The open data platform Socrata just released a new cloud mapping software called Mondara, designed for users with no GIS expertise, allowing them to build online maps from existing data Shapefile or KML files.
While Shapefiles or KML files are probably still pretty technical for most users, with Mondara any users can upload existing spreadsheets containing address information, and turn them into online maps.
Mondara provides an online interface for creating maps with existing data, as well as enabling users to add, managing and combine layers within the a map, providing a lot of detail about your location data.
Once you create a map you can easily export the map in multiple formats including KML, KMZ and Shapefile, as well as share anywhere with Youtube like embedding.
It’s an interesting new cloud mapping service priced at $499/month allowing you to create up to 100 online maps.
I’m curious to see how the mapping service works with the open data Socrata has helped cities like NYC, Chicago, Baltimore, Seattle, San Francisco, Austin and New Orleans publish online.
At first glance, Mondara looks like a slick tool for all of us non-mapping professionals help make sense of, and communicate the message available in this flood of big data we see coming out of our municipal governments.
