Data Team Peer Review Process

As expert mappers on OpenStreetMap, the data team has consistently demonstrated the highest quality of output for any remote mapping team in the world. Regular peer reviews of the work help to catch issues in the mapping workflow early and ensure skilled output.

When we do peer reviews

• Every Wednesday alternating between Ayacucho and Bangalore office
• The entire mapping team at the office will participate in the peer reviews

How we do peer review

• A peer review ticket will be opened prior to the review with instructions and a link to the review pad
• Assign yourself a day's edits to review and download the relevant changeset files. For example, https://s3.amazonaws.com/mapbox/osm-history-processor/day/000/001/latest.tar.gz

Reviewing the edits

• Load the peer review task config
• Open the edits of each member in JOSM
• Examine changesets per member in detail in JOSM by random. Make a selection and press 3 to zoom.
• Download the latest data for the area into a duplicate layer and add a filter Command+F to see only the user's edits for the week eg. user:srividya_c
• Use JOSM's History browser (Ctrl+H) to check what the task the user was working on for context.
• Note down any feedback for the user in the changeset comment.

Review guidelines

• Review the edits to find common mapping issues:

  1. Accuracy
  • Roads following centerlines
  • Junctions and roundabouts have proper connections
  • Tagged crossings, bridges and tunnels
  • No overlapping or duplicated objects
  2. Tagging
  • Tags used are relevant for the feature traced according to the OSM Wiki and taginfo.
  3. Relevance
  • The mapping is relevant to the task being worked on. Check the hackpad what mapping projects was done the previous week.

Posting feedback for the team

• In the report, for each user link to the object in question. In JOSM, select the object and press Command+Shift+H. Add a short explanation on what the issue is and how to fix it.
• Individual reports are then consolidated and published as a weekly report ticket for followup.