Crowdsourcing is a project design that relies on public participation in co-creating cultural heritage collections using networked digital technologies (Ridge et al., 2021). This approach can generate valuable data, increase the searchability and accessibility of materials, provide meaningful opportunities for public engagement, and allow participants to contribute to knowledge creation (Ridge et al., 2021).
This type of project design not only benefits transcribers but can also advance digital humanities projects (Shelton et al., 2024). A digital humanities project with broad historical appeal would be well-suited to crowdsourcing. Tasks ideal for crowdsourcing include transcribing historical documents with broad appeal, such as the Virginia Chronicle, WWII Separation Notices, and the By the People projects.
Project documents should be relatively easy to read and interpret and brief (not exceeding two pages). Transcription projects that a volunteer can complete in an hour are ideal for keeping volunteers engaged, as supported by a recent study by Shelton and colleagues (2024). Additionally, transcription projects that require minimal interpretation of the original text are ideal, as the readability and interpretive demands of projects, like the Bentham Project manuscripts, might challenge many volunteer transcribers.
The project interface should also be designed to be as accessible as possible for transcribers. The By the People project is a model for crowdsourcing as it is easy to access (registration is not required) and allows individuals from anywhere in the world to participate. This level of inclusiveness enables volunteer transcribers who might not have access to the Library of Congress to contribute to the creation of knowledge. Additionally, projects with user-friendly interfaces that make navigation easy are also helpful. For example, Project WWII Separation Notices features an interface with drop-down options to ease transcription, standardize entries, and reduce transcription errors.
Based on my experiences transcribing documents for the Virginia Chronicle, WWII Separation Notices, and By the People projects, and on previewing files for the Bentham Project, I have observed several key features necessary to retain participants in a crowdsourcing project. These features include easy access to the project site, clear task communication, and effective channels between transcribers and project managers.
From my experience, the projects that required minimal access barriers were the most enjoyable. The ease of accessing and navigating the project content kept me engaged with the sites longer and gave me the greatest satisfaction from the time I spent participating. This ease was noticeable in the By the People and the Virginia Chronicle projects. While the Virginia Chronicle project required registration, my registration was confirmed within seconds, giving me easy access to the transcription portal.
Project managers should clearly communicate the expected tasks of transcribers. While I could not access the Bentham Project, the manuscripts were difficult to read, and the instructions for transcribing them required an advanced understanding of Bentham’s intentions. Another feature in a crowdsourcing project that helps engage and retain participants is a way for transcribers to communicate questions and concerns to project managers. I left a note for the community managers on the Virginia Chronicle project about the interpretation of the manuscript text, which felt great because I wanted to make sure the issue was seen by someone who could make the necessary changes. The By the People participants also identified channels such as email, Twitter/X, and a moderate online discussion forum as helpful to keep them engaged (Shelton et al., 2024). Ultimately, the goal of crowdsourcing is to increase the searchability and accessibility of information and to provide opportunities for co-participants to create knowledge. We should make this process easier.