OpenStreetMap in Government

The acceptance of crowdsourced geographic information (also known as Volunteered Geographic Information or VGI - after Goodchild 2007) as a valued and useful source of information for governments at all levels is growing. While the research demonstrates the reliability and accuracy of VGI sources, such as OSM is high when compared to official or government produced data sets, the progression towards their adoption and wider use is slow. This session will discuss a research project, jointly conducted by University College London (UCL) and the World Bank’s Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) on authoritative use of VGI, and in particular OpenStreetMap (OSM). Drawing from numerous case studies across different geography and thematic sectors, the research reports on the various modes of engagement that governments around the world have had with the OSM community and platform. Successful examples, common challenges, and key recommendations are also discussed. The session will cover the preliminary findings and next steps of this ongoing project and will provide an opportunity to contribute case study examples to the report.