Map my Kerala: build an own map
Cartography
This program aims to provide an accurate, community-enhanced digital mapping platform that supports government efforts like disaster management, emergency sheltering and everyday users while promoting Kerala’s culture and sustainable tourism through an intuitive, accessible, and offline-capable mobile experience.
Areas of contribution
User research
Prototyping
Open source contribution
Community collaboration
Stakeholder workshops
Key principles
User-centricity above all else
Collaboration as a core practice
Scalability by design
Transparency builds trust
Platform
Mobile first website
Time line
9 weeks
My role
Leading a small UX team in collaboration with government stakeholders
As the lead UX designer, I guided a team of one junior designer in creating the Map My Kerala mobile app, working closely with officials from the Kerala State IT Mission.
My role involved setting the design direction, aligning government objectives with user needs, and ensuring every design decision balanced public accessibility, technical feasibility, and policy compliance. I facilitated regular co-creation sessions with government stakeholders to gather feedback, validate design choices, and maintain transparency throughout the process
Challenge
Improving usability and engagement to strengthen community-driven mapping
The existing Map My Kerala web app faced major usability and engagement issues that limited community contribution effectiveness in 3 major aspects,
Lack of easiness for a seamless and accurate user contributions.
Need to bridge digital and real-world mapping needs.
Improvement of engagement and feedback loops.
Understand the problem
During the initial research we found that, we have to see the current issues in two different levels,
Usability issues with the existing platform that affecting the contribution
Network availability issues leads unable to complete the work on time
Old OSM mobile interface
User groups
Community volunteer
Residents of Kerala, ranging from school students to working professionals.
Pain points
Sometimes lack technical skills for advanced edits.
Need for simple, guided workflows and in-app tutorials.
Require acknowledgment or visible impact of their work.
Student contributor
College and university students, often from technical or geography-oriented courses.
Pain points
May need structured onboarding and certification.
Sometimes uncertain about data accuracy or editing rules.
Benefit from community support and quick feedback.
Government official
Employees of local self-government, IT mission staff, or GIS teams involved in public mapping.
Pain points
Require data validation and access control tools.
Need dashboards/reports for institutional usage.
Seek integration with existing government databases.
Easy onboarding
The original site lacked visual coherence, no real brand identity, inconsistent typography, and a color palette that didn’t reflect the spirit of the project. I saw an opportunity to give OpenDroneMap a visual system that matched its mission: powerful, open, and community-driven.
Clear call to actions to start
User can can easily understand, how to start the process of contribution and with leading indicators users can reach the final goal without any confusion.
Quick identification of any place by search
If the user wants to add a POI from other location, then a quick search enable user to find the exact location through interface.
Ask only for relevant details in a cascading manner
According to the details users are adding, the new corresponding details will come automatically, so the user doesn't need to find anything relevant.
Edit POI with clear communication of how
According to the details users are adding, the new corresponding details will come automatically, so the user doesn't need to find anything relevant.
Bulk upload of POI at any time
Some times the contributions are happening offline as well, so submitting all those details together once they have internet access.
Outcome
Accelerated mapping, community engagement, and open-data accessibility across Kerala
The new Map My Kerala app improved how people interact with local maps and open data. Over 1,200 local bodies now have accessible geospatial maps. Citizens can explore, contribute, and verify data with ease.
The design simplified workflows, making contributions faster and more accurate. Engagement increased as volunteers and government teams collaborated through a single, clear interface.
By aligning stakeholders and creating a user-friendly experience, the project strengthened transparency, community participation, and long-term scalability for Kerala’s open-data ecosystem.
