[4] Extensions of critical and participatory approaches to geographic information systems combines software tools with a joint activities to accomplish a community goal.
[5] Additionally, the aggregated data can be used for a Location-based service like available public transport options at the geolocation where a mobile device is currently used (GPS-sensor).
Collaborative implies the possibility of edition by several distinct individuals so the term would tend to exclude applications where the maps are not meant for the general user to modify.
Collaborative mapping and specifically surface sharing faces the same problems as revision control, namely concurrent access issues and versioning.
In addition to these problems, collaborative maps must deal with the difficult issue of cluttering, due to the geometric constraints inherent in the media.
[10] Other overlays-based collaborative mapping tools follow a different approach and focus on user centered content creation and experience.
Open Source tools like ODK are used to collect the mapping data (e.g. about health care facilities or humanitarian operations) with a survey that could automatically insert the geolocation into the survey data that could include visual information (e.g. images, videos) and audio samples collected at the current geolocation.