Style, Export, Publish: Your First Web Map with QGIS

In this session, we’ll walk through a fast, approachable workflow that starts with downloading Geofabrik OSM extracts and ends with an interactive web map you can share anywhere.

We’ll use a prepared QGIS project with a folder structure that automatically loads and styles your data. Once your map looks great in QGIS, we’ll use the qgis2web plugin to export everything into a Leaflet or OpenLayers map—no coding required. Whether you’re brand-new to OSM or looking to streamline your personal mapping workflow, this night will give you a complete pipeline from data to web.

Agenda:
Introduction to MaptimeSEA/Code of Conduct:
We’ll introduce MaptimeSEA, highlight upcoming GIS events, and review the behavior we expect during this tutorial.
Introduction to OSM Data, Geofabrik, and the QGIS Project Setup
A quick overview of OpenStreetMap and Geofabrik downloads, plus an explanation of the predefined folder structure and prepared QGIS project that automatically loads and styles your data.

Hands-On Tutorial

• Part 1: Downloading and Preparing Your OSM Data
  Students will download Geofabrik OSM extracts (as shapefiles) for any world region they’re interested in and place them into the provided folder structure so the QGIS project can recognize and load them.
• Part 2: Exploring Your Styled Map in QGIS
  Open the prepared QGIS project to see your OSM layers automatically styled and organized. We’ll walk through layer visibility, symbology tweaks, labeling, and general map cleanup.
• Part 3: Exporting Your Map to the Web with qgis2web
  Use the qgis2web plugin to export your styled QGIS project as a Leaflet or OpenLayers interactive map. We’ll explore the output files, discuss hosting options, and share tips for customizing the final web map.

What to Bring:

• Your (charged) laptop
• A computer mouse
• Anything you need to stay comfortable for a 2-hour session

Getting There & Parking;
There are a few paid parking options nearby, including a lot at 414 10th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122.
Street parking is also available up the hill to the east around 16th–17th Ave, where it’s often possible to find free spots without too much circling. From there, it’s roughly an 8–10 minute walk downhill toward 12th.
If you’re driving, please plan a little extra time to park and walk over so you don’t miss the introductions.

How to Prepare:
Please check back in for any additional instructions, but here is the first step:

• QGIS Installation: Installing QGIS is a breeze, and the QGIS website has got you covered. Just follow their instructions to download the version that matches your computer's setup (Linux, Mac, or Windows). Any long-term release (LTR) of QGIS version 3.16 or newer will work. Here's the link to get started: https://www.qgis.org/en/site/forusers/download.html

Who Should Attend: Anyone curious about making maps with QGIS. No prior experience is required—whether you’re brand new to mapping or already comfortable with spatial tools, you’ll walk away with new skills.

Where to Go: Meet at the HRDG 143 inside the John and Judy Harding Building (HRDG) on Seattle University's campus. The building is located at the intersection of E Columbia St and 13th Ave. Please arrive at the entrance along E Columbia St so we can let you in if necessary :)

Instructors:
👤Karsten Vennemann is a GIS professional with a background in Geography and Soil Science. His work mostly focuses on GIS in the context of natural resources, sustainable development and social justice. In 2007 he started his own company, Terra GIS, based in Seattle. He teaches classes in Open Source GIS and a good portion of his consulting work involves creating and supporting Open Source based Web GIS solutions.