Tech for Good

The Situation

Growing demand for a Tech for Good information source

Rocketmakers Marketing and Scaleup Lead Briony Phillips had long kept a personal record of Tech for Good companies and support companies based in the Bristol and Bath region. As the volume of information grew, her records outgrew a simple document and she began using a database.

As a well known figure in the regional tech community, Briony was frequently asked to share information from her database. By the Summer of 2021, the number of requests were coming thick and fast, and it was clear there was demand for a public resource. 

In partnership with TechSPARK, a non-profit tech network covering the South West, Rocketmakers set out to develop an online resource to celebrate the entire Tech for Good regional ecosystem.

The Task

Making a complex dataset compelling, accessible, and easy to navigate

With over 200 Tech for Good companies and support companies already identified, the application would need to be more than just a long list of names to be genuinely useful. Presenting the content in a way which is exciting and engaging, and not just a dry dataset, was an important challenge. 

Another conceptual hurdle would be displaying information about both the Tech for Good companies themselves and the Tech for Good support ecosystem in a way which was clear and user friendly.

Our Approach

Design-led development

From the outset, it was clear that optimising UX and UI design was central to this project. The design team got to work by evaluating previous projects with similar concepts, including the West of England Growth Map which Rocketmakers had designed for the West of England Growth Hub in 2019. Each project was analysed for what could be improved in terms of UX, technology, and aesthetics. 

After some initial UX research, the team decided to format the dataset primarily as a map. Testing showed that the geographic location of each company, and its relation to other companies in the same sector, was of primary interest to the end user.

After evaluating several design options, the team began prototyping map concepts to find the most logical and aesthetically pleasing way to lay out the very detailed data users wanted.

The Result

A dual view map with easy to navigate categories, profiles, and contact details

The final design for the microsite features a zoom-in, zoom-out map with two view settings: Tech for Good companies, and Tech for Good support organisations. 

Each view of the map is covered in pins, both of which feature a colour and icon to designate the sector (from biotech, to energy, to finance). Users can further refine the map view by sector category, and each pin links to a slide out panel containing a profile and key information. All businesses are also listed alphabetically on a separate data page where users can download a .csv file with the data presented under open licence. 

In addition to the bespoke icons, the design team created primary and secondary colour palettes, a bespoke font (evoking the Swiss minimalism of the London tube map) and accompanying style guides for creating both digital and print versions of the map.

The project also features a very clever logo composed of a capital “B,” a heart, a map, and a map pin - neatly capturing the essence of the Tech for Good map application.

The Impact

Shining a spotlight on Tech for Good in Bristol and Bath

The microsite was launched in the Autumn of 2021 at an event co-hosted by TechSPARK. 170 companies and support companies were listed in the initial version, with an additional 60 companies added to the map over the following months.