Mapper since: August 30, 2017
I am a veteran mapper from the old Google Mapmaker / RER program, where my responsibilities were coaching and helping other contributors provide good information to the program, as well as directly editing the map myself. After the Mapmaker platform shut down in 2017, they removed many of the power features that the old program allowed. Seeing better potential in OpenStreetMap, I moved my mapping interests over here, and enjoy helping others learn to map, as well as provide good data about my local community.
There’s several parts of OpenStreetMap I’m involved with, and if you’d like to help these projects, more info is below.
I am currently taking project management lead on the MassGIS Address project, which seeks to merge address data from the Massachusetts 911 database into building polygons statewide. More information about the project is available at https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Import/Catalogue/MassGIS_Addresses , and you can contribute via the talk-us-massachusetts email list, or over #massachusetts on the OSM US Slack.
Having a detailed network of sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, kerb data, and intersections helps access-limited persons navigate our world safer. Learn more about mapping our pedestrian ways with inclusive pedestrian mapping via the Wiki and the State of the Map talk by Nick Bolten
Capturing street level imagery helps automated algorithms identify road features, and is arguably one of the best ways of future proofing OpenStreetMaps for our digital cars of the future. Projects like Mapillary and [OpenStreetCam] (http://openstreetcam.com) help document our world, and provide a better view of features along the streets so other mappers can make edits more effectively from afar. All it takes to contribute is a smartphone and an application!
New mappers make mistakes, and need encouragement and guidance. Having a standardized protocol to handle new mappers and guide them to the resources necessary is critical for retention of our volunteers. Many of them may not even know there’s a community of people watching them out there, and contributing right alongside them. Take a minute to thank a mapper near you for that detailed edit, or help describe to a new person how to better tag a building that wasn’t quite right. Check map notes in your area for things people need help with. You might make a friend, and a new mapping partner! I’m working on resources that experienced mappers can use to help talk with these newer mappers, and find the ones that need your help, as well as what to say to them.
