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Bryce,<br><br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>Yes, most
people sign up and never hear from OSM again. So they go about their
mapping as best they can until, perhaps, they join the Newbies list
(which often has highly technical discussions that many don't understand)
or they get told they are doing something wrong.<br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>If an
organization doesn't reach out to people in a positive way, they won't
stay, and they won't do their best when mapping<br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>It would
be better if there were some kind of regular, positive communication from
OSM. That could come in several forms:<br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>--a
newsletter (monthly or bimonthly), which is something most volunteer
organizations have (so, why don't we?)<br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>
--occasional emails about new developments in OSM mapping. MapRoulette
and LearnOSM are prime examples.<br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>--outreach
from OSM "veterans" to mappers in their geographical area. This
could be as simple as, "Hello, I'm mapping in (your area). If you
have a question, don't hesitate to contact me." Of course we would
need to set up some way to send new mappers email addresses to seasoned
mappers.<br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>As for
tests, the idea itself is not bad, in the proper context. But, unless we
have a rapport with people, and have given them clear direction and
learning resources (something we don't do now), a test will just drive
them away. <br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>A better
way to do testing might be to let people know from the beginning that we
want to make sure everyone is mapping the right way, so at some point
(after a month?) we will be asking them to take a quick quiz on OSM
principles. The carrot is that the one with the best score (each month?)
gets a prize (SOTM t-shirt? OSM hat? OSM pin?). Rewards keep people
around, not criticism.<br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>Now all we
have to do is come to some agreement on what is the right way to tag.
:-)<br><br>
Charlotte<br>
<x-tab> </x-tab><br><br>
At 10:41 AM 6/26/2013, you wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">Moved from another
thread:<br><br>
On Wed, Jun 26, 2013 at 2:51 AM, stevea
<<a href="mailto:steveaOSM@softworkers.com">
steveaOSM@softworkers.com</a>> wrote:<br>
<dl>
<dd>OSM has a peer review process in place right now. It is called
"watch the map, help it evolve, grow it as you can, if somebody does
something odd/wrong/different, dialog with them." And then,
take it from there.<br>
<dd>We're all grown ups here.<br><br>
</dl><br>
There may be a few children mixed in. But mostly, coming to OSM, signing
up, and mapping can be a very lonely experience.<br>
</i>In most cases nobody</i> greets you or talks</i> to you unless you
make a mistake</i>.<br><br>
Changing that culture could change the participation or retention rate,
particularly among non-grownups </i>(meaning the generations of children
growing up with social networking as a given). OSM outside of
mapping parties is only barely social to a new mapper.<br>
<br>
The tools could help:<br>
1) After the first edit from a new user, the tools could present a list
of rules (chief among them don't copy from unapproved sources</i>!).<br>
2) A new users could be required to take a small quiz, like certain
dating sites do, prior to finalizing the edit.<br>
3) A first edit could go in a queue for an experienced mapper to look at
and comment on. Hopefully that comment is "great job, welcome
to the community!</b>"<br>
4) Editing a feature connected to a relation could bring up education on
route relations. Perhaps even there is a skill level threshold: you
must have 25 peer reviewed</b> edits prior to deleting a way that's part
of a route relation. It becomes a goal a new mapper might strive to
reach.<br>
5) New users could be given 10 free edits, prior to needing to provide
more contact information and/or pass an editing quiz.<br>
6) New users could be given their choice of a mapping challenge, where
the "correct" results are known,.<br>
7) etc.<br><br>
With all this effort to get new mappers in the USA we should be thrilled
a mapper wants to contribute...<br>
... and put in the work to ensure such new users be onboarded and brought
into OSM culture.<br><br>
Note that:<br>
Wikipedia has a strong reasons to allow completely anonymous edits. OSM I
think not so much. We could ask<br>
more of people who want to edit, with the goal of making more good
mappers, rather than just more mappers.<br>
We should honor an support mappers who have narrow interests... and find
ways to harness their energy. We can ask users to ascend a ladder
of skills, to unlock capabilities within the community.<br><br>
<br>
And it could be tested regionally. If there's a theory that
"raising the bar" will reduce participation, it can be
tested. I suspect that peer review of first edits, or achievement
levels, would increase participation.<br>
<dl><br><br>
<br><br>
<br>
</dl>_______________________________________________<br>
Talk-us mailing list<br>
Talk-us@openstreetmap.org<br>
<a href="http://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/talk-us" eudora="autourl">
http://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/talk-us</a></blockquote>
<x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
Charlotte Wolter<br>
927 18th Street Suite A<br>
Santa Monica, California<br>
90403<br>
+1-310-597-4040<br>
techlady@techlady.com<br>
Skype: thetechlady<br><br>
<b>The Four Internet Freedoms</b> <br>
Freedom to visit any site on the Internet<br>
Freedom to access any content or service that is not illegal<br>
Freedom to attach any device that does not interfere with the
network<br>
Freedom to know all the terms of a service, particularly any that would
affect the first three freedoms.<br>
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