Product applications and uses

OS OML can support a wide range of customer applications that utilise geographic information. The product is ideal for providing backdrop mapping on websites and displaying business locations on small-scale 'street level' maps.

Backdrop mapping on a website

OS OML has been designed for on-screen use, with generalised detail and an appropriate level of content that gives an uncluttered appearance.

The layered structure of the vectorised versions of OS OML enables you to display a map to show only the features you want to show (for example, roads, place names and buildings). In contrast, the rasterised version provides you with a pre-rendered and styled 'out of the box' backdrop mapping solution.

In both cases, you have the option to fade the map backdrop to ensure that your own or third-party overlaid data is clearly portrayed. This can be useful in cases where you need to draw attention to a specific point or feature.

Backdrop mapping is often used by public sector organisations to share information with the public, for example, providing the public with the location of GP surgeries or dentists within a set area.

Assessing local sites of interest

OS OML lets you easily assess local sites of interest (for example, educational facilities), highlighting their location and context within an area. The backdrop style of the product gives great insight into an area while allowing the chosen data to stand out.

Educational sites map using OS OML as a contextual background.

Identifying hotspots in data within local areas

OS OML allows you to quickly identify hotspots in data (for example, recorded crime location or property prices) for representation within a local area. The muted colours of the detailed backdrop map give your information more prominence.

Crimes recorded in one week in a heat-map of an area of Gloucester using OS OML as a contextual background. The street level detail of the product indicates which buildings and areas have been impacted by crime within a set time period.

Displaying the location of a business

The local view of OS OML is ideal for creating a map of a street or neighbourhood to share the location of your business, complete with street and locality names to provide context.

OS OML features are generalised representations, but they still hold an instantly recognisable geometry to their associated real-world object. These objects include things like buildings, roads, railways and rivers. It also includes notable sites, such as schools, hospitals and transport hubs, with important buildings specifically identified within those sites. These notable sites are accompanied by non-topographic features, such as cartographic text and symbols.