SELECTING A TASK
FROM THE OPENSTREETMAP TASKING MANAGER
Introduction
In this video tutorial, we’ll show you how
to select a task from the MapGive
“Learn to Map” page and work with the
OpenStreetMap Tasking Manager so you can
start mapping to make a difference.
Now that you know how to map,
it’s time to put those skills to work.
As you’ve seen, mapping is easy,
and soon, you’ll be making edits
that can help others around the world.
You may not be familiar with some,
or all, of the locations in need
of humanitarian mapping.
That's okay! You can still help.
You simply need to look at satellite
imagery and trace roads, paths,
buildings, and areas in the same way you
did when you were learning to map.
You do not need to know the names of
roads and buildings to help.
By tracing, you are generating map data
that is open and available to the world
through OpenStreetMap.
Another thing to note:
Even if you are only making a few map
edits to the OpenStreetMap tasking manager
you are helping in a major way.
There is no minimum,
and every effort helps.
No matter how small, if we all do a little
together we can accomplish a lot.
There are written instructions on the
MapGive site, which may be helpful as you
start to map in the OpenStreetMap
tasking manager.
If you don't feel comfortable mapping
yet, please pause this video, and
select the "How to Map" tutorial video
from the MapGive site.
Come back to this video
once you are ready.
Getting started
From MapGive’s “Learn to Map” page,
scroll down below this video
to the section called “select a task.”
In this section, you will see a
list of humanitarian mapping tasks.
Select the one you would like to work on.
Once you have selected the task, either
a new browser tab or window
will open, taking you directly
to the mapping task on the
OpenStreetMap Tasking Manager website.
Here you will be asked to log in to
your OpenStreetMap account.
This is the same account
you signed up for in STEP ONE on the
MapGive site's “learn to map” section.
You will also be asked to authorize
the OpenStreetMap Tasking Manager's
access to your account.
Please pause this video
and take a moment to make sure
that you have logged in correctly.
Starting a Task
Once you have signed in and are allowed
access to your OpenStreetMap account, you
will see the task that you
selected from the MapGive site.
You will see a map and some
information about the task.
The information about the task includes a
description of what MapGive would like
you to focus on, why that task is
important, instructions on what to map,
the individual mapping tasks, which users
have worked on this task,
and some stats about the task.
Please pause this video
and familiarize yourself with the
OpenStreetMap Tasking Manager.
Return to this video when you are ready
for more details.
Picking a Tile to Work On
Let’s use the interactive map and zoom in
on the highlighted tiles.
The task has been broken up into smaller,
tiled areas of the map to allow you to
do a little bit of mapping rather than
trying to map the entire area.
This also lets others simultaneously
map other tiles, or areas.
By doing this in small pieces,
you can all work faster.
When you select a TILE,
you are taking a TASK.
Your task is to map that specific tile
by tracing satellite imagery.
Gray tiles represent all of the tasks
available in this job.
Red tiles are areas
that have been marked as done.
Green tiles are areas that were marked as
done, and have also been validated.
Gray tiles with yellow outlines are
areas that are currently being worked on.
Click on a gray tile on the map to
select it. The task tab will open.
In the task tab, click on the green
button that says,
“yes, I want to work on this task.”
By selecting a tile you are
“checking it out.”
No one else will be able to edit this tile
while you are working on it.
Once you have completed
working on the tile you will need to
“check it back in” so others can
validate or build on your work.
We’ll explain how to check areas
back in shortly.
The task tab has a few additional
sections: extra instructions,
information on how to credit your edits,
and history of this task.
The extra instructions will contain
information about the imagery you
are about to work with.
Pause this video if you need to and make
sure you have correctly selected a task.
Working on a Task in the iD Editor
Select iD from the editing tool options.
This is the same editor you used to learn
how to map in OpenStreetMap.
This will open a new tab or window in
your browser with OpenStreetMap
and the iD editor.
The iD Editor will automatically
load the high resolution satellite
imagery for you to map with.
You will also see a bounding box,
showing you the exact area
marking the tile you selected.
You may need to adjust the satellite
imagery to match with an
existing map edit.
This is a very easy process.
Simply click on the layers button, scroll
down to “fix alignment,” and use the arrow
buttons to properly line up the high
resolution satellite imagery with
the existing map edit.
You may need to zoom in
fairly close to do this.
Once you have adjusted the alignment,
it's time to start mapping - adding roads,
paths, buildings, and areas- just like
you did when you learned to map earlier.
For example just as you did in the
practice, identify roads by looking
at them and tracing them.
It’s that easy.
When you make a map edit,
a dialogue box will appear.
You may not know the specific name
of the road or building, which is okay.
For instance, when you select the
“Building” button in the iD editor,
your map edit is automatically
“tagged” as a building. Remember to save
after you make your edits.
This ensures that your map edits
are available to the entire world.
We do ask that you credit your
work each time you save your edits.
A collection of map edits are called a
changeset, and when you save your edits,
you are essentially applying a
“commit” to the OSM database.
The iD editor will ask if you want to
provide a “commit message” to
your collection of edits.
This information will help us understand
when an edit was made as part of MapGive.
To credit your edits,
please click back to the OpenStreetMap
tasking manger tab in your browser.
Scroll down to the credit section
in the task tab.
Copy the provided credit.
Click back on the iD editor tab
in your browser.
Paste the credit in the "commit" section
of the dialogue box.
You can pause this video if you need to
get familiar with the editor
and the tracing you are about to do.
Finishing a Task
When you finish mapping an area,
or simply decide to stop mapping for now,
please return to the OpenStreetMap
tasking manager and either “unlock
the task” or “mark it as done.”
Unlocking the task means that you have
done some of the map edits but there
are more to do.
Marking the task as done means that you
have done all of the map edits possible.
When you unlock a task, the
tasking manager will ask you for comments.
Feel free to make whatever comments
you feel are helpful regarding this task.
For example, you could indicate
how much of the tile is complete,
or if specific features still need work.
If you have no comments to make,
simply write “no comments.”
Closing
If you feel like you need a little
more practice before jumping in,
go back to the MapGive “learn to map” page
and watch the “how to map” video.
Follow along and practice until you feel
confident enough to work in the
tasking manager. That’s it.
You’re now a full-fledged mapper!
Thank you for learning how to map and
also for mapping to make a difference.