Nokia - connecting through crowdsourcing

Nokia is looking for a new mobile device, but not just any device, the ultimate mobile device. For this they started a new project called suggestively Design by Community, through which they ask their consumers what they want from a new Nokia phone.

The project is on their official blog, Nokia Conversations, where regular readers post their opinions about what should be added to the new device (even things like an app for faking your location have been suggested). This crowdsourcing  method helped Nokia designers come up with three sketches for a mobile phone from which the general public is asked to choose the best one. However, as no phone goes without a name, and Nokia wants this to be the ultimate community created device, the phone was also named by blog readers.

First, people suggested various names for the new concept. Nokia’s design team chose 15 names that they considered to be appropriate and decided to let those that came up with the ideas to select the best one. The winner, Nokia U, was announced on last month.

Now, all Nokia fans are waiting for the announcement on the winning design. The Nokia team hopes that this first crowdsourcing project will give them a better idea about what the public wants and if Nokia U turns to be a hit in the mobile phone industry, this probably won’t be their last crowdsourcing project.