SEED Sharing and Enabling Environmental Data in NSW

Environmental data shapes decisions about land, water, fire and climate. But in NSW, it lived across dozens of agencies, in dozens of formats, behind dozens of logins. SEED, launched in 2016, brought it together.By 2024, it held over 5,500 datasets, yet published open data is not the same as used data. Experts rated the ease of finding information at 3.19 out of 5. Non-experts rated it 2.64. The challenge was to redesign SEED so a GIS analyst, a council planner and a community member could all use it, without dumbing down the science or overwhelming a newcomer.

SEED was redesigned around three shifts.From static to timely: the new site signposts dataset freshness, links articles to contextualise impact, and surfaces topical data on a dynamic homepage.From dense and technical to accessible and digestible: plain-language titles, topic-based navigation and a simplified menu enhance expert-led “Hubs,” helping new and power-users alike find what they need quickly.From business-led to impact-centred: instead of organising data around internal terms and tools, content is structured around the ‘why’, with case studies and use cases that reflect the interests of NSW’s diverse communities.

SEED’s redesign makes environmental data easier to find, understand and apply, for GIS analysts building constraint maps for planning reports, and community advocates building cases to protect their local environment. One koala-conservation NGO uses SEED weekly, layering sightings, habitat maps and threatened species records to challenge proposed developments.The redesign lays the foundation for SEED’s strategic future. Guided topic pages and self-serve search let audiences discover content their way. Visible impact on every dataset gives real-world context. SEED aligns with NSW Government open data priorities, contributing to better environmental outcomes and more accountable public decisions for the people of NSW.

● One trusted gateway brings over 6,500 NSW environmental datasets into a single place, drawn from various trusted sources.● Every dataset shows its impact. New “Use cases and impact” and “Data in action” sections reveal who has used the data, for what decisions, and with what outcomes, including journal citations, council planning decisions and community advocacy.● Interactive mapping and services are more discoverable, helping exploration, visualisation and analysis without specialist tools.● A topic-based structure enhances expert-led “Hubs” with a more guided, step-by-step content experience, so a soil scientist, a council planner and a high school student can all find what they need.● Smarter search and discovery, with improved filtering and a clearer tile layout, helps users find what they need faster.● Status labels and “latest updates” timelines tell users when each dataset was last refreshed, so they can trust what they’re working with.● An “At a glance” panel on every dataset surfaces key metadata: status, creation date, intended audience and how to apply the data, so users know if a dataset is relevant before diving into the details.● A dedicated “Help and contact” tab gives users a clear path to triage issues or find answers to common questions.