Quality Assessment of Volunteered Geographic Information using Open Web Map Services within OpenAddresses

Geocoded address data serve as reference datasets for a broad range of applications. OpenAddresses (OA) is a volunteered geographic information (VGI) project integrating address data collected by volunteers into a central database and offering access to this database free of charge. However, the value of the data depends strongly on its quality. The ISO/TC 211 19100 series of standards provide a framework to assure and document the quality of geo-spatial information, acting as a toolset for the assessment and documentation of gathered data. Open Web Mapping Services (OWMS), such as Bing Maps and others are open and freely accessible services that provide maps along with interfaces to customise and use this data infrastructure. This paper examines and outlines how these OWMS can be integrated as reference dataset in the quality management of OA records. This paper mainly summarises the findings of the master thesis 'Quality assurance of crowdsourced geocoded address-data within OpenAddresses. Concepts and implementation.' (STARK 2010) and introduces further approaches in the quality management applied by volunteers.