Insights on Using OpenStreetMap for Development Assistance

The U.S. State of the Map conference was recently held in Washington, DC, which brought together members of the open data and GIS mapping community from the community, business, government and non profit sector. Topics ranged from technology, mapping parties, and ideas and tools to help improve the map.

Watch this recording of a presentation by Kate Chapman, of the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team. In March 2011 the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT) traveled to Indonesia for the first time. The question being asked was could community mapping through OpenStreetMap be used to help government and communities better plan for disaster? The initial answer was "yes" though in the time since methodologies and approaches have changed and adapted. This talk will go over what HOT has learned in the past three years, what is planned for the future and how our lessons might apply to other places.

Building a Comunity -- HOT in Indonesia - Kate Chapman from OpenStreetMap US on Vimeo.

Learn more about how USAID is integrating GIS mapping here.