[HOT] Improving the quality of OpenStreetMap Data
John Whelan
jwhelan0112 at gmail.com
Wed Mar 8 14:22:09 UTC 2023
I think it might be useful to recap on what validation is and can do.
I think we are all agreed we don't have enough validators.
Prevention is cheaper than correction. In other words the faster you
give feedback the less likely the error will be repeated which means
less corrective action will be needed.
Tone is very important when giving feedback. I did an experiment once,
there were two practically identical projects. One had a technically
excellent validator who could be a bit abrupt. I picked up on the
second one which didn't have quite as many tiles mapped when I started.
I sat on the project for nearly two weeks giving validating and giving
feedback in a gentle tone. I got a lot more out of the mappers and we
finished the project well before the first one. Having a validator
attached to a project like this helps enormously. They get to know the
mappers and it does get more things added correctly by the mappers.
In my opinion giving feedback on mapping done more than a month ago is
basically a waste of time if it's a HOT mapper. They've either
corrected their mapping and dislike being reminded of old stuff or gone
off and done something else.
Normally the first thing a validator will do after loading the tile is
run JOSM validation on it. This could be done in self serve, you don't
need to be a validator to run JOSM validation. If the mapper had been
mapping in JOSM they would have got feedback earlier when they
uploaded. Agreed iD has some error checking but it isn't as robust as
JOSM. If you're after data quality I'd go JOSM. It's easier on the
validators and validator burnout is a problem. Look after your
validators they take longer to train for a start and are key to data
quality.
The interesting thing about the validation tools is they work just as
well over a large area as a small tile. One of my least favourite
mappers was one who would split the tile, then split it again so they
would get credit for mapping sixteen tiles rather than one. That's
sixteen separate tiles to load up and validate. If you have no
validators available load up the entire project and run the validation
tools on the full area. It's not giving feedback but at least it catches
a lot of errors.
Training helps but it's expensive in people time. "I just want to map."
The suggestion would be for new mappers to teach them enough to map just
one feature and get them to map that feature and nothing else. Put
another project up if you want to map both buildings and highways.
As always Frans has some good points so take note of them.
Cheerio John
Frans Schutz wrote on 3/8/2023 4:16 AM:
> As an experienced validater, I see some areas for improvement.
>
> At mapathlons: Make sure you have good guidance and check the first
> mappings of new participants ( OSMcha is a great tool for this).
> It can sometimes take times before a poorly performing mapper is
> noticed by a validator ( huge backlog of validation work) and that
> mapper has already done a lot of damage , poorly positioned buildings,
> overlaps, duplicated buildings, connected nodes, crossing roads etc.)
> In some cases so bad that it takes more time to correct that work,
> than to revert everything and have it re-mapped (invalidate)
> It is also recommended to appoint a validator per project who
> primarily checks the work of new mappers through OSMcha and intervenes
> where necessary. (Check the flags that OSMcha reports) So don't
> correct, but report.
> Crowd2Map Tanzania has a system where beginners have to do a few
> exercises that are checked by experienced mappers and give feedback.
> This achieves that new mappers already get some tools to map
> correctly. Such a system should be possible in other fields as well.
>
> Best regards
>
> Op ma 6 mrt 2023 om 06:39 schreef Samson Ngumenawe via HOT
> <hot at openstreetmap.org <mailto:hot at openstreetmap.org>>:
>
> Dear OpenStreetMap Contributors,
>
>
> As we are working to ensure that the OpenStreetMap data is of good
> quality and fit for purpose, on behalf of the Humanitarian
> OpenStreetMap Team would like to reach out to the entire
> OpenStreetMap community, to help us achieve this goal.
>
>
> As you are aware, good-quality data is essential for effective
> humanitarian response and disaster management. Accurate and
> up-to-date geospatial information is critical in ensuring that aid
> and assistance can be delivered to those who need it most.
> However, maintaining data quality in a rapidly changing
> environment is challenging. We recognize that this is an ongoing
> process and need support from the OSM contributing community to
> help improve data quality continuously.
>
>
> At the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team, I am working towards
> implementing various measures to ensure the data created from
> remote mapping, field data, and imports is of quality. These
> measures include data validation, data quality checks and metrics,
> community engagement, and partnerships with other organizations
> like HeiGIT.
>
> To build a pool of experienced data quality enthusiasts, HOT also
> conducts mapping events, internship training programs, and
> outreach initiatives to help engage the communities to create
> awareness and improve data quality.
>
> Some of the data quality improvement efforts include;
>
> *
>
> Top 10 data quality aspects. I have defined our top 10 data
> quality aspects that we are focusing our efforts on
> (https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Humanitarian_OSM_Team/top_10_data_quality_aspects)
> to let the community know about the sources of the errors and
> possible ways of how such errors can be addressed. This is the
> basis for a set of data quality metrics
> (https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Humanitarian_OSM_Team/Core_Impact_Area_Datasets_,_Use_cases_%26_Data_Quality_Metrics)
> that I am working on and will be implementing to help us track
> the quality of data in the context of the most important data
> uses in humanitarian response and along community priorities.
> HOT has now dedicated data quality staff in all of our Hub
> teams - Dinar Adiatma for Asia Pacific, Shamillah Nassozi in
> East/Southern Africa, and Omowonuola Akintola in West &
> Northern Africa. Together with the regional Hub teams, we are
> creating regional-specific approaches on how to address data
> quality issues in their local context by defining data
> quality, regional needs, tools that track data quality issues,
> and solving them. Please read and provide feedback about the
> data quality approach
> (https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Humanitarian_OSM_Team/Open_Mapping_Hub_-_Asia_Pacific/Data_Quality_Approach)
> for the Open Mapping Hub Asia-Pacific. These will all be based
> on the global Data quality strategy for which I am currently
> defining the strategic objectives for each team that will be
> collaborating on implementing the strategy and soon I will be
> sharing the draft data quality strategy for public review here
> as well.
>
> *
>
> I am working with the Quality Control Working Group to build
> an active team of global data validators
> (https://tasks.hotosm.org/teams/7/membership/) whose efforts
> are incredible in ensuring the quality of remotely mapped data
> is good. From the recent Turkey/Syria mapping activations, the
> validators have played a big role in checking and fixing the
> errors and improved the quality of the data that is being used
> to provide response to the disaster-impacted communities in
> Turkey and Syria. In the current response as well, we are
> seeing a lot of new and inexperienced mappers join. Yes, there
> are areas where quality is not good enough currently and I’m
> really grateful to everyone that is helping us improve and
> validate map data.
>
>
> I am calling on all OpenStreetMap contributors to help us in this
> effort to improve OpenStreetMap data quality continuously and I
> invite you to share your expertise, insights, and feedback on how
> we can work together to improve & maintain good quality data.
>
> I am always openly available for a chat/call and in case you have
> any feedback that you would like to share with me, do not hesitate
> to reach out to me by emailing samson.ngumenawe at hotosm.org
> <mailto:samson.ngumenawe at hotosm.org>or data at hotosm.org
> <mailto:data at hotosm.org>
>
> Your support and contributions are vital in making OpenStreetMap a
> reliable and comprehensive resource for humanitarian aid and
> disaster response.
>
>
> Thank you
>
>
> --
> *
> *
> https://unsummit.hotosm.org/*
> *
>
> *Samson Ngumenawe*
> Data Quality Coordinator
> samson.ngumenawe at hotosm.org <mailto:samson.ngumenawe at hotosm.org>
> Timezone: UTC+03:00 (Kampala, Uganda)
>
> *Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team*
> *Using OpenStreetMap for Humanitarian Response & Economic Development*
> web <http://hotosm.org/> | twitter <https://twitter.com/hotosm> |
> facebook <https://www.facebook.com/hotosm> | donate
> <https://donate.hotosm.org/>
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>
>
>
> --
>
>
>
>
> Frans
>
>
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--
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