ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf. 2014, 3(4), 1278-1292; doi:10.3390/ijgi3041278
A Systems Perspective on Volunteered Geographic Information
1
Environmental Applied Science and Management, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria St., Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, Canada
2
Department of Geography, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria St., Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, Canada
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 14 July 2014 / Revised: 20 October 2014 / Accepted: 14 November 2014 / Published: 4 December 2014
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geoweb 2.0)
Abstract
Volunteered geographic information (VGI) is geographic information collected by way of crowdsourcing. However, the distinction between VGI as an information product and the processes that create VGI is blurred. Clearly, the environment that influences the creation of VGI is different than the information product itself, yet most literature treats them as one and the same. Thus, this research is motivated by the need to formalize and standardize the systems that support the creation of VGI. To this end, we propose a conceptual framework for VGI systems, the main components of which—project, participants, and technical infrastructure—form an environment conducive to the creation of VGI. Drawing on examples from OpenStreetMap, Ushahidi, and RinkWatch, we illustrate the pragmatic relevance of these components. Applying a system perspective to VGI allows us to better understand the components and functionality needed to effectively create VGI. View Full-TextKeywords:
volunteered geographic information; Geoweb; GIS; public participation GIS; GIScience; crowdsourcing; systems science
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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. (CC BY 4.0).
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MDPI and ACS Style
Fast, V.; Rinner, C. A Systems Perspective on Volunteered Geographic Information. ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf. 2014, 3, 1278-1292.
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ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf.
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