Overwhelming data
The Crown Estate is a global leader in offshore wind and marine aggregate data. In 2013, it established the Marine Data Exchange, an open-source platform housing data to help manage seabed planning. But there was a problem: the sheer volume of data collected had far outgrown the original site. Functionality had moved on too. The site was the only source of comprehensive data on the UK’s seabed – data vital to a whole range of critical applications for both today and the future. It had to be right.
Back to basics
Through extensive stakeholder interviews and comprehensive user testing, we restructured the user experience and improved user flows and wireframes. We developed an intuitive information hierarchy, highlighting top themes sorted by keyword and date. Additionally, we implemented a suggestive, keyword-driven search and conducted multiple rounds of tagging exercises. These efforts aimed to make the data more manageable, accessible, and useful.
Robust Backend System
To support the enhanced platform, we've helped design a robust backend system enabling developers and stakeholders to efficiently add, restructure, simplify and analyse the data. This system includes user-friendly interfaces for data input and advanced tools for data restructuring, ensuring that all information is organised and up to date. This comprehensive system is responsible to ensure that the data available on the Marine Data Exchange accurate, trustworthy, and accessible.
Better experiences, constant improvement
The revamped Marine Data Exchange now provides a simplified, engaging experience. It guides users in understanding the data, its origins, and collection methods. Most importantly, users can quickly locate the data they need. With a commitment to continuous improvement, we have integrated Hotjar to monitor user behaviour and generate analytics. By using this iterative approach, this allows us to continually refine existing features and enhance the service, adding new functionality based on user feedback.
