Case Study - International Aid and Development Transparency Tools
Transforming complex aid transparency data into intuitive, interactive visualizations that empower global organizations to drive accountability and informed decision-making.
- Client
- Publish What You Fund
- Year
- - Present
- Service
- Data Visualisation, Web Development, CMS Integration, Interactive Graphs
The Challenge
Publish What You Fund is dedicated to increasing transparency in aid and development finance to ensure accountability and better decision-making. Their work supports organisations and governments in making aid data accessible and actionable.
Key challenges included:
- Developing interactive and user-friendly data visualisations for the Aid Transparency Index, making complex datasets accessible.
- Creating dynamic, intuitive graph-based interfaces for the Development Finance Institution (DFI) Transparency Index to enhance stakeholder engagement.
- Building and integrating an accessible CMS that enables Publish What You Fund to manage content efficiently while ensuring usability and compliance with accessibility standards.
Our Approach
Tasty Digital worked closely with Publish What You Fund to develop engaging and accessible digital tools that improve transparency data usability:
- Conducted structured group discussions to refine project objectives.
- Processed large datasets to ensure accuracy and reliability.
- Iteratively prototyped graphs and applications to enhance clarity and usability.
- Incorporated user feedback throughout the process to refine the final solutions.
- Ensured the tools effectively communicated complex transparency metrics in an intuitive and visually engaging manner.
The Solution
Key Features & Innovations:
- React-Based Data Visualisations: Interactive, user-friendly graphs reflecting Publish What You Fund’s scoring methodology.
- Dynamic Graphs & Reports: Interactive interfaces that visually represent scoring data in an accessible and intuitive way.
- CMS Integration for Client Management: Customised content management tools, including custom WordPress plugins, to support transparency advocacy efforts.
- Accessible, Responsive Web Design: Ensuring seamless navigation and interaction for all users, including those with disabilities.
Tech Stack
- Front-end:
- React
- JavaScript
- JSON
- SVG for data visualisation
- Back-end & CMS:
- Custom WordPress plugins
- CMS integration
- Python Data Processing
- Design & Accessibility:
- Adobe XD
- Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) compliance
Impact & Results
Tasty Digital’s work has helped Publish What You Fund improve the accessibility and usability of their transparency indexes, leading to better public engagement and informed decision-making.
Key Outcomes:
- Enhanced Data Accessibility: Interactive visualisation tools that make aid and development finance data more transparent.
- Greater Engagement: Improved stakeholder communication through dynamic reports and graph-based storytelling.
- Efficient Content Management: A CMS allowing for seamless report and data updates while maintaining accessibility standards.
- Long-Term Collaboration: An ongoing partnership since 2018, continually refining and expanding digital tools to match evolving transparency needs.
I just wanted to say a huge thank you from myself and the rest of the DFI team for all of the work you did on the website for the DFI Transparency Index. As always, the work was excellent, and everyone was delighted with the final products. People at the launch were clearly impressed with the level of detail that is contained on the website.
What We Learned
This project reinforced the importance of:
- Making Transparency Data Actionable: Designing tools that allow users to interact with and interpret complex data intuitively.
- User-Centred Visualisation: Ensuring that transparency metrics are displayed in a way that is engaging and easy to understand.
- Accessibility-First Development: Embedding best practices to ensure usability across all user groups.
The Publish What You Fund collaboration highlights how strategic design and development can empower transparency organisations to drive real-world impact and advocacy.