Reveal Contributes Key User Experience Improvements to Preeminent Data Portal
From Research to Reality: Modernizing data.census.gov
By Alessandra Hartkopf & Vanessa Yip
At Reveal Global Consulting, we believe that government data is a public asset — but it’s much more valuable if people can find, understand, and use it.
That’s why we are incredibly proud to announce that our work with the Census Open Innovation Labs (COIL), an office at the U.S. Census Bureau, has officially moved from the prototyping phase to live implementation. The Census Bureau is currently rolling out a series of updates to the data.census.gov landing page, with Reveal’s user research and UX design at the very heart of the transformation.
Bridging the Gap Between Vision and Usability
Successful innovation doesn't happen in a vacuum. To deliver a product that worked for both the agency and the public, our team acted as the connective tissue between strategic priorities and COIL’s deep-dive data usability research.
By working with our clients to unite these viewpoints, Reveal delivered a roadmap for the future of the data.census.gov landing page. Our work encompassed user research, testing, analysis, and the development of lo-fi prototypes that balanced technical constraints with a bold new vision for the user experience.
Three Pillars of the Updated Design
The design strategy focused on three specific areas to ensure the Census Bureau's digital "front door" was as welcoming as possible:
Honoring the Brand while Simplifying the Path: We maintained strict adherence to Census Bureau branding parameters while decluttering the interface. By utilizing plain language and intuitive navigation, we addressed long-standing user complaints about site complexity.
Efficiency Through "Quick Links": Time is the most valuable resource for data seekers. The design introduced linked ‘cards’ that offer instant access to the most commonly used resources, reducing the "click-depth" required to find vital datasets and products.
Redefining the "User": Perhaps the most significant contribution was evolving how data.census.gov defines its audience. Instead of defining users as "basic," "intermediate," and "advanced", we defined users by their roles and the specific products they seek, allowing for a more personalized and relevant search experience.
Looking Ahead
While you can see the first phase of our team’s work live right now in the ‘hero section’* of data.census.gov, there is more to come. Check back to see the continued progress!
*The hero section is the area immediately visible at the top of the page without scrolling typically used to share introductory or overview text about the webpage or website.
Seeing our research-backed designs transition from the whiteboard to a platform used by millions is a testament to the power of collaborative innovation. We are honored to help the Census Bureau make our nation's data more accessible, one click at a time.
The ‘hero section’ on data.census.gov before our involvement.
The ‘hero section’ on data.census.gov after our involvement.