Quality attributes and methods for VGI

Abstract

The widespread use of GPS-equipped devices such as smartphones and tablets and the easy handling of online maps are simplifying the production and dissemination of volunteered geographic information (VGI) through the internet. VGI systems collect and distribute this type of information and can be used, for example, in cases of natural disasters, mapping, city management, etc. In some cases, the VGI systems must be implemented within a short timeframe, such as in response to emergencies due to natural disasters. Some tools, such as the Ushahidi and ClickOnMap platforms, have been designed to enable the quick development of VGI systems. The quality of data collected by VGI systems has been and must be questioned, but, in some situations, there are no official data or they have become outdated after the event. Hence, these platforms must provide methods to help the user produce or report data voluntarily, but with quality. This article analyzes the main quality attributes that can be applied in the VGI context and identifies, in the literature, methods that contribute to increasing VGI quality. This study resulted in a set of 19 attributes and 23 quality methods related to VGI. This paper also proposes six new methods that can help obtain data with quality assurance. These methods were implemented with success on the ClickOnMap Platform to assuring the quality of VGI.