What tool to use?
The growth in technological capabilities and our interconnected lives have provided a massive boost in generating social collective intelligence. But can we generate this type of data, harnessing the power of groups to problem solve? Specialised tools need to be developed and applied.
Researchers in the field of both Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Collective Intelligence have focused on how people and computers can be connected to enhance usability and output, designing sophisticated tools that are simple to interact with, while able to administrate, analyse and extract insights.
Before we can examine Silverman Research’s answer to developing such an innovative tool, a quick explanation is needed in what distinguishes Collective Intelligence from Crowdsourcing. Many consider Crowdsourcing as the means of generating types of complex social insights, which is only partly right. Crowdsourcing is frequently defined as a process, such as cutting down on the workload of organisations by taking a task typically conducted by one person, and distributing it to many across a wide network. This has been seen in many publicised projects recently, such as the ongoing work of Wikipedia which builds on each individual’s knowledge and contribution, the public analysis of radio frequency signals in our galaxy in the search for extraterrestrial life with SETILive, or the combined power of many user’s computers to classify potentially cancerous cells on Cell Slider.
However, Collective Intelligence is very much a goal based approach, interested in the final output generated by interaction between participants. This is typically seen in the form of an online discussion or comments section where participants provide their own input as well as exploring, evaluating, or replying to, the contribution of others. The Global Futures Collective Intelligence System, created by The Millennium Project, feeds insight from different experts and regional groups to address 15 interlinked global challenges, presenting the reader with a comprehensive outline, alternative views and additional comments from participants on the overview, regional perspectives and relevant information from recent literature, as well as a range of potential actions assessed from many different views.
At Silverman Research we have asked ourselves how we can develop such a set of tools responding to the demands of organisations requiring real-time feedback and data. We have created a series of programs and research projects that are simple to interact with, and which analyses and extracts meaningful insights. These tools can then generate for clients:
- A forum for ideation and discussion
- Company insight in its application as an employee opinion tool
- Value
- Predictions for future trends
- Restructured discussion forums, enabling all to have a valid voice
If you’d like to find out more about Silverman Research’s approach, and how it can benefit your organisation, please get in touch for a demo request info@silvermanresearch.com.
Written by Richard Davis
