[Talk-us] Statistics of board candidate edits

[Reilly, Colin]

Hi all,

I probably don't have much new to offer this discussion other than perhaps a slightly different perspective. As with most everyone, my experience has helped form my opinions. My experience can probably be put in the geo dinosaur category. Though one who has tried to keep pace and is relatively new to OSM. I run a group of mappers for a large US city. What I can say on the topic is that my editing experience did not prepare me to lead the team I do and it certainly doesn't help me in my day to day work. Sure it helps scoping out data-related tasks and projects but I don't see those as primary to the boards role.

When I thought of the OSM US board election and how I would vote (having already done so), I thought first of the qualities and experience I would like to see in the candidates I would vote for. In no special order, they are:
- Leadership: what that means to me is the ability to inspire and influence people in this case a community of people all working towards a common goal.
- Listening: hearing what the community feels. Where things are working and where they don't. How to make things better.
- Action: acting on what is said and the needs that arise.
- Communication: synthesizing what is heard and broadcasting that info to the community.
- Organizing: conferences, mapping events, etc.

I don't necessarily see any of these qualities benefitting through experience with a large number of OSM edits. Yes, OSM would not exist without a dedicated community of mappers but I just don't see the need for it's leadership to come from these ranks. That is not to say some will not. Thankfully we are voting for five and not one.

In my opinion, there are other ways of establishing OSM street (way?) cred. OSM board members can just as easily come up through the community engagement and organization ranks where they are inspiring and adding to the community of OSM mappers. That is of course the first bullet in the OSM US vision statement that I came across at http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Foundation/Local_Chapters/United_States/Mission_statement

Just my two inflation-devalued cents. Now back to work.

Colin
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