Readable by design
A target quality milestone: terminology, context and data shape are understandable without relying on insider knowledge.
OPEN KNOWLEDGE, USEFUL TOOLS
A clearer way
through shared data.
Information only becomes useful when people can find it, understand its shape and put it to work. We build the digital routes that help that happen.
OPEN
BY DESIGN
BY DESIGN
CONCEPT / NOT CLIENT WORK
A SHARED POINT OF VIEW
“Our co-operative identity informs a practical point of view make the work legible, invite useful participation and leave the next person with a system they can understand.”
ABOUT US
Open knowledge is a practice, not a file format.
Open information is a public resource, but openness alone does not make it easy to use. Structure, language and reliable tools matter. We bring those parts together: from a clear interface for exploring information to the engineering that keeps a service comprehensible as it changes.
Tools should reveal the structure beneath the surface. A useful service gives its next maintainer a map.
A co-operative approach: make the work legible, invite participation and leave a system that can be understood.
SERVICES / USEFUL BY DESIGN
Information, with
a route through it.
Open each discipline for a closer look at the decisions that make a digital service more usable and easier to carry forward.
01Mobile development
Design and build mobile applications around clear tasks, understandable feedback and deliberate handling of data.
A good mobile journey makes the next action obvious without hiding the context behind it.02App UX/UI
Map the information architecture, prototype key routes and shape a visual language that works for real content.
We consider labels, empty states and long values early—not as polish after the interface is settled.03Website design & development
Create responsive websites and information tools with readable content structures and maintainable front ends.
The result should remain usable when the dataset, screen size or reader’s level of familiarity changes.04App publication assistance
Prepare release materials, review store requirements and coordinate the practical steps towards publication.
Publication support is a defined process, not a promise of acceptance by a third-party store.05Other IT development
Develop integrations, content workflows and small utilities that help information move between people and systems.
We start by making the input, transformation and ownership visible.USEFUL INFORMATION
Field notes for
shared knowledge.
Small principles can make a large collection of information less intimidating. Expand a note to see how to put it into practice.
01Start with the question＋
What should someone be able to discover or decide? A concrete question gives data structure and interface design a shared destination.
02Name things consistently＋
Choose stable labels for fields and concepts. A short glossary can prevent multiple teams from describing the same thing in different ways.
03Show the shape of information＋
Explain dates, units, missing values and update cadence beside the data, where readers need that context.
04Plan for change＋
Agree who can amend the structure, how changes are reviewed and how older links or exports will be handled.
CLIENT HELP
Questions, in
plain language.
Each answer is a starting point. A project’s access, governance and delivery responsibilities are agreed directly.
01Do you only work with open datasets?＋
No. We can help with internal information tools and public-facing services. The right approach depends on the intended audience and the information’s access conditions.
02Can you improve an existing portal?＋
Yes. A review can identify confusing terms, weak search paths and content that has no clear owner before a redesign begins.
03Do you publish data on our behalf?＋
We can help design and develop the workflow. Access, approval and publication responsibilities must be agreed with the organisation that owns the information.
04What should we bring to a first conversation?＋
A sample of the information, the people who use it and one task that currently takes more effort than it should.
05How do you handle sensitive information?＋
We first clarify what may be shared and who is authorised to access it. We do not infer permissions or claim a compliance status without an agreed, evidenced basis.
OUR ACHIEVEMENTS
Milestones we
hold ourselves to.
These are quality targets, not a record of verified completed projects, client results or awards.
Traceable decisions
A target quality milestone: important design and engineering choices have a reason that a future maintainer can find.
Useful beyond launch
A target quality milestone: ownership, update routes and next steps are visible rather than left implicit.
Quality milestones and intended outcomes only — not verified completed work or independently measured results.
WORKING HOURS
Here for a useful conversation.
MONDAY–FRIDAY 09:00–18:00
SATURDAY–SUNDAY CLOSED
UK local time / GMT or BST
CONTACT / START A CONVERSATION
Tell us where
you want to go.
Share the task, question or direction you have in mind. Your details stay in your email app until you choose to send the message.
Exact registered address
1st Floor, Holyoake House, Hanover Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, England, M60 0AS
Open address in Google Maps ↗FIND OUR OFFICE
1st Floor, Holyoake House, Hanover Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, England, M60 0AS