Utilizing the Wisdom of the Crowd, part 2

Recently, I wrote an extensive post on how several companies are trying to utilize community knowledge in order to come up with more innovative products and services. In that article I discussed BrightIdea as a idea generation platform and elaborated on the pros and cons.

In these UtWotC series I would like to discuss another similar service with you named Kluster. Although the idea behind the two platforms is similar, the platform is not. Kluster distuiguishes itself by providing a universal platform for the generation of different ideas and project.

First, what is Kluster.

[youtube:http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=iayMqRlykLw]

So, actually, Kluster provides a social platform which can be used for different purposes and projects, for different partners, and with different communities. Kluster incorporated incentives (both material and nonmaterial) which encourage communities to participate. Communities are set up around specific topics and as a participant you can decide to which project you contribute yourself.

In my opinion, Kluster has big pros:

• Big platform with different projects; Kluster attracts more communities than a platform which is build for the involvement of a single community
• The incentives system is great and powered by advanced algorithms
• It is a unique platform with it’s own currency (the Watt), own jargon (Sparks: proposed solutions to a phase, Amps: Amps allow participants to collaborate by proposing enhancements or refinements & Watts: Watts are supports for sparks)
• Advanced decision making tool; Kluster also incorporates a unique decision making tool which support companies to buy projects or ideas.
• The engagement of parties make it possible to fund ideas when they are selected

So, Kluster is a great platform which already has proved its success though I have some doubts about the universal approach of the platform. In other words, is it really possible to develop and use a universal platform that is fun, tempting and unique for your particular customers’ community?