crowdSPRING

by Tim Jahn on January 15, 2010

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In this episode, I’m chatting with Mike Samson and Ross Kimbarovsky from crowdSPRING, a Chicago based website dedicated to being a global marketplace for crowdsourced creative services. We chat about what crowdsourcing is and how the model applies to various industries.

The music featured during the intro and credits of this episode is a song called “Don’t Know How” from local Chicago artist Jane Thatcher.

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Beyond The Pedway with crowdSPRING

This is a shot of the office of crowdSPRING.

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  • I definitely agree with Tammi here; why not talk with the Chicago chapter of AIGA? As a designer, I've already seen some of the effect crowdsourcing has on the profession; my company is suddenly doing a lot of spec work and waiting, sometimes months, for contracts to come out of it, because companies do love to dangle the proverbial carrot and haggle down the price based on "stuff they saw on the internet."

    I am all about the "democratization" of fields that take years to break into, like design, but this might not be the way to go.
  • I think there's definitely arguments for both sides, especially after chatting with Mike and Ross of crowdSPRING. They definitely seem focused on a specific segment of the market, mostly the smaller businesses that can't afford a $10,000 design scheme. But then I do understand what you're saying in terms of this model potentially degrading the overall value of design.

    Do you think a model like crowdSPRING can work with the smaller businesses without degrading the overall value of design, and rocking the industry too much as a whole?
  • Love there concept, I signed up a long time ago need to finally make some time to submit some stuff.
  • I like their concept too and I think it will be interesting to see how it works when applied to copywriting and other services.

    Thanks for watching Brad!
  • I saw these guys at SXSW last year and LOVE the concept. What a great way to get top quality design services!

    Nice vid Tim :-)
  • Thanks Brian! Mike mentioned they will be speaking again at SXSW this year, this time about being a startup outside of Silicon Valley, so I'm definitely going to go to that.
  • Tim,

    How about a piece on the opposing viewpoint - the dangers of Spec work to the creative community? Many of the members of the Chicago Convergence are freelancers and are directly impacted by the promotion of Spec work by companies such as CrowdSpring and 99Designs. They would be interested in an interview with the founders of No Spec http://www.no-spec.com/ or Debbie Millman President of the National AIGA.
  • While I think that would be a great interview as well, No-Spec and the National AIGA are not Chicago based, so it wouldn't fit into the Beyond The Pedway series.

    I agree with you though, would be cool to get the other viewpoint.
  • Great video! Love @ 3:08 when the lab comes flying in w/his toy!!
  • Haha, yeah, Lucy really wanted to be interviewed I think! During the interview, you can hear her coming up to play with Mike and I as she drops her toy.
  • Thanks Nick! I know (and crowdSPRING does too) there's a good amount of controversy and questions surrounding their business model (and the whole idea of crowdsourcing).

    But Ross and Mike at crowdSPRING are very open to discussions about the industry and their model. I think they're really just trying to help a certain niche of the market and obviously, they won't jive with everybody.

    Thanks for watching!
  • Great video about CrowdSpring! I loved hearing their backgrounds and the development of the idea. I'm sorry to hear that a design agency would work on a project, and the present a design that's a surprise to the client. They should have a good plan and idea BEFORE designing!

    Great Tim!
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