Collective Creativity: Where we are and where we might go

TL;DR

This paper reviews the current state and future directions of collective creativity, analyzing different system types like games, contests, and networks, and proposing improvements and new system designs.

Contribution

It differentiates collective creativity from other social activities and provides a framework for understanding and enhancing such systems.

Findings

Different types of collective systems have distinct characteristics.

Current systems can be improved through targeted design strategies.

Future systems could better harness collective intelligence for creative tasks.

Abstract

Creativity is individual, and it is social. The social aspects of creativity have become of increasing interest as systems have emerged that mobilize large numbers of people to engage in creative tasks. We examine research related to collective intelligence and differentiate work on collective creativity from other collective activities by analyzing systems with respect to the tasks that are performed and the outputs that result. Three types of systems are discussed: games, contests and networks. We conclude by suggesting how systems that generate collective creativity can be improved and how new systems might be constructed.