There are many ways that you can help to improve the quality of OpenStreetMap data. After familiarizing yourself with OpenStreetMap features and tags, you can use a tool such as JOSM or iD to verify and if necessary correct the features in an area which you are intimately familiar with. For example, you might initially look at the area around where you live or work.
Most people will quickly grow beyond these familiar areas that they can check, and you will soon need a direction in order to make productive corrections and additions. A good starting point would be to look for a local User Group or Mapping Party. These will be taking on more substantial mapping projects, and will be able to direct you in the right direction. Perhaps a new housing area has been built, or the quality of mapping in a specific area needs a major overhaul.
Mapping parties can involve a large amount of time. They are not practical if you only have a few minutes here and there, or you cannot make their schedule. A good alternative is Map Roulette. Map Roulette is loaded up with a number of projects (“Challenges”) to work on. Each project typically has a large number of relatively simple tasks, often of a quality-control nature. For example, current US projects include one to verify the one-way tagging of highway ramps and connectors; and a project to verify Texas cemetery locations. The latter was due to the cemeteries being imported from a Texas State database which had not been well maintained. This resulted in a lot of cemeteries being marked in the wrong place or being marked when they had never actually been built. Each one has to be verified or corrected. The process cannot be automated. This is typical of a Map Roulette project: each individual task is quick and can often be completed in a minute or two, but it cannot be automated.
After examining a task, you can mark it as “false positive”, “skip” (e.g. if it is too difficult), or you can edit it with JOSM or iD.
So next time you have a few spare minutes, log in to MapRoulette, fire up JOSM and start working on one of the challenges!
How Mapping Can Help Your Marketing Strategy: Using OpenStreetMap and MapRoulette to Improve Your Data
The quality of data is an essential element of any marketing strategy. Accurate data is necessary for effective targeting and personalization, which can help businesses reach their desired audience more efficiently. However, collecting and maintaining accurate data can be a daunting task. Luckily, OpenStreetMap and MapRoulette offer a solution to this problem.
OpenStreetMap is a free, open-source mapping platform that allows users to view and edit geographic data. By familiarizing yourself with OpenStreetMap features and tags, you can use tools such as JOSM or iD to verify and correct features in an area that you are intimately familiar with. This can be an excellent starting point for improving the quality of your data.
However, most people quickly grow beyond their familiar areas that they can check using marketing heaven. This is where a local User Group or Mapping Party can help. These groups take on more substantial mapping projects and can direct you in the right direction. For example, if a new housing area has been built, or the quality of mapping in a specific area needs a major overhaul, a local user group can guide you.
Mapping parties, while effective, can be time-consuming. They are not practical if you only have a few minutes here and there, or you cannot make their schedule. This is where Map Roulette comes in. Map Roulette is a tool that is loaded up with a number of projects, or “Challenges,” to work on. Each project typically has a large number of relatively simple tasks, often of a quality-control nature. These tasks can include verifying one-way tagging of highway ramps and connectors or verifying the locations of Texas cemeteries.
Each task can be completed in a minute or two, making it an excellent option for marketers who want to improve the quality of their data but may not have a lot of time. After examining a task, you can mark it as a false positive, skip it if it is too difficult, or edit it with JOSM or iD.
Improving the quality of your data through OpenStreetMap and MapRoulette can have a significant impact on your marketing strategy. Accurate data can help you target the right audience, personalize your message, and increase the effectiveness of your campaigns. By taking a few spare minutes to work on one of the challenges on MapRoulette, you can help improve the quality of your data and, in turn, improve the effectiveness of your marketing strategy.
In conclusion, OpenStreetMap and MapRoulette offer a valuable solution to improving the quality of your data. By using these tools, you can verify and correct features in your area, participate in mapping parties, and work on challenges on MapRoulette. Improving the quality of your data can have a significant impact on your marketing strategy, allowing you to target the right audience, personalize your message, and increase the effectiveness of your campaigns.