CROWDSOURCING PLATFORM FOR APPROCHING HUMANITARIAN CHALLENGES

Crowdsourcing describes a new Web-based business model that harnesses the creative solutions of a distributed network of individuals through what amounts to an open call for proposals. In this paper, we discuss about how crowdsourcing model is effective for collecting information and providing solutions for humanitarian challenges. Our discussion is based on statistical observations of response to IEEE SIGHT Humanitarian Page Contest. Based on the observations we find that this model has distinct advantages like collective intelligence, creative problem solving, diverse pool of opinions and resources and easier collaboration of volunteers for implementation of solutions.