically require specialized knowledge that may not be widely held among a general audience. Standardized test scores involve specific metrics and assessments that do not benefit from broad input, while routine administrative tasks are generally straightforward and do not require diverse perspectives, making them less suited to a crowdsourcing model. Therefore, the strength of crowdsourcing lies in its ability to engage a broader community to address complex, open-ended challenges.