User Research & Requirements

1. User Research & Requirements Gathering

• Conducted stakeholder interviews with offshore wind developers, geologists, and engineers
• Identified key user needs: side-by-side feature comparison, constraint visualization, and foundation-specific assessments
• Analysed existing Excel-based workflow and pain points
• Created user personas and journey maps for different stakeholder groups

2. Requirements Analysis

• Primary Users: Offshore wind farm developers, geological consultants, engineers
• Core Functionality: Compare 86+ geological features with comprehensive constraint analysis
• Technical Requirements: Web-based, responsive, accessible without specialized geological software
• Data Integration: Multi-source CSV architecture for geological and engineering constraints

3. Prototyping & Design

• Developed interactive mockups using Miro collaborative board
• Designed professional UI with color-coded constraint pills for intuitive data visualization
• Created responsive layout with equal-height cards for consistent visual hierarchy
• Established design system with primary blue theme (#1e4d5b) and clear section organization

Design

Core Functionality

• Feature-to-Feature Comparison: Side-by-side analysis of any two geological features
• Comprehensive Data Display: Setting, process, constraint type, dominant constraints
• Interactive Constraint Pills: Color-coded visual indicators (blue for geological, orange for engineering)
• Foundation Assessment Matrix: Constraint levels for piles, suction caissons, GBS, and cables

Results & Impact

User Value

• Accessibility: Transformed complex geological data from Excel spreadsheets into intuitive web interface
• Decision Support: Enables rapid comparison of foundation suitability across different geological conditions
• Time Savings: Reduced geological assessment workflow from hours to minutes
• Knowledge Democratization: Made specialized geological knowledge accessible to non-geologists

The tool transformed complex geological data from Excel spreadsheets into an intuitive web interface accessible to non-specialists. Assessment workflows that previously took hours now take minutes, enabling faster decision-making during critical project phases.

By democratizing geological expertise, the tool allows engineers and project managers to quickly evaluate foundation suitability across different geological conditions, improving the quality and speed of early-stage site assessments for offshore wind projects.

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