Objective
The Workforce Data Portal (WDP) was created to support New York City’s Career Pathways strategy, aiming to offer New Yorkers the opportunity to develop new skills, enter the workforce, and achieve economic stability. The portal was designed to make labor-related data more accessible, helping City agency staff, policymakers, and the public improve services that help residents obtain well-paying jobs with long-term career prospects.
Storytelling Through Data Visualizations
A key challenge was transforming years of complex, labor-related data into clear and compelling stories. The portal uses interactive data visualizations to present this information in a way that helps users uncover trends, gain insights, and inform decisions.
Design Approach
The design approach centered around the data narrative itself, with a focus on providing a seamless, visually engaging experience. A minimalist design was adopted, ensuring that the data took center stage. Dynamic movement, real-time data visualizations, and user interactions, such as filtering, were incorporated to make the portal both informative and engaging.
Stakeholder-Informed Discovery
Given the primary audience of industry stakeholders who rely on data to inform decisions, the discovery process focused directly on understanding their needs. Group interviews were conducted with stakeholders to identify the tools and features that would most effectively support their workflows and enhance their ability to use the portal efficiently.
Surfacing Hidden Stories
A comprehensive audit of the existing data was carried out to identify key insights that were previously difficult to communicate. While the WDP team was familiar with these insights, the portal now serves as an effective platform for sharing these stories publicly in an engaging, easily understandable way.
Systems Integration
To ensure the portal was scalable and sustainable, custom data visualization modules were built using Highcharts, a JavaScript framework. These modules are reusable, flexible, and manageable by the WDP team, enabling them to independently update and expand the portal as new data and insights emerge.
Results
The final portal successfully presents the WDP’s strategy and outcomes through visually rich, interactive data visualizations. It empowers stakeholders to explore labor data in an engaging way, facilitating deeper insights, more informed decisions, and greater efficiency across industry partnerships.
Impact
The Workforce Data Portal has enabled WDP to broaden access to crucial labor data, driving greater impact in workforce development initiatives throughout New York City. The portal not only makes data more accessible but also strengthens the capacity of industry partners to improve their services and strategies based on a deeper understanding of trends and outcomes.
