Input on the topic OpenData + OSM for a presentation

General talk
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Hi, I will be giving a talk on OpenStreetMap in about four weeks and I am looking for input on what topics I can cover in it.
The talk will be about 30 minutes in the context of an OpenData event and should show the bridge between OpenData and OSM.
The audience will be IT-savvy, but probably never worked with OSM before.
A few ideas were topically to address the license differences between EU OpenData (mostly CC BY 4.0) and the OBdL. I would also include qualitative differences in Public Data and OSM if I can find some to show.

Do you have any other concrete ideas? Or do you have existing presentations / recordings for that topic?

Thanks a lot!

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I think it would be good to present also something on how/where OpenStreetMap data is used.

I came across this youtube presentation recently, I think it gives a good list of talking points.

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I would probably focus on something from:

  • how OSM data can be used (strengths, weaknesses, maybe showcase Overpass Turbo, maybe show how it can be imported into QGIS) - I have presentation somewhere but in Polish, can try to find it
  • how you can contribute (maybe show iD in browser, StreetComplete, GoMap!!) and mention that help is appreciated
  • maybe show how OSM data is used already

note entirely sure how interesting it would be and I would (for myself) would avoid making it main topic as it would require going into detail and risk making false claims

sounds interesting - I would definitely include cases where there no public data available and OSM wins by default

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For possible topics I think as an open-source ecosystem, OpenStreetmap has one of the more complex and varied contributor bases, from enthusiasts volunteering their time in their home squinting at satellite imagery, to professional geographers, corporate editors, and people who contribute out of a desire to help disaster response efforts. Another point, places that are not necessarily metropolitan areas or chic tourist destinations receive more attention. For example, just the other day I mapped the roads of multiple rural villages in Pakistan. Looking at the search results for these villages most of them appeared in connection with OSM.You can also talk about how OSM largely supplements the geographical databases of various tech giants, whose maps would likely be of limited use outside cities that have less than 1 million people.

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There is also the subject of “places that have never been mapped, but now (suddenly, for whatever reason) need a decent, usable map.” (I think of the example of Kibera around Nairobi, Kenya).

Because OSM has been busy for 18 years, these are getting to be fewer and fewer, but in my opinion, if/as/when one of these pops up as a “distinct need” (and NOW!) for a map, “because we’ve never really had a good community-oriented map of this area,” OSM simply can’t be beat: the community itself can develop it (if necessary or desired). The whole thing can become a “pilot project” for others in nearby areas which suddenly discover they, too, need “a decent map,” and before you know it, the explosion of more data entering into OSM (and being used by people who need to use them!) continues.

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Thanks for all your ideas and tips so far! I will probably start creating the presentation next weekend and use all your input.

Yes I already had this idea and will show some screenshots of applications that use OSM.

You are definitely right about that! Since I am not a lawyer for licensing law, it is very cautious to address this topic because I could not answer questions at all or only with half-knowledge.

That is also a very good input. Many outsiders don’t understand that OpenStreetMap has no employees but all data is collected by volunteers.

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