Making Data Available to the Next Generation of Researchers

Challenge:

JGI staff were drowning in bulk data requests, pulling them away from core sequencing work. 

My Approach:

Customer discovery interviews revealed the real issue - research needs had evolved. Instead of needing all files from single organisms, bioinformaticians now want specific file types (like proteins) across hundreds of organisms.

Solution:

We updated the interface to allow researchers to see file type results across multiple organisms and select the files for download. We then built an API and command line download options to allow researchers to obtain a large number of files and get them directly to their database for analysis. 

Results:

After implementation, support requests for downloads dropped to zero and overall downloads increased by 40%. 

Systems Impact:

As consultants, we worked alongside the in-house team to coach them on the product operating model methods, including customer discovery, CI/CD, and cross-functional collaboration. In addition to building a new Data Portal, we transformed their approach to software development from one emphasizing features to one that focused on outcomes.