Microtasking: it’s easier than you think!

Mikrotasking

is an activity which involves the division of

a complex task into micro ones.

It takes approximately 15 minutes

to 3 hours to accomplish them.

What is that?

The tasks can be done by a large number of people from

the outside – the crowd; this is why microtasking is

often a synonym of crowdsourcing.

For whom this may be useful?

• NGOs,

• informal groups,

• companies,

• individuals,

– for all those who have tasks to do

STEP BY STEP Microtasking in use

Microtasking – how to do it with E-wolontariat.pl?

Diagnosis and planning

Preparing microtasks and tools

Organising a team

Doing microtasks

Ending the process

I. Diagnosis and planning

1. Write down the tasks to accomplish.

Task

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

II. Preparing microtasks and tools

1. From the tasks written down choose the ones which you can divide into microtasks; these are the ones that take 15 minutes to 3 hours to accomplish.

2. Write the microtasks below. Please remember that their descriptions should be as precise as possible.

Task Microtask

1. a.

b.

c.

2. a.

b.

c.

II. Preparing microtasks and tools, cont.

3. Consider which of the tasks can be done by your co-workers and which you can delegate to people from the outside like volunteers, Internet users, etc.

Task Microtask Who can do it? (tick X)

Co-workers The crowd-people from the outside

1. a.

b.

c.

2. a.

b.

c. …

II. Preparing microtasks and tools, cont.

You don’t have an account on E-wolontariat.pl yet? Don’t worry: 2 minutes is enough to get access to the community of e-volunteers and organisers from all over Poland who will support your activities!

During registration choose an ’Organiser’ profile. This will enable you to:

• Post tasks for e-volunteers,

• Create the business card of your organisation,

• Add people and organisations to the circle of your friends.

4. We’ve prepared the tool for you To use it just log in on E-wolontariat.pl.

II. Preparing microtasks and tools, cont.

After logging in on the platform, to go ’Zadania’ and click on the green ’Dodaj zadanie’ button.

A form of how to post a task will be displayed.

5. Post a task on E-wolontariat.pl.

II. Preparing microtasks and tools, cont.

In the form you should: 1. Choose a task category. 2. Enter a title and content of

the task. 3. Specify the skills needed to do

the task. 4. Specify how much time is

needed to do the task. You can also: • attach files (e.g. a text to be

translated or other helpful material in order to do a task),

• make the description of your task password-protected; this will be visible only to those who know the password,

• post a survey. At the end click on the ’Dodaj’ button- your task will be displayed on the platform!

Any kind of tasks can be done on-line through e-wolontariat.pl For instance: • making translations • creating and editiong texts • creating and editing multimedia • building websites/applications • building databases • looking for information • designing (e.g. graphics) • moderating (e.g. groups, forums) • offering expert advice to others • sharing experience • brainstorming • other

WHAT KIND OF TASKS CAN I POST

ON E-WOLONTARIAT.PL

Please note! E-wolontariat is voluntary work by definition and is done through the Internet. That is to say, one shouldn’t post on e-wolontariat.pl : • job vacancies, • volunteering offers to be made in a real life, • requests for financial support.

The task description must be as precise as possible. It should contain: • responsibilities- what is necessary to do in order to accomplish a task? • it is also advisable to add the background description- to show what project a given task is a part of, also to

show that the task is a part of a crucial task and that it has a significant influence on other project activities, etc.

HOW SHOULD A WELL-DESIGNED TASK LOOK LIKE?

The task title should be written in such a way to clearly inform what the task refers to.

Good: The translation of a pamphlet of Good Network Foundation [PL-EN]

Bad: We’re looking for a volunteer!

Good: In a month we’re organising a workshop for children aged 8-9 years within ’Abecadło z pieca spadło’ project. The aim of the workshop is to create an educational cartoon along with children which should encourage them to read books. It’s a big challenge especially because the participants don’t know each other. Could you recommend to us any integration activities which will help the children to co-operate and get to know each other better? If you could, let’s start brainstorming! Please post your ideas below.

Bad: We’re looking for a volunteer at ’Abecadło z pieca spadło’ project.

You’ll get an e-mail and a system message every time somebody adds the task’s solution you’re currently doing.

To see a list of tasks you’ve posted, click the little man icon on the taskbar and choose ’Moje zadania’ through the Menu button.

HOW CAN I FOLLOW THE TASKS WHICH I’VE POSTED? WHERE CAN I FIND A LIST OF POSTED TASKS?

III. Organising a team

1. If you are to accept help of the E-wolontariat.pl community you get this step over – all service users can provide a solution to your task

2. However, if you want to work on the task with the coherent group of people e.g. with your co-workers who are registered on E-wolontariat.pl you can provide a password for the task. In order to do it click on the ’ Zabezpiecz zadanie hasłem’ bookmark at the bottom of the form and enter your password. An access to the task will have only those people who know the password.

IV. Doing microtasks

1. When you post a task on E-wolontariat.pl e-volunteers and organisers registered in the service will be able to provide a solution writing it below as a comment.

2. Provide motivation:

a. In the task description tell users what a particular task is about and what’s its aim - let the team members feel that even if the tasks they’re doing seem to be trivial and non-essential they are an integral part of a complex one and have considerable influence on its complition.

b. Comment on every task’s solution posted by e-volunteers and organisers-let them feel that they are team members and that you appreciate their commitment. Also, give them hints on their work; that’s to say if they follow the right direction to complete the task or not.

c. If there’s a task’s solution you’ll like very much, you can like it by clicking ’Lubię to’ button.

V. Ending the process

• If you decide that some of the task’s solutions is the best one to do your task , click on the ’Rozwiązanie’ button in the upper right corner on the website.

All the people engaged in providing the task’s solution will get points

Please note! If you don’t accomplish a task, it will be automatically archived after 30 days.

• Remember to thank e-volunteers for their commitment- e.g. you can give them a word of thanks and post them on their boards.

• You can invite people who were involved in doing a task to the circle of your friends- Who knows maybe one day in the future you will have the opportunity to work together?

Photos - sources

• http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AFuture_Music_Festival_2013_(8541725920).jpg

• http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AWikimedia_Hackathon_2013%2C_Amsterdam_-_Flickr_-_Sebastiaan_ter_Burg_(22).jpg

Microtasking: it’s easier than you think!

E-volunteering.eu

biuro@e-wolontariat.pl