[HOT] Validating & TM2 - a send message button?

[Nick Allen]

Hi,

I was recently involved in teaching a large group of new mappers, and 
close to the end of the session I repeated to them how to find the 
squares they have mapped, click on them, and see the comments that the 
validator had left. At the end of the session I was approached by 
representatives of both the British Red Cross & Medecins Sans Frontier 
who each commented that it seemed like a long process, and couldn't it 
be automated so that a message is automatically sent to the mapper 
concerned. At the time, I replied that the many hundreds of very good 
mappers would not want a pestering email every time one of their 
hundreds of squares was validated.

However, on further reflection I am having second thoughts, but don't 
know if;

a/. there is something already in the pipeline, &
b/. what other HOTties have in the way of ideas about this.

I should explain that I see validation as both a quality control 
feature, and a training aid. Rather than invalidate, I will frequently 
validate a square if it only involves work I can complete in a few 
minutes, and I will leave a message in the square something like 'Click 
on this link to see screenshots showing the before & after: 
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/8mtspy7pfu4o0ve/AADSV7Z-ZGG0kCWatPqUdnLYa?dl=0 I've 
joined the paths together & added the round huts that were present - 
screenshot shows one of them & they are tagged building=hut. 
etc......'   In this case it would obviously be good if there was an 
option within the Tasking manager that allowed me to send this as a 
message to the mapper concerned rather than leave it to chance as to 
whether it is ever seen. If this feature was implemented I would suggest 
that it was a tick box that the validator would have to select with the 
text similar to 'Tick this box if you require your comments to be sent 
as part of a message to the mapper concerned'.

The ticking of the box & then confirming with the validate button would 
cause a message (email or OSM messaging system) with a preformed text 
such as
_________________________________________________________

Title=HOT Validators feedback, square @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

Hi & thanks for mapping for the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team,

A validator has recently validated square @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ which you 
marked as complete on @@date@@ & has asked that the following comments 
are passed on to you;

/Click on this link to see screenshots showing the before & after: 
//https://www.dropbox.com/sh/8mtspy7pfu4o0ve/AADSV7Z-ZGG0kCWatPqUdnLYa?dl=0//I've 
joined the paths together & added the round huts that were present - 
screenshot shows one of them & they are tagged building=hut. etc....../

Please take these comments in the positive way they were intended. The 
Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team would like to see you map many more 
squares & the comments are only intended to keep the mapping standards high.

Keep up the good work, and thanks again for mapping for HOT.

This is an automated message.
_________________________________________________________

There was a genuine interest from members of BRC & MSF when asking me 
about this, and there was an offer to help with the coding as well. 
Personally something like this would save me a lot of time - I'm 
currently trying to validate the work of about 60 new mappers and 
anything which speeds up the process would really help.

I'd welcome some discussion on this.

-- 

Nick

Volunteer 'Tallguy' for 
https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Humanitarian_OSM_Team

http://www.openstreetmap.org/user/Tallguy

Treasurer, website & Bonus Ball admin for 
http://www.6thswanleyscouts.org.uk/ (treasurer at 6thswanleyscouts.org.uk 
<mailto:treasurer at 6thswanleyscouts.org.uk>)

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