State of the Map Asia (SotM-Asia) is the annual regional conference of OpenStreetMap (OSM) organized by OSM communities in Asia. First SotM-Asia was organized in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2015, and the second was organized in Manila, Philippines in 2016. This year’s conference, third in the series, was organized in Kathmandu, Nepal on September 23 – 24, 2017 at Park Village Resort, Budhanilkantha, Kathmandu, Nepal. We brought nearly 200 Open Mapping enthusiasts from Asia and beyond to this year’s SotM-Asia. The event provided an opportunity to share knowledge and experience among mappers; expand their network; and generate ideas to expand map coverage and effective use of OSM data in Asian continent. We chose ‘from creation to use of OSM data’ as the theme of this year’s conference, emphasizing on the effective use of OSM data. We also brought together a government panel from four different countries in this year’s SotM-Asia. We believe this event will deepen the bond and enhance collaboration among OSM communities across Asia. More information about the conference can be found on: http://stateofthemap.asia.

1. Dr. Melinda Laituri
Secondary Cities Principal Investigator
State of the Map, Asia
23 - 24 September 2017
Kathmandu, Nepal
Ethics Guidelines for Secondary Cities
Initiative

2. Progress in science and engineering has always been
dependent on the collection of data through observation,
experimentation, and more recently, computation. A core
expectation of the scientific process is the documentation and
SHARING of results along with the underlying data and
methodology, thereby allowing others to verify data,
reproduce results, validate interpretations, and build upon
previous work.
National Science Board’s Data Policies Task Force, 2012

3. GIS needs spatially explicit data
GIS practitioners need explicit understanding of
and support for creating and sharing spatially
explicit data
GIS students/partners need explicit education in
learning how to create and share spatially
explicit data
ETHICS

4. Ethical principle for 2C projects:
Support the spread of “good practice” in
generating, managing, analyzing and
communicating spatial information
Ethics:
Norms for conduct regarding acceptable
and unacceptable behaviours

5. Overview of Ethics
• Participation: community and stakeholders
– Participatory mapping
• Ethics during life cycle of project
• Data: Collection, verification and validation
– Instruments: Surveys, equipment
– Sensitive data
– Software defaults
• Field ethics
– Safety
– Consent
– Representation

6. What is participation?
The act of taking part and sharing in something.

7. What is a community?
• Communities are composed
of individuals who share
similarities and differences.
• Discuss with the community
that you will be collecting
data.
• Raise awareness by meeting
with community groups and
organizations.

8. Who are stakeholders?
• Organizations and people who
– Can make decisions
– Are impacted by the project or
activity
– Can influence a project or activity
• Why involve stakeholders?
– Opportunities to contribute
– To respond to needs and
expectations
– Raise awareness with community

9. What is participatory mapping?
• Community-based mapping
• For community
empowerment and
engagement
• Take action to resolve
problems
Who makes the map?

10. What do our partners need?
• Technical skills
• Theoretical understanding of spatial problems
– Geographic information SCIENCE
– Integrated science
• Responsibilities of a “spatial citizen”
– Ethics
– Metadata
– Transparency

11. Ethical duties of participatory
mapping
• use specialized training for the benefit of the
public
• are responsible for protecting the welfare of
those with whom they work
• work with community members under the
assumption of trust
Source:
http://www.aaanet.org/stmts/ethstmnt.htm

12. Ethical duties of project facilitators
• Explain their role, their employer and who funds
the project;
• Explain and clarify the purpose of the mapping
process;
• Clarify how the project will take place and
determine how decisions will be made;
• Help the community determine how any
information generated from the process will be
used and managed.
Source: University of Hawaii,
Program on Conflict Resolution
Training Files, undated.

13. Ethical duties of project facilitators
• Ensure the widest representation/participation
possible;
• Work with integrity and be reliable, honest and
trustworthy;
• Serve the community, putting its needs and
desires first.
Source: University of Hawaii,
Program on Conflict Resolution
Training Files, undated.

14. Responsibilities early in the project
• Why is this project
needed?
• Who will be included in
the process and who will
be in control?
• How can the quality of
participation be
increased?
Questions to ask:

15. Responsibilities during the project
• Help the community reach consensus on goals
and develop strategies towards achieving them.
• Be transparent and realistic about the process
and outcomes.
• Enable participation and
representation of
stakeholder groups.
• Give ownership of the
process and its outcomes
to the community.

16. Data collection 1:
Planning
• In the field
– Safety first
– Know your surroundings
– Inform the community
– Be aware
– Work in teams
– Regular check in

17. Data collection 2:
Field equipment
• Prepare instruments for field collection
– Batteries
– Settings
– Security

18. Data collection 3:
Field instruments
• Prepare instruments for field collection
– Survey preparation
– Institutional Review Process (IRB)
– Informed consent
• Disclosure: making information publicly known
• Permission: approval to do something
• Anonymity of participants in surveys

19. Data Processing and Analysis:
Software
• Data base organization – Database schematic
– Where did I put it?
• Naming conventions
– What did I name it?
• Thinking digitally
– How are values processed in a computer?
– DO NOT ACCEPT SOFTWARE DEFAULTS
– Projections and datums

20. Data Analysis
• Analytical flowcharts
– Documenting the analysis

21. Valuing
:
Diversity
Awareness of social and cultural
differences
Transparency
Accountability through openness
Flexibility
Adaptive to changing conditions

22. Responsibilities after the process
• Give ownership of the outcomes to the community
• How will access to, use and distribution of the products
be controlled?
• How will spatial information be maintained/updated?
• Will project facilitators be available for consultation
after the project is completed?
• Will sufficient training be given to community members
to ensure continuity and sustainability?

23. Ethical challenges
• Human subjects
• Confidentiality
– Privacy
– Maintenance in shared environment
• Future data users understand participant and
discipline parameters
• Data stewardship: who is responsible?

24. 24
Implementation: Checklist
____ Statement on purpose of project
____ Explanation of type of maps/data to be produced
____ Description of methods used to collect data and produce
maps
• Field equipment; Field instruments
____ Statement on expected time frame for project
____ Explanation of rights (e.g. voluntary participation,
confidentiality, etc.)
____ Explanation about custodianship of outputs of project
____ Description of any reasonably foreseeable risks
• Discussion of sensitive data requirements
____ Explanation of whom to contact for answers to pertinent
questions about the project
____ Statement of agreement to participate in the project