As the company database evolved and additional data points added, the display and layout of information lost its coherence and structure. In addition to this, the opportunities as to how the new data could be maximised was not being fully realised.
The challenge was to better understand how the web application could support the various users in their workflows, with a focus on identifying how existing and new data points could be fully exploited.
The challenge was to better understand how the web application could support the various users in their workflows, with a focus on identifying how existing and new data points could be fully exploited.
Lead UX
OpenCorporates is the largest open database of companies in the world covering 160M+ companies across 130 jurisdictions. Used by 5 million users each month, the database is a vital source of information for financial investigators to uncover fraud, and for commercial enterprises’ due diligence processes.
Explore and understand search criteria and points of entry for both financial investigators and due dilligence experts.
Understand how existing data points are utilised to define the nexus and identify opportunites to further assist users in building the picture so as to fully realise the financial activities of a corporation under investigation.
Identify how to maximise the existing data and make it work harder, rather than exploring new data sources.
Understand how existing data points are utilised to define the nexus and identify opportunites to further assist users in building the picture so as to fully realise the financial activities of a corporation under investigation.
Identify how to maximise the existing data and make it work harder, rather than exploring new data sources.
The challenge
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A series of remote one-to-one sessions with investigative journalists and due dilligence experts explored the role that OpenCorporates played in their workflows with a focus on understanding how the individual datapoints worked together to form the holistic picture of the corporations they investigated.
Users would share their screens to illustrate their existing behaviours, identify barriers and pain points, and demonstrate powerful functionality available in competitor tools.
Users would share their screens to illustrate their existing behaviours, identify barriers and pain points, and demonstrate powerful functionality available in competitor tools.
Understanding users
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Users of OpenCorporates and similar services achieve their goals by being able to see how different data points are related and connected to each other in order to see the full picture which is referred to as ‘the nexus’. Data points and patterns that were indicative of suspicious activity to a user were identified through the research, and the interconnnections between them identified.
With the search model defined it was possible to highlight the challenges that the users currently faced, the potential enhancements to overcome these challenges, as well as future opportunities to further empower users.
With the search model defined it was possible to highlight the challenges that the users currently faced, the potential enhancements to overcome these challenges, as well as future opportunities to further empower users.
Defining the nexus
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Analytics data indicated that the majority of interactions with OpenCorporates were via desktop rather than mobile. Given the strict timelines of the project it was agreed to focus on the designs for desktop, and identify those key pages that should also have mobile designs.
UX Design
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Objectives
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With the UK under lockdown, the entire project was undertaken remotely with weekly updates to the senior team for their feedback, and to inform next steps.
Approach
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Project leadership
Interactive prototyping
Wireframing
Stakeholder management
C-suite engagement
Understanding users
Remote sessions with users utilising screensharing to explore use of the existing site highlighting barriers and pain points.
Defining the nexus
Key data points of interest identifed and their interconnections mapped out to define the nexus.
UX Design
Key focus for design identified. Concepts visualised, assessed, and iterated with end users.
opencorporates.com
Usability testing
Requirements capture
Expert review
Persona development
User journeys
Project planning
Stakeholder workshops
Contextual research
DLUX |+44 (0) 7968 074014 | damien.livingston@gmail.com
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