How To Crowdsource Your Big Idea

You have a big idea.  It could be the next best thing - and you want to keep it a secret so no one jumps on it.  Wrong.  Basically, your gambling that your idea - or some aspect of it - is the best it could be and no input could possibly improve it.  And, if your idea is really great the chance that someone is going to steal it is probably pretty low.  People have a hard enough time executing their own ideas at all - let along stealing yours and doing it well.  


There are a few resources that let you get the opinions of others - I have pulled out just a few that might help get the ball rolling, or actually help someone else crowdsource their idea:

1. Quirky - This website can possibly help you get your new product idea off the ground.  Submit new product ideas and weigh in on other submissions.  Whats also cool is you can buy products designed by people just like you and me through the site.
2. Innocentive  - Are you good at talking through other people's ideas and helping them solve issues?  This site maybe for you then.  Geared maybe towards perhaps the more technically inclined (one of the challenges asks for Nuclear Test Monitoring and Verification Methods) Innocentive offers substantial cash rewards when you help solve a problem.  For solution seekers the website also hosts a set of resources including FAQs and White Papers.
3. LinkedIn Groups - While there are many crowdsourcing resources online, LinkedIn Groups is a potential goldmine of industry experts (and fools goldmine of hacks).  Be careful, and treat the advise as you would any other, but by tapping into the right groups you just might make a connection to help your idea take shape.  Try searching for start-up groups in your area.  While today we can collaborate across the world today, meeting someone face-to-face might be more effective.
4. Your Existing Network - Try discussing your idea with friends and family.  This is a very easy way to take a sample and gather feedback.  It's also a great way to hold yourself accountable.  Once you tell others about your idea, you'll be more likely to put the wheels in motion!

Do you have some other social product development or crowdsourcing resources?  Please comment and share them!

Here's a great article from BusinessWeek about social product development with some examples from Netflix, General Electric, and L'Oreal.  It also offers some quick guidelines when crowdsourcing your idea.

And, finally, product dev firm PTC runs the Social Product Development blog where it discusses many product development issues including Quality and Reliability in Social Product Development.

Don't just spin the wheel with your idea - take it to the people!