The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (FFATA) was signed into law on September 26, 2006. The legislation required that federal contract, grant, loan, and other financial assistance awards of more than $25,000 be displayed on a publicly accessible and searchable website to give the American public access to information on how their tax dollars are being spent.
How can we create a compelling story with data? This was an ongoing challenge because federal spending doesn’t scream excitement. Data Lab wanted more than a redesign, they wanted a memorable experience that users would enjoy.
Our goal was to find the story within each analysis and deconstruct the technical language in a way that could be easily interpreted by a user. With storytelling being the driving force of the data, we were able to improve the user experience and interactivity of the data visualizations.
Art Direction, UI Designer, UX Designer (Sketch, Invision)
Our goal was to find a way to give each data visualization a personality; an embodiment of belief and meaning. I conducted several brainstorming and affinity mapping sessions to find the natural relationships between the data sets and content stories. We used a brainstorming method called, "group passing" to help create stories and visual aids for each analysis.
I wanted to understand the data and learn more about why the data would be relevant to the general public. Sketching and prototyping the visualizations assisted me with the form, tone and voice of the data.
Without an established brand, I had to pull inspiration from the data and find images that conveyed the expression of that data in the best possible way. The color palette of the design was inspired by the hero image of the home page, which represented data science and experimentation.
Creating a narrative with the data allowed us to create a better online experience for the users, which led to increased engagement throughout the site. Shifting our focus beyond the numbers really allowed the team to prioritize what analysis would be most valued to the general public.
Graphic Design, Web Design, UX Design, Logo Design, Branding (Adobe Creative Suite, Sketch, Invision)