Vici.org is a crowd-sourced map of ancient Rome that allows users to add markers, images, and line tracings to locations. The project aims to open up its database for others to contribute and access geographic data, taking inspiration from Wikipedia. As of mid-2014, the map has over 200 registered users but only 68 have contributed by adding markers, with most markers coming from a small number of top contributors. The project faces challenges in attracting more international contributors and developing community features to further engage users.
9. Design considerations
When creating a database backend, why not opening
it up for others to add / edit data?
If others provide data, why not help them to retrieve
and access the data?
Wikipedia as a model, but maps central & multi-lingual
Map embeddable by other websites
Open JSON API, Pelagios RDF, downloads
10. Core functionality
Users can add:
Markers (since February 2012)
Images (since May 2013)
KML line tracings (March 2014)
.. but no real community supporting features as of
yet.
18. User engagement
summarized
200 activated user accounts
68 users added markers
6073 markers added by users
90% of all markers were added by 9 users.
!
(June 2014)
27. Discussion
How to attract users beyond NL, DE and BE?
What did the 132 users that only registered expect?
Populating the map enough appears to have been
essential in engaging users
Will an investment in community features pay off?
Stuck in the middle between science and
marketing?