Website Design and Development with Data Visualisation for NELEP
- Storytelling through data visualisation and content design best practices.
- Highly functional CMS with data source integration and option to automatically generate graphs and charts.
- A focus on web accessibility to meet user needs.
The ambition
The North East Local Enterprise Partnership (NELEP) wanted to position itself as a single source of truth for data and insights about our region, whilst nationally being at the forefront of presenting this information in an engaging and valuable way.
We worked with NELEP to understand their user base and how different audiences would want to interact with their content. We identified key stakeholders both within NELEP and across the region, including policymakers, business leaders, educators, researchers, and residents.
We also identified a need for their internal teams to spend less time on the creation and dissemination of content via PDF, and less time moving data from one system to another via Excel. We worked together to define a vision for a new North East Evidence Hub and devised a web platform that informs and empowers people around the North East.
What we did
We mapped out key user journeys and applied content strategy techniques to boost UX and accessibility. This involved careful consideration of how data should be categorised and presented in a meaningful way. We also looked at how ‘hard data’ could be presented alongside text, images, and infographics to convey insights in a narrative way that would resonate with audiences.
Future-proofed platform upgrade
The project team had emphasised the importance of having a platform that would be flexible and scalable – allowing the site to grow and adapt to their changing ambitions.
We developed the Evidence Hub on our exclusive Core platform, which offers additional flexibility in comparison to off-the-shelf content management systems, making it an ideal solution for complex, content-rich websites.
![Future-proofed platform upgrade]()
Automated data visualsation
To boost efficiency for the website management team, we developed a data gateway that allows for a range of chart formats to be automatically populated from source data via an API. This helps ensure that the website can present the most accurate and up-to-date information at all times, whilst reducing the need for manual intervention.
We developed numerous ways to display charts alongside other content components, empowering NELEP’s in-house team with the ability to create and edit complex pieces of data analysis.
![Automated data visualsation]()
User-centred design
An objective of the Evidence Hub was to ensure that the information is presented in an accessible way for all levels of digital and data literacy.
We utilised content design best practices throughout the project to ensure that the large volumes of data are presented in a way that both engages the target audiences and signposts users through each phase of their journey.
![User-centred design]()
Encouraging engagement
To encourage users to engage further with the data on the site, we developed functionality to allow charts and data to be added to a ‘clippings folder’ on the site and downloaded for use in documents and presentations. Users can also download web pages as PDF documents.
![Encouraging engagement]()
Best-practice baked in
Core's CMS offers increased efficiency for digital teams. We work hard to build in best practice at every turn, ensuring that our library of components is developed with high standards of accessibility and usability in mind. Our design system approach makes it easy for in-house teams to create and manage content consistent with their brand identity, whilst providing enough flexibility to evolve and grow their web presence.
![best practice baked-in image banner]()
Content design for high-priority publications
For the initial launch of the Evidence Hub site, we worked with NELEP on the design and build of several high-priority publications.
Using their new platform, we worked with NELEP to create a digital evidence base to support the launch of the new UK Shared Prosperity Fund. This evidence base provides analysis of key data sets spread over four key themes for the region.
![Content design for high-priority publications]()
We also worked with NELEP on designing and implementing the Emergent Markets evidence base. This publication analyses global market trends to identify opportunities for future growth in the region and presents information and insights into 16 key economic areas.
![content design 2]()
The results
NELEP now benefits from a content-rich website with data automation and enhanced content management, ensuring that its Evidence Hub platform is the best source of regional economic data and analysis.
• Pageviews on the site are up 97% and users are up 28%.
• The average time on page is up 55%.
• PDF downloads have decreased 60%, highlighting the success of our transition towards publishing content as web pages.
View live projectRelated Projects
Start a Project
Would you like to do a project like this with us?
Results
Sort by:
Type:
From {{ group.title }}
Sorry, there are no results to show
