2023-11-30 –, Room 2
Language: English
Governance in OpenStreetMap communities is a pivotal but often underexplored aspect that significantly influences their growth and long-term sustainability. This panel aims to shed light on the crucial role of governance within OpenStreetMap communities and initiate a thought-provoking discussion about its potential impact on community direction and resilience.
OpenStreetMap (OSM) communities are vibrant and collaborative ecosystems where contributors, enthusiasts, and organizations come together to map the world. While the focus often centers on mapping data and technical contributions, the importance of governance in ensuring efficient decision-making and equitable representation is equally crucial. This panel discussion seeks to elevate the significance of governance in OpenStreetMap communities and foster a deeper understanding of how it shapes their trajectory.
Key points of discussions
1. What does it mean to open mapping communities?
2. How does it affect direction and sustainability, success and failures of the community?
3. What are the challenges / limitations / reservations in building or formalizing governance in open communities?
4. Potential to get clearer idea on what is expected in governance for OSMF local chapters
Physical(Town) Planner
Geospatial Technologies enthusiast
HOT Voting Member
HOT Governance working group
HOT community working group
OSM Malawi Acting Lead
GeOsm Business Development Executive.
I am passionate about open source mapping projects and I am an active OSM member. I am also very passionate about new technologies and innovations.
Community member, OSM Philippines
Advocate, Geoladies PH
Online Community Engagement Lead, HOT
Board member, OSM Foundation
Arnalie from the Philippines, username: arnalielsewhere, advocates for open data and is passionate about building inclusive spaces in the open mapping and open geo community. She was a GIS Specialist for seven years until she shifted to (online) community engagement in 2020. She works as Online Community Engagement Lead at Humanitarian Openstreetmap Team - Philippines, and as a full time mother.
She has been an Openstreetmap contributor since 2016, the same year she joined and became part of the OSM community in the Philippines. In 2018, she met her partner at the State of the Map - Milan conference, and reconvened GeoLadies Philippines, an advocacy group for community diversity, collaborative participation, and affirmative spaces especially for women, and under-represented communities in OpenStreetMap. She is a supporter and ally of various communities and networks such as Geochicas, Women+ in Geo, Open Heroines, and more.
You can learn more about her views about community in OpenStreeMap and humanitarian open mapping in the [1] Geomob Podcast Interview - Arnalie Vicario: Building inclusive spaces in OSM as well as through her [2] OSM Diaries.
Geoffrey Kateregga is an ardent advocate for open mapping and community building, embarking on his journey in 2012 when he joined OpenStreetMap following a memorable Mapping Party in Kampala. Since then, he has been an active and influential contributor to the local community in Uganda, playing a key role in its transformation into a thriving non-profit organization.
In 2015, he joined the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team, where he currently serves as the Community Projects Lead. His dedication centres around empowering communities and fostering collaboration across the region, making a profound impact on sustainable development.
Geoffrey's passion for OpenStreetMap is further reflected in his dedicated involvement with OpenStreetMap Africa, a network of local OSM communities. He spearheads efforts to organize the bi-annual State of the Map Africa conference, celebrating successful editions in Kampala, Uganda (2017), Abidjan, Ivory Coast (2019), Online (2021), and Yaounde, Cameroon (2023).
Committed to the broader OpenStreetMap community, Geoffrey actively participates in several working groups, including the HOT Community Working Group, Voting Membership and Training Working Group, as well as the OSMF Local Chapters and Communities Working Group. He firmly believes in the transformative power of collaboration to bring about positive change and progress.
Beyond his contributions to OpenStreetMap, Geoffrey remains engaged as a member of the Wikimedia Community User Group in Uganda, where he passionately advocates for open knowledge sharing and community-driven initiatives.
