UNDP Digital X Catalogue に応募する #860
Description
#856 からの分岐です。
For discussion: UNDP Digital X Catalogue に応募してみたい件
類似例: GitHub for Government, Global Refugee Forum Pledges
Name of the digital solution
Smart Maps for Development (based on the gsimaps method)
Name of the organization
Domain Working Group 7 of the UN Open GIS Initiative
What do you do
A low-bandwidth, white-label web map method and template-derived from the proven gsimaps OSS philosophy that enabled rapid localization and resuse for development contexts
Website
Project - https://github.com/unopengis/7
Upstream methodology reference: https://github.com/gsi-cyberjapan/gsimaps
Problem statement
Governments, development teams, and humanitarian actors often struggle to publish and maintain web maps in low-bandwidth or disaster-prone environments. Existing solutions are costly to maintain, difficult to localize, and often require specialized vendor support—creating barriers for countries with limited connectivity, budgets, or technical staff.
Solution
Smart Maps for Development is a configuration-driven, white-label web mapping method and template. It follows the lightweight and reusable design principles of the gsimaps open-source family while remaining an independent, generalizable implementation model.
Key features:
- Extremely low bandwidth footprint
- Works with existing government data, OSM, and HDX
- Fully configurable via simple text-based layer/UI settings
- Fast localization (languages, scripts, branding)
- No vendor lock-in; deployable on minimal infrastructure
- Reusable across multiple agencies and countries
By reducing deployment time, technical burden, and cost, the solution expands access to geospatial information for communities with limited connectivity and digital capacity.
How it works
- Identify available data sources, languages, and bandwidth constraints.
- Configure map layers, UI components, and branding with no forking required.
- Stand up a prototype using open data or partner-provided datasets.
- Deploy the production instance in a lightweight hosting environment.
- Support reuse by sharing configuration files rather than code forks.
Impact
The upstream gsimaps method—on which this implementation model is based—has been continuously operated by the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan since 2013 with high availability and large-scale public use, demonstrating long-term stability, low maintenance cost, and national-level reliability.
Case Study
The underlying gsimaps method is used by Japan’s national geospatial authority to publish disaster-related geospatial layers—such as orthophotos and damage classifications—during floods, earthquakes, and other emergencies.
Smart Maps for Development generalizes this method into a reusable implementation model that enables governments or development partners to rapidly stand up similar lightweight public-facing maps in their own contexts, without adopting the original product or requiring external vendor support.
Optional accomplishments
The method has inspired multiple derivative OSS tools within the UN Open GIS Initiative.
Partners
UN Open GIS Initiative
Geospatial Information Authority of Japan
UN Geospatial Information Section (UNGIS)
Dimensions
Human Security Dimension
Health; Environmental
SDGs (up to 3)
SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure)
SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals)
Technology
Open Source; White label
DPG URL
(blank)
Countries active
Japan (methodology provenance); reusable globally.
LTA (long-term agreement) with UN
No
Type of Organization
Other: Domain Working Group of an Initiative
Since when live?
2013 (upstream methodology)
Team size
0 (community-driven configuration and reuse model)
Sustainability
The upstream method is maintained within the regular program budgets of its originating institution.
Smart Maps for Development is configuration-based and has no dedicated operational cost.
Expansion plan
There is no predetermined feature roadmap.
The method is continuously improved through open-source contributions and field reuse, without creating binding commitments or expectations for future development.
Optional links
N/A