Client
U.S. Energy Information Administration – the federal agency responsible for energy data transparency
Context
Before this project, electricity data was scattered across multiple static reports. EIA needed a single, user-friendly interface to make detailed energy data accessible to analysts, reporters, and the public—without requiring them to understand complex data structures upfront.
Objectives
• Consolidate electricity generation, consumption, and pricing data into one platform
• Enable dynamic filtering, custom visualization, and intuitive exploration
• Replace legacy publications with a scalable, user-centered experience
• Support usability across skill levels—from daily analysts to occasional users
• Enable dynamic filtering, custom visualization, and intuitive exploration
• Replace legacy publications with a scalable, user-centered experience
• Support usability across skill levels—from daily analysts to occasional users
Strategic Value
This was the first interactive electricity tool released by the U.S. government, and it laid the foundation for several future platforms. I led UX, IA, and front-end implementation, validating the experience with usability testing and incorporating direct user feedback. The tool transformed how EIA communicates complex electricity data—empowering users to analyze trends, compare sectors, and download exactly the data they need.
Results
• 240K+ annual views from 108K users
• Praised during testing as “super impressive,” “very useful,” and “faster than expected”
• Continues to power public energy exploration more than a decade after launch
• Directly influenced the design of future tools like the Coal Data Browser and Crude Import Tracker
• Praised during testing as “super impressive,” “very useful,” and “faster than expected”
• Continues to power public energy exploration more than a decade after launch
• Directly influenced the design of future tools like the Coal Data Browser and Crude Import Tracker
Objectives
• Display new data as it’s available and integrate with historical data values.
• Integrate a dynamic table viewer that allows for customization, filtering, sorting, graphing and eliminate legacy publications.
• Visualize data findings in charts and graphs and allow for customization.
• Provide methods of downloading, sharing, and saving subsets of data tables and visualizations.
• Integrate a dynamic table viewer that allows for customization, filtering, sorting, graphing and eliminate legacy publications.
• Visualize data findings in charts and graphs and allow for customization.
• Provide methods of downloading, sharing, and saving subsets of data tables and visualizations.
Diagramming the information architecture
I met with stakeholders to learn about the electricity data we would be displaying in the product. I wanted to understand how the different dataset facets relate to one another, and how analysts view and filter the data. I determined that most of the data series could be sorted by energy sector, by geography, and by fuel type. A few series could be sorted by end-use sector. I also learned that analysts would want to choose their sort order, which added to the complexity of the filtering I would design.
Hi-fidelity mockups
Beta and usability testing
We launched the product to our beta page where we allowed users to comment on the product. We also conducted usability testing of the Electricity Data Browser with six users (four energy analysts and two reporters/editors) to validate functionality and assess overall usability. Users ranged from daily to weekly visitors to the EIA website, with limited prior experience specifically with the Electricity Data Browser. I wrote the testing script, took notes, and facilitated the testing sessions, usually with one or two of my colleagues along to observe.
Key findings include:
• Dataset Selection: Users intuitively understood the Change Dataset dropdown but suggested adding clearer definitions for specific datasets.
• Pre-generated Reports: Users successfully located key reports, indicating intuitive placement and accessibility.
• Filtering: Most users effectively utilized filters, although some initially overlooked arrows for reordering filters. Adding "check/uncheck all" buttons was recommended to enhance efficiency.
• Tables and Charts: Users found navigation elements (scroll bars, date sliders, monthly/quarterly/annual views) intuitive. However, color consistency in charts and clearer x-axis labeling for annual data were recommended improvements.
• Plant-level Data: Users positively responded to discovering detailed plant data through clickable links but recommended better signaling (e.g., mouseovers) and navigation aids for returning to previous views.
• Help and Definitions: The help section received highly positive feedback, though visibility improvements (e.g., icons) for terms and definitions links and video segmentation by task were suggested.
• Static and Animated Maps: Maps were intuitive and engaging, with minor enhancements suggested for clearer labeling, color definition, and date entry flexibility.
Overall, users found the Electricity Data Browser impressive and user-friendly, highlighting minor usability improvements to further enhance the user experience.
Some comments heard during testing:
• “Who does the programming for this, is it in house? [Yes] Wow!”
• “This is pretty fast!”
• “Just a 3-month lag is really good!”
• “I would still call one of your analysts, at least at first, until I was comfortable using this.”
• “This was really neat! I’m impressed; I’m super impressed by EIA!”
• “Very useful for analysts and the public. EIA is the Census Bureau for energy info.”
Impact
We officially launched the Electricity Data Browser in November 2012. The tool is one of EIA’s most important public platforms for exploring electricity generation, consumption, and pricing data. By combining custom filtering, intuitive navigation, and responsive visualizations, the design supports a wide range of users—from energy analysts to members of the public—without requiring them to know which data source to start with. We made changes based on our testing and feedback and added additional data to better support real-world exploration. In 2024, the tool received over 240,000 views from 108,000 users, reflecting its continued relevance more than a decade after launch.
The design also laid the structural foundation for subsequent EIA tools, including the Coal Data Browser, the International Portal, and the U.S. Crude Import Tracking Tool—all of which follow the same core interaction model. One customer wrote, “I just wanted to say that I love this tool… I can make the charts showing yearly/monthly/quarterly electric power plant generation by plant even faster and easier than before. So much flexibility to explore the data and to identify the stories in the data.”
Below are screenshots from the live version, showing key features in context.
Data from the table are graphed as a time-series by default.
Users can refine the data within the table through the filter/order menu.
An interactive column graph that is accessible via the column button. The graph and its data are both downloadable through the download menu.
A US map, accessible via the map button. This map can show actual values or it can show growth from the previous period. Both maps can animate through the entire data series, or through a selected date range.
An interactive map showing power plants is available for state-level data. Individual plant information is accessible through the table or the map.
