How People Search For Locations

How people search for locations(and how OSM can make it easier)

Ed FreyfogleSOTM2009

Who am I?

Property search engine

Currently four EU countries

1M+ users/monthAll searching for locations

Users are weird and make mistakes

Key Learning:

Mis pellings and typos^S

• “marlyebone”

• “clarkenwell”

• “balencia”

• “mannnheim”

• “direnze”

To much information

• “London E1”

• “in der nähe von münchen”

• “greater birmingham”

• “UK soho london england great brit”

• “Maiano di Firenze”

Not enough information

• “Zentrum”

• “near the station”

• “South”

• “Gran Via”

• “ vista mare”

Is that supposed to mean something?

• K, B, KA

• hearts & beds, Chueca

• 0207, 089

• 20100

• 2brücken

Usability issues

Search box: above the fold

Usability issues

Search box: ABOVE THE FOLD

Usability issues

Search box: ABOVE THE FOLD!!!!

Usability issues

Search box:??????????

OSM actually has a good search

It’s just not on osm.org and no one knows about it. Why not?(note where the search box is!!!!)

We want to helpWe will sponsor someone to work on making OSM / open source geo query parsing better.

• Office space (in Central London)• Datasets• Computers• Funding

Ideal project for student?

Thanks OSM Community!

Learn more

http://blog.nestoria.co.ukTwitter: @nestoria

Questions?