LinkedIn Economic Graph Experience

My role in this project began with drafting visitors’ user journeys. I decided to segment each data visualisation into a modular story component.

Visitors would have the choice to view whichever data module they found most compelling first or they could choose to move through each module sequentially.

Following the initial UX process, I was then tasked with depicting what each data point would look like and how those data points would behave relative to each other in order to manifest a coherent and intelligible data visualisation.

We decided to use glowing sprite-like nodes to depict each LinkedIn member. Each member node could take on a different colour and motion depending on the selected statistic. Transitions would be fluid between each data visualisation since each particle could freely move throughout the canvas.

Companies are symbolised by large planetary-like objects where hired members would converge en-masse. Brightness and activity is determined by the percentage growth in hires over a year.

Jobs are illustrated by members rotating in the same direction, demonstrating shared career direction. The size and activity of each circular grouping is determined by the number of members in each geographic location.

Education is depicted as a series of member nodes rising in unison symbolising students building their knowledge to obtain their degree. The height of each bar is determined by the number of members with that degree.

The opportunity to work with LinkedIn’s vast trove of data was as exciting as it was challenging. Technologists were initially worried about how to balance the experience’s performance with the vast quantity of data that needed to be processed and displayed. Luckily for us LinkedIn provided the computing hardware and APIs necessary for such a feat.

What began initially as a small dark conference room transformed into an immersive data-driven experiential activation space. With the installation complete, LinkedIn was now better able to demonstrate the scale and significance of their platform to potential clients and partners.