Introduction
Infrastructure condition data is important for safety, mobility, and public spending decisions. Yet the way it is communicated often assumes a technical reader. When reports are dense or heavy on jargon, users such as decision-makers, journalists, and citizens end up doing extra work just to understand the data. Data storytelling offers a simple idea: do not start with charts, start with the questions people are trying to answer. Then, use words and visuals to give context and meaning (Kosara & Mackinlay, 2013; Schröder et al., 2023).
This article is based on the Master’s thesis, User-oriented infrastructure reports: from data to story by Anna Rose Suoninen. This was a developmental project with Väylävirasto (Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency) Väylävirasto manages Finland’s state road network and publishes information about its condition and maintenance needs (Väylävirasto, 2026). The practical outcome of the development work with Väylävirasto was a reusable reporting template and a set of guidelines designed to make infrastructure reporting clearer, more consistent, and easier to reuse across channels.
From technical report to user questions
In this context, “user-oriented” means translating technical indicators into plain language, defining key terms, and clearly stating the takeaway. A user-oriented report is built around what different audiences ask most often. In the thesis, the template is structured as a set of question-based modules, so that a reader can quickly find the part that matters to them: What is the current condition? What is changing over time? Where are the biggest regional gaps? What is the maintenance backlog, and what does it mean? This approach follows an idea found in asset management standards: organizations should think in advance about what they communicate, when they communicate it, how the information is presented, and who the intended audience is (SFS Finnish Standards, 2025).
User‑oriented reporting starts from a simple question: what does the reader need to understand.
From the thesis perspective, this became especially visible during the development work, as similar information was often explained in different ways depending on who created the report or presentation. A shared structure makes reporting more predictable, easier to understand, and easier to reuse, especially when many different people and roles are involved.
What changed in the new template
The template was designed as a practical tool that experts can easily use and update. The four design choices mattered the most.
1) Modular layout with one message per slide or page. Instead of trying to cover everything at once, each module answers one question and states one main insight in the heading. Narrative headlines help readers interpret the visual before they into details (Schröder et al., 2023).
2) Visual cues that reduce cognitive load. Color-coded condition bands (paired with labels, not color alone), simple charts, and light annotations guide attention to what matters. This aligns with research on narrative visualization and with WCAG requirements on contrast and non-color cues (Segel & Heer, 2010; W3C, 2023)
3) A built-in glossary and “why it matters” notes. Technical metrics, such as ‘rutting’ or the ‘International Roughness Index’ are useful only if a non-expert can tell whether a value is good or bad and why it matters. The glossary standardizes definitions, while short impact notes connect the metric to outcomes people often care about: safety, reliability, costs, and regional equity (Väylävirasto, 2026).
4) Governance for reuse. A template only creates value if it becomes the default way of working. The thesis therefore recommends version control, an approved library of visuals and wording, and a named role (or rotating responsibility) to maintain reporting consistency over time (SFS Finnish Standards, 2025).
Why this matters: public services are moving from data access to data sense-making
Across Europe, public organizations have invested heavily in open data. However, studies on open government data show that people often need help interpreting what they see, especially when the topic is technical (Kempeneer et al., 2022; Kempeneer et al., 2025). The challenge is rarely the lack of data; it is the lack of an easy path from data to decision. That gap between access and understanding is becoming more visible as service expectations rise, as users increasingly compare public digital services to commercial platforms and expect similar clarity and ease of use (Kempeneer et al., 2022; Guo, 2022).When reports do not explain exactly what the numbers mean or why they matter, the responsibility for interpretation shifts to the user, which can lead to frustration, misinterpretation, or disengagement (Kempeneer et al., 2022; Kempeneer et al., 2025).
Clear structure and explanation matter as much as the data itself.
International infrastructure reports, such as the UK’s ALARM survey report and Ireland’s asset management reporting, illustrate an alternative approach. By using modular layouts, strong summaries, and visual scorecards, they communicate complex condition and funding issues effectively to non‑technical audiences (Asphalt Industry Alliance, 2025; Transport Infrastructure Ireland, 2023).
Product lessons for digital services
- Start with user questions, not features. Map recurring questions, then design the smallest set of modules that answer them clearly.
- Treat communication as part of the product. A dashboard, a PDF, an article, and an executive slide are core touchpoints that smooth out adoption. This is why the template includes reusable language, visuals, and definitions.
- Design for multiple audiences. One dataset can serve different users: specialists need detail, while leaders need information to make decisions, and customer-based teams need clear explanations. Multi-channel design work recognizes that the same underlying data can be formatted and visualized differently across these needs (Wood et al., 2014).
- Build feedback loops. Public sector chatbots and agents are emerging to turn complex information into conversational answers, but they only work if the organization learns from the questions and improves content continuously (Abbas et al., 2023; Hosseini & Tupasela, 2024). The same is true for product support hubs: log questions, find friction points, and update the content library.
Accessibility is both a legal obligation in many digital services and a practical quality bar. Designing contrast, plain language, and alternative text is a form of risk management and a way to reach more users (European Union, 2019; W3C, 2023).
Practical next steps
For organizations that want to move from “reporting” to “answering,” three steps are a good start.
First, create a one-page story brief before building slides or dashboards: audience, decision goal, key message, data sources, and the few visuals that are the backbone of the story (Segel & Heer, 2010).
Second, build a small “data story pack” library: pre-approved visuals, definitions, and short explanations that can be reused across presentations, web pages, and customer communications.
Third, assign ownership. Whether it is a named lead or a rotation, someone must maintain the template, keep wording and visuals consistent, and ensure accessibility checks happen every time.
User-oriented reporting is a service improvement
When public data is turned into clear answers, it supports better decisions and can strengthen trust. The template developed in the thesis is an early step: it was refined with internal experts, but it still needs broader piloting with external audiences and future exploration of digital and AI-supported delivery channels (Hevner, 2007; W3C, 2023). For product teams, the takeaway is: clarity, consistency, and feedback loops are what turn complex systems into usable products.
References
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Authors
Anna Rose Suoninen is a Development Coordinator at International House Tampere, City of Tampere.
She works with digital service development, data migration projects, and cross functional coordination. Her background includes roles in project coordination, product and master data management, and ERP/CRM system support in international organizations. Anna’s professional interests lie in service and product development, user oriented digital solutions, and project work that connects technical systems with real user needs. E-mail: anna.suoninen@gmail.com
Shaidul Kazi, PhD, is a multicultural intelligence expert and senior lecturer in the Degree Programme in International Business, at Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK).
He has over twenty-five years of teaching experience in cross-cultural management and International Business-related courses. His PhD dissertation topic was “Managerial Decision-Making Behaviour and Impact of Culture.” Alongside teaching, he regularly writes newspaper articles and is involved with EU funded projects. E-mail: shaidul.kazi@tuni.fi
Photo: Unsplash/Stephen Dawson