Data lineage—tracking the flow and transformation of data—can be an invaluable tool for data users, but when it’s not designed for ease of use, it quickly becomes an obstacle. The Lineage feature on The Exchange was originally created to address regulatory requirements, but its design was too complex and not user-friendly, with less than 8% of data users engaging with it and fewer returning after their first visit.

Our challenge was to transform this complex data into a comprehensible, usable resource for data analysts and other stakeholders. Through user research, we discovered that data users had resorted to manual documents and Slack messages to fill in the gaps, highlighting how far the platform's lineage data was from being useful.

We started by gathering data sources that users relied on most, then drafted wireframes and flow maps to create an intuitive, user-friendly design. After refining the concept, we presented it to a targeted group of users for feedback, which validated that we were headed in the right direction.

Key Features

Scalable Lineage Maps:
Our new UI design includes dynamic, interactive lineage maps that visualize upstream and downstream data, along with potential errors and failures. By clicking on specific data assets, users can dive deeper into individual data points to understand their flow and origin.

Error Callouts:
To clarify areas of concern, the UI includes real-time error callouts, highlighting where issues are occurring within the data. This makes it easier for users to spot and address concerns without unnecessary guesswork.

Next-Level Decision Making:
Looking ahead, the future of this lineage tool will incorporate field-level lineage, enabling users to drill down even further into specific data fields to pinpoint exactly where issues are arising. This will empower users to accelerate remediation by giving them the tools to fix data problems faster and more effectively.

By visualizing complex data processes in a way that is intuitive, interactive, and actionable, this redesign not only elevates the data lineage experience but also enhances the decision-making capabilities of users. Our goal was to transform a previously cumbersome tool into one that adds value and simplifies the user journey in managing complex datasets.