A world first for biodiversity site and species data

BirdLife International needed to radically improve how its global biodiversity and avian conservation data was accessed, understood, and applied. As one of the most trusted scientific voices in nature conservation, BirdLife had a unique opportunity - and responsibility - to create a digital platform that could empower policymakers, researchers, conservationists, and citizen scientists to make better decisions for the planet.

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But legacy systems, fragmented user journeys, and information overload were limiting the reach and impact of this critical data. BirdLife needed a bold reimagining of the experience, not just a rebuild.

We partnered with BirdLife International to co-design and develop the new BirdLife DataZone — an open-access platform that makes decades of species and site-level data intuitive, interactive, and actionable.Our process combined:

• Mixed-method user research across key audiences and internal stakeholders
• Information architecture overhaul to streamline access to 11,000+ species and 13,000 site profiles.
• Experience and interface design focused on clarity, credibility, and emotional engagement
• Scalable front- and back-end development, designed for long-term extensibility

Throughout, we worked hand-in-hand with BirdLife’s scientists, policy experts, and global partners to ensure the platform served the full spectrum of users.

We completely transformed the platform’s information architecture, UX, and UI, enabling BirdLife to:

• Serve multiple audiences through a single, coherent interface
• Increase visibility and utility of its Red List and IBA/KBA datasets
• Drive more effective conservation advocacy, awareness, and funding

Early analytics show a strong uplift in traffic, engagement time and dataset downloads. The platform is now a flagship expression of BirdLife’s role as both a scientific authority and a dynamic, digitally enabled global campaigning organisation.

‍Built not just to inform — but to mobilise.