Ok,
I better put in a plug for the AJAX case. Jennifer, I apologize for
talking technology when you are probably more interested in the use case.
Mapbuilder is a standards based, feature entry tool which allows users
to collaboratively edit geographic features. It runs in a standard web
browser without requiring users to install any plugins (like Flash).
This has the advantage that users don't have any technical obstacles
preventing them from getting involved.
At the back end, you can run a Transactional Web Feature Service (WFS-T)
like Geoserver connected to a geospatial database like PostGIS. (This is
a fully Open Source, Standards compliant stack).
There is an example at
http://nightly.communitymapbuilder.org/mapbuilder/demo/wfs-t/index.html
A while back, I wrote up a white paper on the subject. My work
priorities changed after writing it and it has become a bit dated, but
should give you some background.
http://bikemap.openearth.com.au/
Peter Strømberg wrote:
Hi Jennifer
Shameless plug, but we've created a Flash platform (hyperGIS) for just such
applications.
Our biggest success to date is a portal for collecting running routes, with
several attributes attached and fully searchable. The drawing tools are
extremly easy and apparently fun to use and more than accurate enough for
the purpose.
The site collected 30,000 routes in the first 4 months of operation and
handle 1000's
of visitors every day.
Another project involved asking teenage school children to identify (by
drawing
on an online map) the points on their way to school they considered most
dangerous.
This system outputed to MapInfo for analysis. It proved very difficult to
get anyone
to actually use the system.
So to answer your questions:
1. Data collection seems very compelling to users, but only if the target
group see a value in
the collected data. Otherwise some other motivation is necessary (we should
have
offered the school kids the chance to win an iPod or something...)
2. I'd say get a web designer to design it rather than a programmer or
Surveyor
(no offence Landon, I'm sure some can abstract to the level of the man in
the street :)
Bare in mind the minimum accuracy of data that would still be useful.
Usability tests are very fashionable (atleast here in Denmark) but a bit of
common sense
is usually enough. Remember to make good help files no matter how simple the
interface.
3. Flash is cross platform/browser and relatively easy to create good
looking interfaces,
(hyperGIS runs on a Flash 6 player including PDA and some mobile phones).
Javascript programmers would say Ajax and of course Google Maps as a "free"
background,
depending on your particular situation.
The good thing about a Flash application is that it is self contained and
easy to
drop into a CMS. Your user can play with the system for hours without any
calls to the
server or open sessions, etc. so it's very scalable and dosn't require a
huge server
or high bandwidth.
I'll leave it to someone else to make the case for AJAX :)
Kind Regards
Peter Strømberg
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jennifer Strahan
Sent: 04 May 2007 23:08
To: [email protected]
Subject: [Geowanking] Examples of collaborative data collection apps?
Hello,
Can anyone point me towards examples of Internet mapping applications that
are used to collect data from the public?
We're wondering what it would take to create an online application that can:
1. allow users to draw polygons and add 2-3 attributes 2. store the shapes
in a database that can eventually be transferred to multiple GIS data
formats (including shapefiles) 3. collect a large volume of data (about
50,000 responses over three years)
If anyone has experiences or thoughts to share that would be very helpful.
Some questions include:
1. How successful are the existing data collection sites?
2. What are the best practices for building an application that is usable
by a general, non-tech savvy audience?
3. What technology would you recommend and what type of resources are
necessary?
Thanks in advance for the info. I'm looking forward to seeing what others
are doing and how they are doing it!
Regards,
Jennifer
Jennifer Strahan
GreenInfo Network - 1996-2006: A Decade of Mapping the Public Interest
116 New Montgomery Street Suite 738 San Francisco CA 94105
PH: (415)979-0343 x306 Fax: 415-979-0371 Web: www.greeninfo.org
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Cameron Shorter
Systems Architect, http://lisasoft.com.au
Tel: +61 (0)2 8570 5050
Mob: +61 (0)419 142 254
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