The Reformer is an interactive tool that allows the public to simulate the impact of various policy options on the long term sustainability of the US Social Security system. The custom tool, which is based on a complex Excel model, offers an AJAX-based experience that gives users instantaneous feedback through interactive data visualizations and charts.
Client
Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, Washington DC
Nonprofit Organization | Think Tank
Audience & Topics
General Audience, Voters, Policy Analysts, Journalists and the Media
Government | Public Policy | Reform | Politics
Launched
June 2013
Roles, Deliverables and Methods
Front End Designer (UI/UX)
Layout, Typography, Styling
Lead Developer
Final Developed Website
Webmaster
Functional Enhancements and Maintenance
Technology & Tools
Project Accolades
Features
Speedy Interactions
The tool provides almost instantaneous updates to the data visualizations and charts via AJAX and some smart server-side data caching techniques. A variety of user interaction features were developed including custom form validations, dynamic plain language logic, and social media helpers via JavaScript, jQuery, and PHP.
Socially Charged
Dynamically generated tweets, facebook posts, and email options — that integrate the user's specific choices — help promote the Reformer. The new tool was picked up by the Washington Post on the first day of its launch and in less than 24 hours was the subject of hundreds of comments, tweets and facebook postings.
Charting Social Security's Future
The tool uses Google's Visualization and Chart's API to show users how their policy choices might play out over time. Limitations of the API, including legend options, were solved by using some simple CSS substitutes.