Open Source Geotechnologies are developed using various socio-technical systems. Understanding of these systems can help us understand the genealogy of the data generation. There are various applications that transcend from the basic understanding of geospatial as technological systems. I am analyzing OpenStreetMap and trying to define its digital spaces to understand what forms of plurality exist in data production. Conceptualization of Digital spaces of OpenStreetMap is important in order to visualise how we can define ethical boundaries and to answer the underlying question of “what is quality?”. I am currently interviewing, sending out questionnaires to OpenStreetMap users and conducting texture analysis of previous conference talks related to OpenStreetMap. In this talk I would like to present my ongoing progress on the research project OSM Utopia and present the small part in which I would like to increase the support from different researchers and practitioners, which is conceptualizing OpenStreetMap digital spaces. Furthermore, In this talk I explain how I planned to explore the interconnection and interdependence of analogue and digital spatiality of OSM and different research paradigms that needed to be explored. Also, will share the current progress on the way of defining digital spaces of OpenStreetMap and how we can categorise different analogues and digital assemblages that form these digital spaces. Limitations of these methods are also addressed. End goal that is targeted is that the data quality for OpenStreetMap requires a certain level of rethinking.
Speakers: Muhammad Saleem