Google Maps Competition

Google University Mapping

The Challenge:

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater did not have much of a presence on Google Maps.  Google tasked students across the country and in Canada to improve the maps of the campuses as we competed using Google Map Maker.  Each map was judged by Google Map Technicians based on certain criteria:

• Mapping quality: Mapping additions and edits must be accurate and detailed.
• Mapping quantity: The more mapping additions and edits published, the better!
• Review quality: Reviews of mapping changes must be polite, helpful, and correct.
• Review quantity: The more reviews completed, the better!
• Explanation and thoroughness of your mapping contributions: Share with Google in a written or video piece why you have mapped your campus the way you have. Tell us what is important, and how that is reflected in your contributions to the map!

The Solution

We decided as a group to form a team and to represent the University in this competition.  We put together a group of motivated students, Chris Berryman, James Gardner, Amanda Kretschmer, and Audrey Salerno.  These students led my Chris, went through and put Whitewater on Google Maps, they drew out all the sidewalks, roads and buildings.  They also included all the places to eat on campus as well as different points of interest.

The Results

When the results from this competition were released on April 1, 2012, Team Pangea was notified that we had placed 3rd out of the other 50 teams that competed in this event. Here’s Google current map of campus.

In the process of this contest we also submitted a video to help explain why we did what we did.