| Title: |
TopCoder - Components by Competition |
| Author: |
Lawrence Wilkes |
| Publication Date: |
21 April 2004 |
| Report Type: |
Journal |
| Report Class: |
Product Report |
| Abstract: |
Imagine if every time you required a new software component or application, thousands of developers around the world competed to design and build you the best implementation via a rigorous specification and evaluation process. Though attractive, for most organizations the overhead of managing such a process would mitigate against any benefits. However, TopCoder have turned this approach into a unique business model that delivers high quality software components for its corporate customers via competitions amongst a global resource of around 37,000 developers. In this report we look at their development approach. |
| Backgrounder: |
With a background in traditional IT consultancy building systems for corporate customers, TopCoderís execs know how difficult it is to identify and hire top quality developers. Taking a lead from the US Navy Top Gun approach, they formed TopCoder in 2001 to use competition as a developer evaluation and recruitment mechanism which their customers can run as a ìprivate labelî event exclusively for them, or by advertising job listings to TopCoderís members who take part in open, sponsored tournaments. This has already been used successfully by companies such as Google who recently used a private label competition as part of a recruitment drive to identify 100 developers. As well as competing for jobs, big prizes are on offer to developers in the tournaments, with $50,000 for the winner of the 2003 TopCoder Open, sponsored by Intel. |
| Report Size: |
6 Pages |
| Report Access Type: |
 | Silver/Gold (Premium) |
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| Available for separate purchase |
Single copies of recent CBDI Journals may be purchased |
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