Brabham, Daren Carroll. Crowdsourcing as a model for problem solving: leveraging the collective intelligence of online communities for public good. The University of Utah, 2010.

This dissertation explores the use of crowdsourcing as an alternative to traditional public participation methods in urban planning, focusing on the Next Stop Design project launched in 2009 for transit planning. Crowdsourcing, specifically the peer-vetted creative production approach, was analyzed for its effectiveness in engaging the public in a deliberative democratic process. The study found that while Next Stop Design was generally viewed as effective, issues such as public voting facilitation and equality among participants due to voting fraud were noted as weaknesses. Participants were motivated by career advancement, fun, learning, creative self-expression, and the user-friendly nature of the website, suggesting that crowdsourcing can potentially overcome some traditional participation barriers.