Crowd sourcing and me

Crowdsourcing, although the term was coined in 2006 it is by no means a new idea. Crowd sourcing is a process of synergy using an open contest or a crowd of people to accomplish something. One of the earliest examples viewed in the navy time piece in London, reviewed by Design crowd blog. Common works that you may know that originated from this idea of combing the masses for their opinions and ideas include: the Encyclopedia, Dictionary, the LDS Bible Dictionary, even the Toyota logo.

Deciding to use this concept, I decided to incorporate it into my own life. A week and a half ago, I got engaged. Not so much the D&C 88 terms of being engaged in a good cause, but the actual, down on one knee, let's tell the family, engaged to be married. I've always considered myself a laid back person and have had experience planning my friends' weddings. So I erroneously assumed that this would be, forgive the pun, a piece of cake. Little did I remember that wherever there are family gatherings, there is inevitable family drama.

Brief background: In my family there are 14 children, ranging from ages 36-2 years of age and never have we all been in one spot at the same time. My parents are also divorced and cannot stand to be in the same state, let alone room, as the other. Combining just my parents, siblings, and nieces and nephews, we come to a hefty 34 people. Therefore, planning a gathering where all 34 persons are present is a bit of a fiasco.

2009 sibling picture, missing 5 of us

Back to the present: So I told them all last Monday that I was engaged. On Tuesday my father began harassing me with emails demanding that I set a certain date as he was hoping to use this opportunity to gather all the family together and get one definitive family photo. On Friday I was able to give him a certain time and date. On Sunday he sent out a mass email letting everyone know that they must commit to be there, because it was such a financial burden to plan for his 7 to get out to Utah and this is the only opportunity we will have in a long time to be together for a family photo.

So my wedding is at 1pm and his plan is to get us in a studio at 2 and out by 4 and then somehow I can get back in time to prep and be at my reception at 6....I'd rather die. So a vast onslaught of emails has commenced to try and figure out rides, babysitting, nap times, realistic ways to take pictures of 34 people and then their various subset families.

After attending this class on Tuesday it hit me, what I needed to do. When I feel too overwhelmed to iron everything out by myself, what can I do? Crowd source! So I created a google document, outlined the expectations for the day and then invited everyone to fill in the empty slots and to add their opinions and suggestions. That way instead of a continual back and forth of emails, we can keep everything in one centralized spot where expectations are outlined.