HOT Tasking Manager

HOT Tasking Manager
Name	HOT Tasking Manager
Developer	Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team
Released	2013
Programming language	Python, JavaScript
Operating system	Cross-platform
License	GNU AGPLv3

HOT Tasking Manager

The HOT Tasking Manager is an online collaborative mapping coordination platform used to divide mapping tasks into manageable units for volunteers to contribute to humanitarian and development mapping efforts. It connects volunteers, non-governmental organizations, disaster response agencies, and research institutions to produce open geospatial data for projects across regions such as Haiti, Nepal, Sierra Leone, Philippines, and Mozambique. The application integrates with mapping communities including OpenStreetMap, Missing Maps, Mapillary, Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team, and HOTOSM partners.

Overview

The Tasking Manager provides a web interface that allows project managers from organizations like Médecins Sans Frontières, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, World Health Organization, and CARE International to create mapping campaigns. Volunteers from groups such as MapGive, American Red Cross, YouthMappers, Copernicus Emergency Management Service, and HOT microgrants can claim, edit, and validate tasks using editors like iD editor, JOSM, and tools from GeoFabrik or Geofabrik. The platform supports integration with imagery providers including DigitalGlobe, ESA, Planet Labs, Maxar Technologies, and Mapbox.

History and Development

Development began after mapping needs identified during crises like the 2010 Haiti earthquake, 2015 Nepal earthquake, 2014 Ebola epidemic in West Africa, and 2013 Typhoon Haiyan highlighted coordination gaps among organizations such as Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, Médecins Sans Frontières, and United Nations Development Programme. Early contributors included volunteers affiliated with OpenStreetMap Foundation, HOT Task Force, and academic groups at University of Washington, University of Heidelberg, University College London, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Funding and support came from foundations and agencies such as UK Aid, European Commission, Gates Foundation, and SIDA.

Major releases incorporated features influenced by projects at Missing Maps, collaborations with Humanitarian Data Exchange, and research from institutes including Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, World Bank, and NGO Coordination Committee. Governance evolved to include representatives from Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team, regional HOT chapters like HOT Africa, HOT Asia, HOT Americas, and partner organizations such as OpenAerialMap.

Architecture and Features

The platform is implemented primarily in Python and JavaScript using frameworks and components associated with Django, React, and mapping stacks like Leaflet and PostGIS. It interfaces with tile servers and imagery archives from OpenStreetMap, OpenStreetMap Foundation, Mapbox, and Mapillary. Key features include task grid generation inspired by practices at Missing Maps and MapGive, task locking workflows used by Ushahidi and Sahana Eden, and integrations for authentication leveraging OAuth providers including GitHub, Google, and OpenStreetMap accounts.

Functional modules support project creation, task assignment, user reputation, dispute resolution, and analytics dashboards used by organizations such as Humanitarian Data Exchange, ReliefWeb, Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery, and United Nations Children's Fund. The system stores geospatial vector data in PostgreSQL with PostGIS extensions and exports to formats compatible with GeoJSON, Shapefile, and services like GeoServer.

Workflow and Project Management

Project managers from agencies such as International Rescue Committee, Save the Children, Oxfam, and CARE International create projects specifying imagery, task grid, priority areas, and mapping instructions modeled on standards from Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team and Missing Maps. Volunteers claim tasks and edit using iD editor or JOSM before marking tasks as mapped. Validators—often experienced contributors affiliated with OpenStreetMap Foundation, regional HOT chapters, or organizations like Red Cross—review edits and accept or request rework.

Coordination features mirror practices from coordination mechanisms like United Nations Cluster System and platforms like Sahana Eden and Ushahidi for crisis response. Project metadata supports links to situation reports from ReliefWeb and datasets indexed by Humanitarian Data Exchange.

Community and Governance

Community governance includes contributors and maintainers drawn from Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team, regional chapters, and partner NGOs including Doctors Without Borders, Red Cross, World Vision, and academic partners like University of Heidelberg. Decision-making processes reflect community-driven models similar to the OpenStreetMap Foundation’s committees and collaborations with funders such as UK Aid, European Commission, and philanthropic entities like Gates Foundation.

Volunteer training programs are coordinated with initiatives such as Missing Maps, YouthMappers, MapGive, and academic courses at University College London and Harvard Humanitarian Initiative. Community events include mapathons hosted by organizations like American Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders, DevelopmentSeed, and conferences where researchers from Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and University of Oxford present findings.

Use Cases and Impact

Use cases span disaster response to disasters like 2010 Haiti earthquake, 2015 Nepal earthquake, 2013 Typhoon Haiyan, and public health responses such as the 2014 Ebola epidemic in West Africa and 2019–20 Australian bushfire season. Development applications include urban planning for cities like Kigali, Monrovia, Port-au-Prince, Kathmandu, and Manila, as well as agricultural mapping projects in regions covered by World Bank or FAO programs. Research collaborations with Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, World Bank, and University of Washington have analyzed impacts on disaster preparedness and response metrics used by UN OCHA.

The platform’s outputs feed into humanitarian workflows at United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Médecins Sans Frontières, and local NGOs, informing logistics, needs assessments, and public health interventions.

Security and Data Privacy

Security practices draw on standards promoted by organizations like Open Web Application Security Project, International Organization for Standardization, and data policies used by United Nations agencies. Authentication integrates OAuth and account systems from OpenStreetMap Foundation, GitHub, and Google with role-based access controls similar to enterprise platforms used by Esri and GeoServer deployments. Privacy considerations align with guidance from UNICEF, World Health Organization, and International Committee of the Red Cross on sensitive data, especially for conflict-affected areas like Syria, Yemen, and South Sudan.

Data licensing follows Open Database License and OpenStreetMap norms to ensure interoperability with initiatives such as OpenAerialMap and Humanitarian Data Exchange.

Category:OpenStreetMap Category:Humanitarian technology