AI-ASSISTED · EDITOR-REVIEWED

Theme brief

Collaboration can divide research, field collection, design and review, or let many people contribute directly to one shared map. Define who decides what, record contributor credit, and choose a workflow that preserves edits instead of passing files back and forth.

Official prompt
“Do a map with a friend, colleague or a stranger. AI doesn't count as a friend :)”
30DayMapChallenge 2026

02

WAYS IN

Four map ideas

01
Ask friends in different cities to map the same everyday experience.
02
Run a one-day neighbourhood accessibility audit with shared observations.
03
Pair a data analyst with an illustrator and show both approaches.
04
Join an OpenStreetMap task and map the contribution process itself.

03

IN THE DIRECTORY

Recommended tools

Felt

Built around simultaneous editing, comments and shareable web maps.

Freemium · View details

uMap

Supports approachable collaborative maps on an OpenStreetMap base.

Open source · View details

Mergin Maps

Synchronizes QGIS projects and field data across a team.

Freemium · View details

QField

Useful for coordinated mobile field mapping with a QGIS workflow.

Open source · View details

04

START WITH A CLEAR LICENSE

Data sources

Team-collected observations

Set shared fields, validation and contributor credit at the start.

Agree before publishing OpenStreetMap base data

Follow the tile provider policy as well as the database attribution rules.

ODbL 1.0 · attribution required Your own observations

Document the collection method, date and privacy decisions.

You choose the license

Licenses are a planning aid, not legal advice. Check the source record and version you actually download; terms can vary within a catalog.

05

BEFORE YOU EXPORT

Cartography check

Credit every contributor on the map and describe the division of work. The collaboration is part of the artifact.

06

COMMUNITY MAPS

Selected work

Selections begin after this theme closes.

First participate officially by posting publicly with #30DayMapChallenge. You can then suggest that original post for our independent MapTools picks. We link to the source, credit every author and use images only with permission.

Suggest for MapTools picks