EMPRIS
EMPRIS
UI Design
EMPRIS is a web application that allows energy professionals to explore national electricity‑market data without wrestling with spreadsheets. The UK was rushing to understand consumption patterns during the first COVID‑19 lockdown, and ElectraLink needed a tool that could surface trusted numbers fast while proving the value of its data services to regulators and suppliers. Xanda was hired to design the interface; I led the UI work over a six‑month sprint in 2020, collaborating daily with ElectraLink’s data team.
UI Design
EMPRIS is a web application that allows energy professionals to explore national electricity‑market data without wrestling with spreadsheets. The UK was rushing to understand consumption patterns during the first COVID‑19 lockdown, and ElectraLink needed a tool that could surface trusted numbers fast while proving the value of its data services to regulators and suppliers. Xanda was hired to design the interface; I led the UI work over a six‑month sprint in 2020, collaborating daily with ElectraLink’s data team.
Accessing the platform
Electralink's team of data scientists told us their biggest headache was the ten‑minute ritual of pulling yesterday’s figures into Python every morning. I introduced a two‑factor login that drops users straight into a customisable dashboard, so they can pin live widgets like “latest smart‑meter reads” and “recent queries.” A tight left‑hand nav keeps the screen clean, and every widget links to the underlying SQL, so analysts can dig deeper without starting from scratch.
Accessing the platform
Electralink's team of data scientists told us their biggest headache was the ten‑minute ritual of pulling yesterday’s figures into Python every morning. I introduced a two‑factor login that drops users straight into a customisable dashboard, so they can pin live widgets like “latest smart‑meter reads” and “recent queries.” A tight left‑hand nav keeps the screen clean, and every widget links to the underlying SQL, so analysts can dig deeper without starting from scratch.
Browsing datasets
Before a query can run, a user’s company must license each dataset. The Marketplace makes that painless: cards show price, refresh cadence, and a plain‑English summary (“Half‑hourly smart‑meter reads”) next to a Subscribe button. Filters for data owner, geography, and date range came from usability tests where users scrolled endlessly to find the right feed. We kept the checkout to one screen to avoid legal‑department drop‑offs.
Browsing datasets
Before a query can run, a user’s company must license each dataset. The Marketplace makes that painless: cards show price, refresh cadence, and a plain‑English summary (“Half‑hourly smart‑meter reads”) next to a Subscribe button. Filters for data owner, geography, and date range came from usability tests where users scrolled endlessly to find the right feed. We kept the checkout to one screen to avoid legal‑department drop‑offs.
Building queries
The SQL Builder offers a clean editor with syntax highlighting and a library of saved queries to speed up repeat work. After running a query, users switch to a results table to filter, export, or tweak their output. The Visualise tab then lets them plot simple charts from their results—handy for spotting trends or sharing quick insights. Keeping the steps separate made the tool feel more approachable, especially for newer users.
Building queries
The SQL Builder offers a clean editor with syntax highlighting and a library of saved queries to speed up repeat work. After running a query, users switch to a results table to filter, export, or tweak their output. The Visualise tab then lets them plot simple charts from their results—handy for spotting trends or sharing quick insights. Keeping the steps separate made the tool feel more approachable, especially for newer users.
