This document introduces OpenStreetMap (OSM), a free editable map of the world built collaboratively by volunteers. OSM was founded in 2004 and now has over 3 million registered users. It uses a data model where geographic features are represented as nodes, ways and relations with tags to describe attributes. The document outlines how people can contribute to OSM through various editing tools and provides examples of humanitarian mapping projects.

1. Introduc)on
to
OpenStreetMap
(OSM)
Mayra
Zurbarán
With
support
from
GEOlab
and
PoliMappers
from
Politecnico
di
Milano

2. OpenStreetMap
(OSM)
–
What
is
it?
• The
most
popular
project
of
Volunteered
Geographic
InformaAon
(VGI)
→ Founded
by
Steve
Coast
in
UK
in
2004:
hNp://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/History_of_OpenStreetMap
→ Free,
editable
vector
map
of
the
whole
world
built
by
volunteers:
hNp://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/About_OpenStreetMap
h9p://openstreetmap.org

3. OpenStreetMap
(OSM)
–
How
many
users?
• (Jan
2017)
there
are
more
than
3
million
registered
users:
hNp://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Stats

4. OpenStreetMap
(OSM)
–
License
• OpenStreetMap
is
an
openly-­‐licensed
database!
→ OSM
was
born
from
the
evidence
that
many
geodata
are
proprietary
or
copyrighted,
i.e.
you
cannot
freely
use
them
(e.g.
Google
Maps)
hNp://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Why_OpenStreetMap%3F
→ OSM
is
licensed
under
the
Open
Database
License
(ODbL)
by
the
OpenStreetMap
FoundaAon
(OSMF)
hNp://opendatacommons.org/licenses/odbl/summary

5. OpenStreetMap
(OSM)
–
How
to
contribute
• Everything
you
need
to
contribute
to
OSM
is
to
create
an
account
from:
hNp://www.openstreetmap.org
• EdiAng
OSM?
→ iD:
a
simple,
easy-­‐to-­‐use
online
editor
–
suitable
for
beginners
hNp://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/ID
→ JOSM:
a
more
powerful,
offline
editor
–
suitable
for
experienced
users
hNps://josm.openstreetmap.de
→ Vespucci:
an
Android
editor
–
suitable
for
fast
and
efficient
field
survey
hNp://vespucci.io
→ Many
others!
–
Full
list
at:
hNp://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Editors

6. OpenStreetMap
(OSM)
–
The
data
model
• OSM
objects
are
the
combinaAon
of
geometries
and
tags.
• There
are
3
geometries
(hNp://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Elements)
:
→ NODE:
a
single
point
→ WAY:
an
ordered
list
of
nodes
–
Includes
polylines
and
polygons
→ RELATION:
a
logic
group
of
nodes,
polylines
&
polygons

7. OpenStreetMap
(OSM)
–
The
data
model
• OSM
objects
are
the
combinaAon
of
geometries
and
tags.
• Tags
are
the
object
aNributes,
and
are
composed
of
a
key
and
a
value:
→ Example:
a
building
(polygon)
which
is
used
as
a
hotel
has
the
tag
→ An
object
must
have
at
least
one
tag,
but
can
have
any
number
of
tags
→ The
reference
set
of
OSM
tags
(a
“must”
for
any
OSM
user)
is
available
at
hNp://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Map_Features
building
=
hotel

8. OpenStreetMap
(OSM)
–
The
data
model
• Tags
are
the
object
aNributes,
and
are
composed
of
a
key
and
a
value:

9. OpenStreetMap
(OSM)
–
The
data
model
• Tags
are
the
object
aNributes,
and
are
composed
of
a
key
and
a
value
-­‐
RelaAons:

10. OpenStreetMap
(OSM)
–
It’s
simple!
10-­‐year
old
kids
can
do
it!
Mapathon
at
POLIMI
with
200+
school
kids

11. The
HOT
Tasking
Manager
• The
tool
designed
for
managing
collaboraAve
humanitarian
mapping
in
HOT
and
Missing
Maps
projects
(hNp://tasks.hotosm.org):
→ The
areas
to
be
mapped
are
subdivided
into
small
sub-­‐areas,
that
can
be
completed
rapidly
–
users
map
independently
from
each
other
and
in
different
areas,
to
avoid
conflicts!

12. Task
–
#2631
• Missing
Maps:
Zambia
Malaria
EliminaAon
46
→ hNp://tasks.hotosm.org/project/2631
Help
create
an
UNINORTE
#hashtag!
• Aper
Mapping:
QuanAfying
the
mapping
done
using
this
great
tool
from
Pascal
Neis:
hNp://resultmaps.neis-­‐one.org/osm-­‐changesets

13. State
of
the
map
–
Ramani
Huria
Mapping
for
flood
resilience
in
Tanzania:
hNp://ramanihuria.org/
Atlas
available
at:
hNps://issuu.com/ramanihuria/docs/ramani_huria_atlas_final

14. Gracias!
–
let’s
map!
OSM
user:
mazucci
TwiNer
user:
@mazucci