OpenStreetMap is a growing, and successful project that utilizes a loose collaboration of global participants to build a geospatial database. This presentation discusses the merits of the project that have enabled it to begin, grow, and achieve various levels of success. These traits can then be evaluated and applied to other crowd-source, or democratic and open projects. Presented at the Association of American Geographers annual conference, Las Vegas, Nevada - March, 2009

1. OpenStreetMap as a
Successful Model for
User-Generated Geospatial Content
Andrew Turner - @ajturner
andrew@fortiusone.com

2. OpenStreetMap as a
Successful Model for
User-Generated Geospatial Content
We’re going to cover each of these aspects: What is OpenStreetMap?

3. OpenStreetMap as a
Successful Model for
User-Generated Geospatial Content
How are we measuring “success”?

4. OpenStreetMap as a
Successful Model for
User-Generated Geospatial Content
Who is the user? This is not meant (yet) for digging water mains, boundary disputes.

5. Text
What is OpenStreetMap?
It’s Wikipedia to Encyclopedia Britannica
It’s Linux to Windows
It’s about claiming our own world and space

6. Why did it start?
What was the need?
Kernel of a problem - the Ordnance Survey; Changing Conditions; Underserved regions

7. Geographically
Successful
Let’s define successful
Done: Netherlands, ~Germany, Paris, Mumbai, Tokyo, UK (this year?)

8. Organizationally
Successful
Exponential growth - just crossed 100,000 registered users.

9. What is OSM at it’s Core?
people spending their free time, and often lots of money and frustration capturing data that
is already captured, and very tedious. Would anyone have predicted that “surveying” is sexy?

10. Typical Process
So let’s outline the actual process of the project before we can understand the benefit of the
various aspects that make the project successful in achieving it’s goals

11. Individual Mapping
Surveying: GPS, Photos, Notes

12. Individual Mapping
Desktop and online tools for annotating tracks, editing existing roads

13. Imagery Tracing
Yahoo! licensed aerial imagery. Tools for tracing

14. Open Data imports
Netherlands
Existing open data and Organizations or Governments oering their data to the project

15. http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterito/3054501076
Result: Year of Edits http://www.vimeo.com/2598878
This is 2008 alone.

16. How does it work?
So how is this possible? How are 100k people, across the globe, able to cover every street,
sign, road type in a few short years?

17. Characteristics
Opportunity
Goal
Leadership
Open-*
Community
Passion
Sustainable

18. google
Characteristics
mapquest
Opportunity
Goal
Leadership
Open-*
Community
Passion
microsoft
Sustainable
Raster Tiles and
Geodata coverage

19. Characteristics
Opportunity
Goal
Leadership
Open-*
Community
Passion
Sustainable
Set a grand goal - something only barely imaginable, though make iterative steps realizable.
Always shooting for the stars.

20. Characteristics
Opportunity
Goal
Leadership
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ajturner/2562402181
Open-*
Community
Passion
Sustainable
A project needs a face - someone to attribute the soul of the project as well as for media to
refer to and put a name to.

21. Characteristics
Opportunity
Goal
Leadership
Open-*
Community
Passion
Sustainable
Don’t hide anything. Freely share until it hurts. Don’t allow any idea of hoarding or
protectionism to come into play.

22. Characteristics
Opportunity
Goal
Leadership
Open-*
Community
Passion
Sustainable
Build the community - give them an identity voice

23. Outrearch
Mapping parties reach out to locals in their spare time - to both learn the process and meet
other local interested people.

24. Personal Need
Betwala Chawl, Mumbai
Individuals also see a personal goal - exploring a city

25. Levels of
Engagement
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pixelfrenzy/386789546
Every person has a dierent level of eort they are interested in engaging. Time, interest,
ability.

26. Casual

27. Moderate

28. Advanced http://www.flickr.com/photos/fsc7/2982601362

29. Encouragement
“Lolcat of awesomeness”
Award
Reward people. They like to be acknowledged for jobs well done - and also like seeing others
similarly rewarded and wowed. Reminds them why they are part of a not only a bigger, but
better whole

30. Open-Discussion
tags, techniques

31. Governance
not just OSMF - removing data. continuing to be a part of the entire process

32. Short Feedback loop
Contributors should see the eect of their work very quickly. Failure of traditional “Feedback”
systems. Again, the person wants to “See themselves” in the process and on the map. Will
show friends/family.

33. Support
Part of the parties again - discussion, IRC, mailing lists, lessons learned, grow.

34. Characteristics
Opportunity
Goal
Leadership
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nik_doof/2683164848/
Open-*
Community
Passion
Sustainable
The existential part of any project - people who are so passionate they will go above and
beyond and create memorable experiences for others and drive the project.

35. Characteristics
Opportunity
Goal
Leadership
Open-*
Community
Passion
Sustainable
Make the project long-term sustainable. Make sure it can last beyond a dificulties, failures, a
single leader or goal.

36. What is the future?
What is the sustainability model?

37. Integrated into
Organizations
Flickr, UN as two examples of organizations that verify the value, drive future uses and needs
and are someone with credibility.

38. Business
Opportunities
Cloudmade, GeoCommons, ITOWorld. Companies will invest time, eort, resources to ensure
the project continues to grow. Their livelihood is tied to its success and respect.

39. Industry Leadership
Apply experience, leadership, and lessons learned to other communities.

40. Technology
Push the technology barrier, stay on the forefront to maintain applicability and interest. 3D
globe, cartography tools (Andy Allan), tracing

41. End
Andrew Turner - @ajturner
andrew@fortiusone.com
Thank you.