In 2014, Publicpolicy.ie was producing some really interesting data on how local authorities spend money.  This was bigger than an app or infographic; it needed its very own microsite to properly convey the depth of the information.

A microsite that invites you to deep dive into the information on how your local authority spends its money.

How It Works:

People could examine exactly how much money was spent on what, e.g. roads, housing, etc.  But all of these were minutely broken down into the detail:

When you’ve gotten to grips with your own council’s expenditure, you can compare it with the national average to see if your local area is spending more or less:

And you can compare your council with up to 5 others to find out more:

Total transparency is the aim of the site and it achieves this in a very big way!

Results:

The site was well received at its launch and was shared and talked about on Twitter and forums alike.

The site won an award for Best Microsite at the 2014 Web Awards and was finalist for Best Design at the 2015 Digital Media Awards.

Starting with a large, cumbersome and confusing data set, it is simply amazing how Brightspark Consulting developed such a slick, easy to use and interesting microsite, with multiple levels of interaction available to the user.

Brightspark’s advice on usability and relatability was essential, whilst our excellent working relationship made me feel reassured that the underlying data was being accurately presented.

Cormac O’Sullivan, Senior Researcher, Publicpolicy.ie

If you produce interesting data and you need a little help presenting it online, get in touch.  We’d love to share our experience and insights with you.