Masterportal - Hamburg
City / Region
Hamburg (Germany)
In a nutshell
Masterportal exists since 2014 and is used like a kind of construction kit whenever web-based map applications are needed - as a stand-alone application or as part of an e-government solution. Currently, more than 100 geoportals based on Masterportal technology are used in Hamburg and the surrounding metropolitan region, with specialized data on various topics such as urban development, urban land use planning, mobility, tourism or environment.
One of the main features of Masterportal is its interactive (2D/3D) map, which allows users to search for points of interest, simulate building shade, and overlay various layers of data, such as building footprints, transportation networks, and land use. Users can also use the map to access information on real-time traffic conditions, public transit schedules, bike paths and traffic disruptions. In addition to the map, Masterportal offers tools for data analysis, such as the ability to create custom charts and graphs based on selected datasets. Users can download raw data files for further analysis or use in their own applications. The software is sustainably further developed, maintained, and controlled by a growing implementation partnership of federal, state and local governments.
Masterportal is an open-source software with open standards. It is published under the MIT open-source license and is therefore accessible and free to use for everyone. It is systematically based on data retrieval via OGC standards and is therefore ideally suited as a geoportal for existing geodata infrastructures as well as novel IoT or smart city applications. Configuring Masterportal is easy and requires no programming knowledge. It only requires a web server and available data services from any geodata infrastructure which means, it is very admin-friendly to use. Further, Masterportal is built responsively from the ground up and it works on mobile devices, tablets, and the desktop which makes it easy to use for several use cases.
What makes the service user-centric?
Masterportal is a unique user-centric service in Europe and matches with the Local Tallinn Declaration Principles. Therefore, it is the perfect candidate to receive the User CentriCities Award.
First of all, as an open-source software, Masterportal is easily accessible and usable for everyone, regardless of their technical expertise or abilities. It is optimized for accessibility, with features such as screen reader support, high-contrast mode and keyboard navigation. Masterportal’s documentation is written with the user in mind. The documentation is clear and concise, with step-by-step instructions that make it easy for users to get started with the platform. In addition, it has a customizable user interface that allows its users to customize based on their needs and preferences. Users can choose the layout, the tools as well as the needed functionality, allowing them to work more efficiently. Further, Masterportal is designed with an intuitive navigation structure, making it easy for users to find the information they need quickly at a glance. The portal uses a simple, user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate, even for non-technical users, which is perfect to make Masterportal more diverse and broader in terms of users.
Digital interaction is also given since Masterportal’s development is driven by user needs and feedback. The platform’s developers actively engage with users to gather feedback and suggestions, which are used to shape new features and improvements. This offers mutual advantages. Masterportal is created by an innovative and motivated administration that put the user at the center of their operations and by doing so, they create a much better user experience. A freely accessible issue tracker can be used to report software errors: https://bitbucket.org/geowerkstatt-hamburg/masterportal/issues. By providing services that meet the needs of their customers, we have been able to improve customer satisfaction and increased customer loyalty.
Latest news about Masterportal will be announced regularly on Twitter and the user community is invited to join the discussion: https://twitter.com/masterportalorg.
As a digital tool, Masterportal reduces the administrative burdens on a natural way. In Hamburg urban districts use Masterportal instances to ease every day matters of a public administration such as trail keeper duties, preparation of field work or decisions on positioning of city furniture such as cycling racks. By designing services and processes around the user’s needs (citizen wise and administrative wise), tools like Masterportal are supportive for cost reduction associated with providing services. By that, Masterportal helps administrations to eliminate unnecessary steps, reduce errors, and to automate processes. We, as the city of Hamburg, are the best example of this.
Concerning citizen engagement, Masterportal builds the core element for the most relevant digital citizen participation system in Hamburg, called DIPAS (https://www.dipas.org/). With DIPAS, citizens can access digital maps, aerial photos, plans, 3D models, and geospatial data from home, on the go or at events, and provide precisely localized feedback on planning projects. DIPAS can be used for a wide range of topics, ultimately for all planning procedures that have a clear spatial reference. The system uses the diversity of public geodata for this purpose and thus facilitates an informed discussion between experts and laypersons. The DIPAS navigator automatically aggregates all procedure metadata on a city-wide level via standardized interfaces. The website is thus the entry and starting point for all committed citizens. The participation tool DIPAS relies on Masterportal as its technology core.
Digital Services in Hamburg need to be designed in an easily user-friendly, accessible, and visually attractive way so that they are used by both: citizens and administrations. A successful example of this as a digital service for urban planners, also based on Masterportal technology, is the Cockpit Urban Infrastructures (https://geofos.fhhnet.stadt.hamburg.de/cosi/index.php). This tool was developed at the request of neighborhood planners and enables cross-domain planning. It’s a map-based web application for digital, integrated planning of neighborhoods. In CoSI, information on urban infrastructure offerings as well as statistical (social) data can be displayed, correlated, and analyses and simulations can be performed (e.g., supply and accessibility). The aim of the service is to adapt urban infrastructures earlier to changes in the environment and focuses in the target group of employees of the Hamburg administration who are involved in neighborhood planning and development. CoSI is used highly frequented, and its application development is (of course) based on Masterportal. Attractive examples, such as CoSI are in Hamburg relevant as incentives for digital service use.
Referring to the above paragraphs, Masterportal offers a wide range of functions and supports international geographic data standards. A large developer community is constantly creating new services and usage options. The implementation community, unique in Germany, creates stability and sovereignty. This leads to a constant improvement of Masterportal. Having this as a background, Masterportal is unique in its focus on the user. Developers and its community have created a tool that is highly customizable, intuitive to use, and accessible to all users, making it a powerful tool for data visualization and analysis and beyond. This leads to an ongoing co-creating process that results in continuous improvement of Masterportal’s features and performance. Additionally it leads to a culture of innovation that encourages developers, working on Masterportal and its community to develop more creative solutions to meet user needs. This can help the administrations using Masterportal to stay ahead of the curve and provide better services over time. This in turn brings more transparency and provides more trust and confidence in the administration. Hamburg is very proud to have created and inserted Masterportal as a uniquely user-centric service/tool. The acceptance of Masterportal and its user-centeredness are reflected above all in the steadily increasing number of additional members of the implementation partnership.
Winning the award would greatly encourage us to continue working on openly accessible digital solutions and services. It would even strengthen the entire implementation partnership to work more network-oriented in the future and to consider open standards. Above all, it would be a strong sign to all citizens using Masterportal to continue to rely on administrational services now and in the future. It can strengthen citizens to continue to vehemently demand user-friendly, easily accessible, and intuitive services from their administrations. Concerning the above, Masterportal is the perfect contender for the User CentriCities Award.
First of all, as an open-source software, Masterportal is easily accessible and usable for everyone, regardless of their technical expertise or abilities. It is optimized for accessibility, with features such as screen reader support, high-contrast mode and keyboard navigation. Masterportal’s documentation is written with the user in mind. The documentation is clear and concise, with step-by-step instructions that make it easy for users to get started with the platform. In addition, it has a customizable user interface that allows its users to customize based on their needs and preferences. Users can choose the layout, the tools as well as the needed functionality, allowing them to work more efficiently. Further, Masterportal is designed with an intuitive navigation structure, making it easy for users to find the information they need quickly at a glance. The portal uses a simple, user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate, even for non-technical users, which is perfect to make Masterportal more diverse and broader in terms of users.
Digital interaction is also given since Masterportal’s development is driven by user needs and feedback. The platform’s developers actively engage with users to gather feedback and suggestions, which are used to shape new features and improvements. This offers mutual advantages. Masterportal is created by an innovative and motivated administration that put the user at the center of their operations and by doing so, they create a much better user experience. A freely accessible issue tracker can be used to report software errors: https://bitbucket.org/geowerkstatt-hamburg/masterportal/issues. By providing services that meet the needs of their customers, we have been able to improve customer satisfaction and increased customer loyalty.
Latest news about Masterportal will be announced regularly on Twitter and the user community is invited to join the discussion: https://twitter.com/masterportalorg.
As a digital tool, Masterportal reduces the administrative burdens on a natural way. In Hamburg urban districts use Masterportal instances to ease every day matters of a public administration such as trail keeper duties, preparation of field work or decisions on positioning of city furniture such as cycling racks. By designing services and processes around the user’s needs (citizen wise and administrative wise), tools like Masterportal are supportive for cost reduction associated with providing services. By that, Masterportal helps administrations to eliminate unnecessary steps, reduce errors, and to automate processes. We, as the city of Hamburg, are the best example of this.
Concerning citizen engagement, Masterportal builds the core element for the most relevant digital citizen participation system in Hamburg, called DIPAS (https://www.dipas.org/). With DIPAS, citizens can access digital maps, aerial photos, plans, 3D models, and geospatial data from home, on the go or at events, and provide precisely localized feedback on planning projects. DIPAS can be used for a wide range of topics, ultimately for all planning procedures that have a clear spatial reference. The system uses the diversity of public geodata for this purpose and thus facilitates an informed discussion between experts and laypersons. The DIPAS navigator automatically aggregates all procedure metadata on a city-wide level via standardized interfaces. The website is thus the entry and starting point for all committed citizens. The participation tool DIPAS relies on Masterportal as its technology core.
Digital Services in Hamburg need to be designed in an easily user-friendly, accessible, and visually attractive way so that they are used by both: citizens and administrations. A successful example of this as a digital service for urban planners, also based on Masterportal technology, is the Cockpit Urban Infrastructures (https://geofos.fhhnet.stadt.hamburg.de/cosi/index.php). This tool was developed at the request of neighborhood planners and enables cross-domain planning. It’s a map-based web application for digital, integrated planning of neighborhoods. In CoSI, information on urban infrastructure offerings as well as statistical (social) data can be displayed, correlated, and analyses and simulations can be performed (e.g., supply and accessibility). The aim of the service is to adapt urban infrastructures earlier to changes in the environment and focuses in the target group of employees of the Hamburg administration who are involved in neighborhood planning and development. CoSI is used highly frequented, and its application development is (of course) based on Masterportal. Attractive examples, such as CoSI are in Hamburg relevant as incentives for digital service use.
Referring to the above paragraphs, Masterportal offers a wide range of functions and supports international geographic data standards. A large developer community is constantly creating new services and usage options. The implementation community, unique in Germany, creates stability and sovereignty. This leads to a constant improvement of Masterportal. Having this as a background, Masterportal is unique in its focus on the user. Developers and its community have created a tool that is highly customizable, intuitive to use, and accessible to all users, making it a powerful tool for data visualization and analysis and beyond. This leads to an ongoing co-creating process that results in continuous improvement of Masterportal’s features and performance. Additionally it leads to a culture of innovation that encourages developers, working on Masterportal and its community to develop more creative solutions to meet user needs. This can help the administrations using Masterportal to stay ahead of the curve and provide better services over time. This in turn brings more transparency and provides more trust and confidence in the administration. Hamburg is very proud to have created and inserted Masterportal as a uniquely user-centric service/tool. The acceptance of Masterportal and its user-centeredness are reflected above all in the steadily increasing number of additional members of the implementation partnership.
Winning the award would greatly encourage us to continue working on openly accessible digital solutions and services. It would even strengthen the entire implementation partnership to work more network-oriented in the future and to consider open standards. Above all, it would be a strong sign to all citizens using Masterportal to continue to rely on administrational services now and in the future. It can strengthen citizens to continue to vehemently demand user-friendly, easily accessible, and intuitive services from their administrations. Concerning the above, Masterportal is the perfect contender for the User CentriCities Award.
What impact has the service had?
Masterportal, as a web-based platform that provides access to geospatial data and tools for analysis, visualization, and sharing of spatial information in Hamburg, provides benefits for both citizens and administration.
For citizens, Masterportal technology and application offers access to up-to-date and detailed information about the city's infrastructure, land use, and public services. This information is presented in an easily understandable format through various applications, which helps citizens to engage more effectively in urban planning and decision-making processes. Citizens can also use Masterportal platforms to voice their opinions and concerns about different aspects of urban planning, which enables them to participate more actively in shaping their communities and daily life. Some key benefits for citizens are listed as follows:
1. Accessing information: Citizens can use Masterportal through various applications to access up-to-date information about their city's infrastructure, land use, public services, and other important aspects of urban life. They can view maps, photos, and other visual aids to help them understand and navigate the city.
2. Participating in urban planning processes: Masterportal provides tools and applications (e.g. DIPAS) that enable citizens to participate in urban planning processes. For example, citizens can submit feedback on proposed developments, participate in public consultations, and engage with urban planners and other stakeholders.
3. Reporting issues: Citizens can use applications using Masterportal software to report issues such as potholes, broken streetlights, and other infrastructure problems. This helps the administration to identify and address these issues more quickly and efficiently.
4. Making informed decisions: By accessing the information available via Masterportal technology, citizens can make more informed decisions about their daily lives. For example, they can plan their commutes more efficiently by using the real-time information on public transport services available on the Masterportal.
5. Learning about the city's history and culture: Masterportal builds the core for applications providing information on the city's historical landmarks, cultural events, and other aspects of its heritage. Citizens can use this information to deepen their understanding and appreciation of their city's past and present.
Referring to these points, Masterportal technology and applications provide citizens with a range of tools and resources that enable them to engage more actively in urban planning processes and make more informed decisions about their daily lives.
Of course, Masterportal has also several impacts on administrations, which are outlined as follows:
1. Improved Data Sharing and Collaboration: Masterportal provides a single platform for accessing, sharing, and collaborating on geospatial data across different administrative departments. This allows for better coordination and decision-making, leading to more efficient and effective service delivery.
2. Increased Efficiency: Masterportal simplifies and streamlines the process of accessing and analyzing geospatial data, reducing the time and effort required to find and use relevant information. This results in increased efficiency and productivity for administration staff.
3. Better Decision-Making: Masterportal provides access to a wide range of geospatial data and analysis tools, which can be used to inform decision-making processes. This helps administrations make better-informed decisions, leading to improved outcomes.
4. Enhanced Transparency and Accountability: Masterportal promotes transparency and accountability by making geospatial data publicly accessible. This allows citizens to access and use data for their own purposes, increasing transparency and accountability of administrations.
5. Improved Service Delivery: Masterportal facilitates the planning and delivery of services by providing access to up-to-date geospatial data. This allows for better identification of service gaps and more efficient service delivery.
Referring to these points, Masterportal is leading to improved efficiency, better decision-making, and enhanced transparency and accountability for administrations. The promoted transparency helps to build trust with citizens and other stakeholders. Further, the high flexibility and adaptability empowers administrations to customize Masterportal in detail to meet the specific needs of different stakeholders, such as developers, investors and community groups and especially its citizens.
For citizens, Masterportal technology and application offers access to up-to-date and detailed information about the city's infrastructure, land use, and public services. This information is presented in an easily understandable format through various applications, which helps citizens to engage more effectively in urban planning and decision-making processes. Citizens can also use Masterportal platforms to voice their opinions and concerns about different aspects of urban planning, which enables them to participate more actively in shaping their communities and daily life. Some key benefits for citizens are listed as follows:
1. Accessing information: Citizens can use Masterportal through various applications to access up-to-date information about their city's infrastructure, land use, public services, and other important aspects of urban life. They can view maps, photos, and other visual aids to help them understand and navigate the city.
2. Participating in urban planning processes: Masterportal provides tools and applications (e.g. DIPAS) that enable citizens to participate in urban planning processes. For example, citizens can submit feedback on proposed developments, participate in public consultations, and engage with urban planners and other stakeholders.
3. Reporting issues: Citizens can use applications using Masterportal software to report issues such as potholes, broken streetlights, and other infrastructure problems. This helps the administration to identify and address these issues more quickly and efficiently.
4. Making informed decisions: By accessing the information available via Masterportal technology, citizens can make more informed decisions about their daily lives. For example, they can plan their commutes more efficiently by using the real-time information on public transport services available on the Masterportal.
5. Learning about the city's history and culture: Masterportal builds the core for applications providing information on the city's historical landmarks, cultural events, and other aspects of its heritage. Citizens can use this information to deepen their understanding and appreciation of their city's past and present.
Referring to these points, Masterportal technology and applications provide citizens with a range of tools and resources that enable them to engage more actively in urban planning processes and make more informed decisions about their daily lives.
Of course, Masterportal has also several impacts on administrations, which are outlined as follows:
1. Improved Data Sharing and Collaboration: Masterportal provides a single platform for accessing, sharing, and collaborating on geospatial data across different administrative departments. This allows for better coordination and decision-making, leading to more efficient and effective service delivery.
2. Increased Efficiency: Masterportal simplifies and streamlines the process of accessing and analyzing geospatial data, reducing the time and effort required to find and use relevant information. This results in increased efficiency and productivity for administration staff.
3. Better Decision-Making: Masterportal provides access to a wide range of geospatial data and analysis tools, which can be used to inform decision-making processes. This helps administrations make better-informed decisions, leading to improved outcomes.
4. Enhanced Transparency and Accountability: Masterportal promotes transparency and accountability by making geospatial data publicly accessible. This allows citizens to access and use data for their own purposes, increasing transparency and accountability of administrations.
5. Improved Service Delivery: Masterportal facilitates the planning and delivery of services by providing access to up-to-date geospatial data. This allows for better identification of service gaps and more efficient service delivery.
Referring to these points, Masterportal is leading to improved efficiency, better decision-making, and enhanced transparency and accountability for administrations. The promoted transparency helps to build trust with citizens and other stakeholders. Further, the high flexibility and adaptability empowers administrations to customize Masterportal in detail to meet the specific needs of different stakeholders, such as developers, investors and community groups and especially its citizens.
How was the service co-created?
Masterportal was developed according to the needs and wishes of customers as a naturally co-creative process. During the development process of Masterportal as well as currently, during its further development, an iterative approach was and is always taken. Therefore, it is important to note that Masterportal is not a finite project that can be completed. Rather, it is structured the way good technologies should be; as an iterative, ever-improving process involving all stakeholders.
Another example for running co-creative aspects is the integration of Masterportal in several hackathon-events (e.g.: https://www.hamburg-logistik.net/aktuelles/termine/5-its-hackathon/ or https://gobeta.de/veranstaltungen/rad-daten-hackathon-hamburg-2023/).Through the community and platform of hackathons, we use the opportunity to enter into direct exchange with users of Masterportal. In doing so, we benefit from the creative and forward-looking spirit of these modern event formats and can personally point out errors and improvements of Masterportal.
Furthermore, we collect regular surveys among our users regarding the handling, error-proneness, user-friendlyness and missing features of Masterportal. For 2022 high satisfaction ratings were achieved among participants. The survey measure has already enabled us to make Masterportal significantly more performant. This is an important point, also for all our benefiting users. In 2022, for example, the LGV conducted an online survey among users of the Hamburg Geoportal. Approximately 750 people participated in the survey. Among other things, the survey results provided valuable information on how to improve the usabililty and will be incorporated into the development of the next major update. The release of this version (Masterportal 3.0) is planned for summer 2023.
One of the most important points regarding the use of co-creation in designing the service is the existing implementation partnership of Masterportal. Almost 40 partners, including Hamburg and Germany's largest cities (Berlin, Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt/M. and Stuttgart.), several municipal data centers, several German states as well as the Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy are constantly working on the further development of the product, and this is always user-oriented for citizens and administrations. The Masterportal implementation partnership jointly manages the the strategic and technical further development. Members of the partnership benefit from the know-how of other members and have central influence on the future of the Masterportal. Both in terms of design and functionality. Members are also supported by the product management of Masterportal and come into direct contact with experts from Masterportal and the geodata environment. This two-way exchange promotes the performance of the Masterportal and ensures its continuous improvement. A strong implementation partnership enables Hamburg and its implementation partners to achieve a high level of digital sovereignty as well as a high-quality standard for data.
All applications based on Masterportal technology are designed by using co-creation. One explicit example for this is the club-cadaster of Hamburg (https://geoportal-hamburg.de/club-kataster/) which shows transparently all existing clubs of the city in order to solve possible conflicts of interest between building projects and cultural use already at an early planning stage. This is one of many examples that was developed according to user needs.
Please find all our applications based on Masterportal here: https://www.en.urbandataplatform.hamburg/applications.
In order to establish the Masterportal more strongly in an international context, the Masterportal is currently in the process of being accepted as a project of the Open Source Geospatial Foundation (OSGeo). The OsGeo is a non-profit organization whose mission is to support and promote the collaborative development of open source geospatial software, data and education (https://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/OSGeo_Description).
Another example for running co-creative aspects is the integration of Masterportal in several hackathon-events (e.g.: https://www.hamburg-logistik.net/aktuelles/termine/5-its-hackathon/ or https://gobeta.de/veranstaltungen/rad-daten-hackathon-hamburg-2023/).Through the community and platform of hackathons, we use the opportunity to enter into direct exchange with users of Masterportal. In doing so, we benefit from the creative and forward-looking spirit of these modern event formats and can personally point out errors and improvements of Masterportal.
Furthermore, we collect regular surveys among our users regarding the handling, error-proneness, user-friendlyness and missing features of Masterportal. For 2022 high satisfaction ratings were achieved among participants. The survey measure has already enabled us to make Masterportal significantly more performant. This is an important point, also for all our benefiting users. In 2022, for example, the LGV conducted an online survey among users of the Hamburg Geoportal. Approximately 750 people participated in the survey. Among other things, the survey results provided valuable information on how to improve the usabililty and will be incorporated into the development of the next major update. The release of this version (Masterportal 3.0) is planned for summer 2023.
One of the most important points regarding the use of co-creation in designing the service is the existing implementation partnership of Masterportal. Almost 40 partners, including Hamburg and Germany's largest cities (Berlin, Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt/M. and Stuttgart.), several municipal data centers, several German states as well as the Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy are constantly working on the further development of the product, and this is always user-oriented for citizens and administrations. The Masterportal implementation partnership jointly manages the the strategic and technical further development. Members of the partnership benefit from the know-how of other members and have central influence on the future of the Masterportal. Both in terms of design and functionality. Members are also supported by the product management of Masterportal and come into direct contact with experts from Masterportal and the geodata environment. This two-way exchange promotes the performance of the Masterportal and ensures its continuous improvement. A strong implementation partnership enables Hamburg and its implementation partners to achieve a high level of digital sovereignty as well as a high-quality standard for data.
All applications based on Masterportal technology are designed by using co-creation. One explicit example for this is the club-cadaster of Hamburg (https://geoportal-hamburg.de/club-kataster/) which shows transparently all existing clubs of the city in order to solve possible conflicts of interest between building projects and cultural use already at an early planning stage. This is one of many examples that was developed according to user needs.
Please find all our applications based on Masterportal here: https://www.en.urbandataplatform.hamburg/applications.
In order to establish the Masterportal more strongly in an international context, the Masterportal is currently in the process of being accepted as a project of the Open Source Geospatial Foundation (OSGeo). The OsGeo is a non-profit organization whose mission is to support and promote the collaborative development of open source geospatial software, data and education (https://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/OSGeo_Description).
