A virtual discussion on the subject “Structure and Governance of a Local OSM Community” held on March 23, 2023 was the third of the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT) Community Working Group Peer-to-Peer Learning Series aimed at supporting the new OSM chapters in Saint Lucia and Dominica. This session was attended by 18 members of the OSM Community from across the globe. The session was guided by some key questions on the subject; below are the major take-aways from this discussion.

What are the different roles that people can play in a local OpenStreetMap community?

The roles and responsibilities were discussed as a precursor to the discussion on the structure. It is important to identify what the community should consist of ahead of assessing how it is organized. The most common roles highlighted were mapper and trainer. However, roles such as sponsor, social media marketer, community coordinator, communications and project manager. Communications include posting on social media, blogs and even responding to questions on the forum.

An important note was that roles should be in line with the goals of the community. For example, someone was assigned in one of the communities to update the Wiki page. What is the right balance between allowing people to choose the roles and responsibilities and team leaders deciding on what roles they want in the team moving forward? It is important that the leaders identify what the goals are, then establish what roles are needed; and reach out to the community to inform them of what is needed and invite them to take on these roles. For example, the OSM Kenya representative mentioned that they utilize an Interest Form in which they collect information on what someone is interested in doing and what they already have experience in doing. In this form, volunteers also state what work stream or working group that they would like to join. Persons with experience would most likely lead the workstream; but persons without the expertise would most likely be assigned to assist in the work stream and would therefore have the opportunity to learn also.

What are the different ways that a local OpenStreetMap community can be structured?

Is your OSM community structured or informal? There are various ways to structure, it depends on the needs of the community and goals to be achieved. In the case of Haiti, there are several commissions with specific missions for example the legal commission who would be responsible for updating the statutes; project coordination team to design projects and help finding funds for projects; the communication representative is responsible for sharing information with all members and will also eventually share on social media. It is okay if persons with various skills and roles are not necessarily mappers. Their contribution to the mapping community is just as valuable. Some communities have standard formal structures and some are more informal. The discussion highlighted that structures varied widely according to the needs within that specific territory and organization. For example, in OSM Uganda, the structure includes general membership, then a Board of Governors/Directors (five member board voted by the membership), this Board then appoints the Executive Director and staff who are hired to run the activities of the organization on a daily basis. Another example is the OSM DRC, there is an administration board which manages the activities of the community, responsibilities include training, administration, external relations (connecting with other OSM communities, creating partnerships, creating other OSM communities) and communication.

What are the different ways that a local OpenStreetMap community can be governed?

An OSM community can be governed by having leaders and sub-teams that take responsibility for certain issues. Interestingly, the need for documents such as a Code of Conduct and Constitution was also highlighted.

What are the benefits of being involved in a local OpenStreetMap community?

The benefits discussed included building a network; developing skills; finding new interests, and improving maps.

Conclusion

While we have seen several structures/governance, it all goes back to what the goals and needs of the organization are and what works for you within your specific environment. However it is worthwhile to look at how other communities are structured with a view of learning from their experience. This will provide valuable guidance to newly emerging OSM Chapters like that in Saint Lucia and Dominica. It is interesting to note how all of these organizations have identified various ways to accomplish the common goal of mapping and building a mapping community.