Using gamification to increase map data production during humanitarian volunteered geographic information (VGI) campaigns

Volunteered geographic information (VGI) offers a solution to inequalities in authoritative map data that can limit our response to humanitarian crises. However, sustaining voluntary contributions of map data can be difficult and hybrid machine learning-VGI (ML-VGI) workflows developed to encourage sustained volunteer contributions have been demonstrated to be insufficient. Gamification can be used to encourage volunteers to map for longer, however evaluations of gamification to increase humanitarian mapping contributions are rare. Here we develop a gamified humanitarian ML-VGI mapping platform (“Map Safari”) and evaluate the use of game elements to encourage sustained volunteer contributions without reducing contribution quality. Our results suggest that gamification makes mapping more fun, particularly for first time mappers, without degrading map data quality. Competition is demonstrated to be important for encouraging enjoyment of game elements and increasing map data contributions. Future gamified mapping platforms should emphasize competition and ensure there are enough game elements to make platform use feel game-like. This research demonstrates that gamification can be used to encourage continued voluntary contributions of map data thereby increasing the amount of map data available to humanitarian organizations.