Bryce,
Yes, most people sign up and never hear from OSM again. So
they go about their mapping as best they can until, perhaps, they
join the Newbies list (which often has highly technical discussions
that many don't understand) or they get told they are doing something wrong.
If an organization doesn't reach out to people in a positive
way, they won't stay, and they won't do their best when mapping
It would be better if there were some kind of regular,
positive communication from OSM. That could come in several forms:
--a newsletter (monthly or bimonthly), which is something
most volunteer organizations have (so, why don't we?)
--occasional emails about new developments in OSM mapping.
MapRoulette and LearnOSM are prime examples.
--outreach from OSM "veterans" to mappers in their
geographical area. This could be as simple as, "Hello, I'm mapping in
(your area). If you have a question, don't hesitate to contact me."
Of course we would need to set up some way to send new mappers email
addresses to seasoned mappers.
As for tests, the idea itself is not bad, in the proper
context. But, unless we have a rapport with people, and have given
them clear direction and learning resources (something we don't do
now), a test will just drive them away.
A better way to do testing might be to let people know from
the beginning that we want to make sure everyone is mapping the right
way, so at some point (after a month?) we will be asking them to take
a quick quiz on OSM principles. The carrot is that the one with the
best score (each month?) gets a prize (SOTM t-shirt? OSM hat? OSM
pin?). Rewards keep people around, not criticism.
Now all we have to do is come to some agreement on what is
the right way to tag. :-)
Charlotte
At 10:41 AM 6/26/2013, you wrote:
Moved from another thread:
On Wed, Jun 26, 2013 at 2:51 AM, stevea
<<mailto:[email protected]>[email protected]> wrote:
OSM has a peer review process in place right now. It is called
"watch the map, help it evolve, grow it as you can, if somebody does
something odd/wrong/different, dialog with them." And then, take it
from there.
We're all grown ups here.
There may be a few children mixed in. But mostly, coming to OSM,
signing up, and mapping can be a very lonely experience.
In most cases nobody greets you or talks to you unless you make a mistake.
Changing that culture could change the participation or retention
rate, particularly among non-grownups (meaning the generations of
children growing up with social networking as a given). OSM outside
of mapping parties is only barely social to a new mapper.
The tools could help:
1) After the first edit from a new user, the tools could present a
list of rules (chief among them don't copy from unapproved sources!).
2) A new users could be required to take a small quiz, like certain
dating sites do, prior to finalizing the edit.
3) A first edit could go in a queue for an experienced mapper to
look at and comment on. Hopefully that comment is "great job,
welcome to the community!"
4) Editing a feature connected to a relation could bring up
education on route relations. Perhaps even there is a skill level
threshold: you must have 25 peer reviewed edits prior to deleting a
way that's part of a route relation. It becomes a goal a new mapper
might strive to reach.
5) New users could be given 10 free edits, prior to needing to
provide more contact information and/or pass an editing quiz.
6) New users could be given their choice of a mapping challenge,
where the "correct" results are known,.
7) etc.
With all this effort to get new mappers in the USA we should be
thrilled a mapper wants to contribute...
... and put in the work to ensure such new users be onboarded and
brought into OSM culture.
Note that:
Wikipedia has a strong reasons to allow completely anonymous edits.
OSM I think not so much. We could ask
more of people who want to edit, with the goal of making more good
mappers, rather than just more mappers.
We should honor an support mappers who have narrow interests... and
find ways to harness their energy. We can ask users to ascend a
ladder of skills, to unlock capabilities within the community.
And it could be tested regionally. If there's a theory that
"raising the bar" will reduce participation, it can be tested. I
suspect that peer review of first edits, or achievement levels,
would increase participation.
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Charlotte Wolter
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