FLIRTing with the Crowds

First of all, Happy New Year 2008 to all of my readers - yes, according to Google Analytics, there still are a number of you there despite six months of near complete silence. My New Year’s Resolution is that this year there will be a lot more interesting stuff to read here in 2008 than there was in 2007 - and contrary to many new year’s resolution this is one that will be kept

And what a great way to start up the new year is having news on Jeff Howe’s book on crowdsourcing. The book’s UK publisher has fittingly opened a contest to the crowds with designing the book’s UK cover as its aim. So far I like the publisher’s sample artwork best, but I’m sure with time many better suggestions will emerge. I myself having designer background though about joining in…

Thanks to Crowdsourcing Directory for the info.

Apart from this particular competition, book covers seem to be quite popular contest topics, as there are many running at the moment. Here’s one for redesigning J.G.Ballard’s cult classic Crash (which was later converted into an interesting film by at least as eccentric David Cronenberg); here’s another for designing a cover for a book argumenting on the appliancization of the internet (quite interesting actually - need to get this one…); even Asian Development Bank runs one for one of their reports.

Book covers are pretty natural objects of crowdsourced design: they have a set size, a pretty established form language and the book’s subject gives pretty clear and comprehensive rules on what kind of design is desired. In addition, given that the site is appealing enough to lure in also critics, connectors and crowds, they’re a great way to market an upcoming book.