Mapathons

Maine Food Atlas Mapathons Starter Guide: A fun, community-based, data crowdsourcing exercise

At a Mapathon, many people come together to document their food system in a fun, social, and productive environment. Local knowledge is the driving force behind the success of the Atlas, and Mapathons are an excellent way to record that knowledge in each of Maine’s food communities. And because many hands make light work; a two-hour mapathon can add hundreds of new locations to the Atlas. Here’s a guide on how to get started putting together your own Mapathon:

Build your list

brainstorm, research, and collect your list of all the locations you hope to add during the Mapathon. Bring this list to the event to divvy up among participants.

 Make specific invitations

Participants will bring different sets of knowledge and skills, invite a diverse group. A mix of people with deep roots in the region or sector and those with nimble computer skills makes for a highly productive Mapathon.

 Provide a productive environment

Strong wifi, plenty of laptops, chairs, and table space are all essential. Pizza is a huge plus too! Give yourself enough time to map your whole list; you can plan on approximately four new listings per person per hour.

Follow up

Review the results of your Mapathon, fix any errors or omissions, and make a plan to get the new listings into the hands of the businesses that were added.

Need a hand?

If you have further questions or would like additional advice on creating your own Maine Food Atlas Mapathon, please feel welcome to reach out.

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