CHALLENGE
Teams across geological and scientific functions relied on a fragmented set of tools to process complex data matrices - extracting specific variables, transforming formats, and restructuring datasets for use across multiple applications. These ranged from off-the-shelf solutions to bespoke tools developed internally by the users themselves.
The initial challenge was to map this ecosystem in full: identifying all applications in use, understanding how and why they were used, and uncovering the dependencies and connections between them.
With this foundation established, the focus shifted to designing a dashboard that visualised the entire ecosystem. This enabled clear visibility of data flows and exposed the most efficient pathways for transforming datasets between applications, reducing duplication, improving consistency, and streamlining operational workflows.
SOLUTION
Following an extensive discovery phase, including interviews with both application creators and end users across the business, we developed a clear understanding of how the ecosystem operated in practice. This insight enabled us to define a solution that would simplify navigation, support knowledge sharing, and expose inefficiencies that were costing time and money at scale.
Early concepts explored 3D visualisation; however, these were set aside in favour of a more effective 2D interactive map built using web technologies, prioritising usability, performance, and accessibility.
I led the interface design and developed the front-end solution, creating an interactive environment where users could freely manipulate elements, explore application relationships, and trace data flows across the ecosystem. The result was a practical, user-driven tool that improved visibility, streamlined workflows, and supported more efficient decision-making.
OUTCOME
The delivery of an interactive ecosystem mapping tool transformed how application landscapes were understood and navigated across the business. By replacing fragmented, static documentation with a dynamic, user-driven interface, the solution made complex system relationships visible, actionable, and significantly easier to explore.
Crucially, the impact was felt at the individual user level. By enabling users to trace data flows and understand how applications interacted, the tool allowed them to identify and adopt more efficient ways of completing their tasks. These optimised workflows could also be shared across teams, compounding efficiency gains over time.
Measured impact included:
- User-level time savings: Reduced time spent identifying optimal data pathways by 30–50%, with users saving several hours per week on tasks involving cross-system interactions
- Workflow optimisation: Enabled discovery and sharing of more efficient processes, reducing reliance on trial-and-error and informal knowledge transfer
- Operational visibility: Exposed inefficiencies and redundant steps within workflows, supporting continuous improvement and cost reduction initiatives
- Adoption and usability: A performant 2D interface ensured accessibility and ease of use, driving adoption across both technical and non-technical users
From a delivery perspective, building the interface using web technologies ensured the tool remained lightweight, responsive, and scalable, while allowing users to freely manipulate and interrogate complex system relationships in real time.
Summary: A user-driven platform that improved individual productivity, unlocked more efficient ways of working, and enabled knowledge sharing at scale across BP’s application ecosystem.
