BACKGROUND
A data bottleneck at the coast
It’s a balancing act: Meeting the nation’s demand for offshore resources—including critical minerals— while protecting the marine environment and needs of coastal communities. To carry out this mission, the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s Marine Minerals Program (BOEM MMP) stewards 30+ years of geospatial and environmental data. Yet much of it was difficult for decisionmakers and the public to find or interpret. To comply with the bipartisan 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act (IDEA), BOEM needed a modern, intuitive digital presence that would let anyone—from state planners to academic researchers—access reliable data in minutes.
WHAT WE’RE DOING
Through a user experience lens
Abt teamed with BOEM to bring their modernized resources to life through a dynamic digital experience. We created smooth integration between the Marine Minerals Information System (MMIS) ArcGIS suite and BOEM.gov, removing extra clicks and credentials. We leveraged UX research to develop personas that informed plain-language rewriting. We supported the user experience with a unified visual brand so the MMIS Viewer, data hub, and the website look and feel similar. And we streamlined backend workflows, so internal and external users can pull from the same authoritative source with customized experiences tailored to their information needs.
IMPACT
One front door for 30 years of data
With Abt’s support, BOEM advanced its digital tools and website to improve how data is presented and accessed, for both public and internal users. Scientists, industry planners, government leaders, among others can discover and retrieve data to make better decisions. Infographics and concise copy show the economic and environmental value of marine minerals at a glance. These tools support BOEM’s mandate to place users at the heart of decision-making and enable smarter environmental planning.
WHY THIS MATTERS
Blueprint for data‑forward governance
Our playbook with BOEM offers an actionable model for any agency looking to turn data into action:
- Put users first. Let real‑world testing drive every design choice.
- Integrate. Connect legacy databases to modern web platforms.
- Tell a story. Wrap raw numbers in visuals and plain language so non‑technical leaders can act quickly.
Agencies that follow this approach comply with IDEA while speeding up smarter planning and decisions at any level.
Project
Support for the Department of Interior Marine Minerals Customer and Digital Experience
Client
U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management