Putting 200 Million People “on the Map”: Evolving Methods and Tools

Abstract

Accurate maps play a critical role in understanding human communities, particularly in post-disaster settings and for populations at risk. While open geospatial data has become more common over the past decade, additional work is necessary to map vulnerable communities before a disaster or crisis occurs. As part of their Missing Maps project, the American Red Cross and its partner organizations are actively working to map 200 million of the world’s vulnerable people by 2021, creating open map data for anyone to access, use, and update. This paper (1) describes the project’s remote and field mapping methods, (2) outlines the technical tools developed for the project, (3) highlights how humanitarian and development organizations can adapt these tools and methods to other initiatives, and (4) explores current challenges and research questions surrounding mapping initiatives focused on the Global South. In doing so, this paper provides an overview of current trends in crowdsourced mapping and emerging data collection methods, with the aim to share tools and experiences with others in the humanitarian community.

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