ODT was founded by Bob Abramms in the 1970s as a management consulting company focusing on topics of employee empowerment, performance appraisal, and self-directed work teams. In 1989, ODT pioneered the use of the Peters Projection map materials in a variety of corporate culture change, leadership, and diversity diagnostic projects. With this, their transition began from consultants to innovative map publishers.

When the award-winning TV show, West Wing contacted ODT in February 2001, for permission to feature the Peters Projection map on an episode, ODT was catapulted into the spotlight of the map publishing market. Since that time, the organization has published the "What's Up? South!" world map, the Hobo-Dyer world map, the Population map, the incisive and insightful book, Seeing Through Maps and the fascinating exploration of maps and cartographers - the DVD Many Ways to See the World.

From their origins of providing assistance to human resource departments to now offering new and exciting visual representations of the world through unique maps, ODT's mission of honoring differences and teaching people to see the world from a broader, more inclusive perspective remains at the core of all ODT activities.

When President Jimmy Carter received the Nobel Peace Prize he took with him ODT's new Hobo-Dyer map to display the 68 countries around the world in which the Center has worked since 1982.

Visit the ODT website.