map mashups: collaboration

This is the email that each invited collaborator receives. Note the direct link to the map.

Each invited collaborator will receive an email with a link to the map. Clicking the link will open the map in Google Maps. Note the Save to My Maps link (1). Click this link to collaborate on this map.

The map information (2) shows the name, creation date, and the map's most recent edits. The information also shows the number of collaborators.

The Sign in link (3) shows that the collaborator has not signed into a Google account.

Sign in with the email address and password for the Google account (1), or create a free Google account (2).

Click the Edit button to make changes to the map.

Collaborators can now edit the Title (1), Description (2), click any point in the list (3) or point on the map to bring up a location information balloon (4), and add or edit any information in the balloon. Note that changing the balloon Title will also change the text in the List view.

In the edit mode you can use the hand tool (1) to move an exiting point on the map to a new location. Use the marker tool (2) to place a new point anywhere on the map. Use the line tool (3) to draw lines or to enclose a polygon (i.e. for a fire area).

To add a new marker enter the place information in the Search Field. Note that you do not always need an exact address to locate a place on the map. Google has an extensive database of businesses and major points. After you enter the location information, click the Search Maps button.

The new point appears on a map—but not the ONA map. Note the map title is National Portrait Gallery (1). The marker is correct (2) and the balloon has useful information.

To get the point on the ONA map, click the Save to… link (3).

Select the ONA 2010 Map from the list and click the Save button.

Google confirms that the location is saved to the ONA 2010 Map (1). Click the View map link (2) to see the National Portrait Gallery added to the ONA 2010 Map.

This shows the National Portrait Gallery on the ONA 2010 Map along with all of the other points on the map.

Each collaborator can add points through this same process. Collaborators can work on the map simultaneously. There is frequently a delay of up to one hour for collaboration points to show up on other collaborators' maps or on the published map. This is not an error in the collaboration process but is a delay in Google's processing.