25/10 Crowd Sourcing

This structure provides a highly efficient way to tap into the collective intelligence of a large group. It combines individual creativity with collaborative feedback and rapid prioritization. 25/10 Crowd Sourcing helps groups quickly identify and refine the most promising ideas from a large pool. It balances individual creation with group feedback.

The name "25/10" refers to the time allocated to the different phases of the process. The process is divided into three main phases:

1. individual brainstorming
2. group sharing and feedback, and
3. dot voting

Each phase has a distinct purpose and set of activities. This three-phase structure ensures that ideas are generated, refined, and prioritized in a structured manner.

Individual Brainstorming

The first phase, individual brainstorming, gives each participant time to generate their own ideas related to a specific challenge or question. This individual time is crucial for fostering original thinking and preventing groupthink. Participants work independently for 2.5 minutes (2 minutes and 30 seconds) to generate as many ideas as possible. The emphasis is on quantity over quality at this stage. The goal is to create a large pool of raw ideas. This phase prioritizes individual idea creation.

Group Sharing & Feedback

The second phase, group sharing and feedback, involves dividing the larger group into smaller groups, ideally of five people. Each person in the small group shares their most promising idea from the brainstorming phase. After each person shares, the other group members provide quick feedback, focusing on the strengths and potential weaknesses of the idea. This phase lasts for 10 minutes per person, or 50 minutes for a group of five. This promotes collaborative refinement.

A key element of this phase is that participants only share one idea. This forces them to select their strongest idea and focus on refining it based on feedback. It also prevents the discussion from becoming too scattered or unfocused.

Dot Voting

The third phase, dot voting, brings all the small groups back together. Each participant receives a limited number of dots, typically three to five. All the shared ideas are displayed, either on a whiteboard, flip chart, or digitally. Participants then use their dots to vote for the ideas they believe are most promising. This phase is quick and efficient, allowing for rapid prioritization of the ideas. Dot voting provides quick prioritization.

The ideas with the most dots are considered the top ideas and can be further developed or implemented. This process provides a clear and democratic way to select the best ideas from a large pool.

25/10 Crowd Sourcing is particularly useful for large groups, where it can be difficult to facilitate in-depth discussion of every idea. It is also useful when time is limited, as it allows for rapid generation and prioritization of ideas.

Case Study: Generating Ideas for a Company Retreat

Imagine a company wants to plan a company retreat and needs ideas for activities. They decide to use 25/10 Crowd Sourcing to gather input from all employees.

Individual Brainstorming

Each employee spends 2.5 minutes brainstorming ideas for retreat activities. Some employees suggest outdoor activities like hiking or kayaking, while others suggest indoor activities like cooking classes or escape rooms. This generates a diverse range of ideas.

Group Sharing and Feedback

Employees are divided into small groups of five. Each person shares their strongest idea. One person suggests a team-building scavenger hunt. The other group members provide feedback, suggesting specific locations and types of challenges that could be included. This feedback refines the scavenger hunt idea.

Dot Voting

All the shared ideas, including the refined scavenger hunt idea, are displayed on a large whiteboard. Each employee receives three dots. They use their dots to vote for their favorite activities. The scavenger hunt receives a large number of votes, along with a suggestion for a volunteer day.

The company decides to incorporate both the scavenger hunt and the volunteer day into the retreat based on the results of the dot voting. This example shows how 25/10 Crowd Sourcing can be used to quickly gather and prioritize input from a large group.

Advantages & Potential Limitations

25/10 Crowd Sourcing offers several advantages. It is a highly efficient way to generate and refine ideas within a large group. It ensures that everyone has an opportunity to contribute and that a wide range of ideas are considered.

This structure combines individual creativity with collaborative feedback, leading to more robust and well-developed ideas. The dot voting phase provides a clear and democratic way to prioritize the best ideas.

It is particularly useful when time is limited, as it allows for rapid generation and prioritization of ideas. It is also useful when dealing with sensitive topics, as the individual brainstorming and small group sharing phases can create a safe space for sharing diverse perspectives.

However, there are also some potential limitations to consider. The effectiveness of the method depends on the willingness of participants to engage in open and honest sharing and feedback. If participants are hesitant to share their true thoughts or opinions, the insights gained may be limited.

The time constraints can be challenging for some individuals, particularly those who prefer more time for reflection or those who are not comfortable sharing their ideas quickly.

The focus on quantity over quality in the initial brainstorming phase can sometimes lead to a large number of superficial or impractical ideas. It is important to emphasize that the feedback phase is crucial for refining these ideas and selecting the most promising ones.

The dot voting phase can sometimes lead to a focus on the most popular ideas, rather than the most innovative or impactful ones. It is important to consider the reasons behind the votes and to not solely rely on the dot count when making decisions.