One Data Platform (ODP) is a tool developed by Swisscom's Data, Analytics & AI Department (DNA) to unify all data-handling processes within a single dashboard.

Starting Challenge

Over time, data management within Swisscom became increasingly fragmented, spread across multiple storage systems and various third-party tools, all operating under strict yet necessary access and security policies. This complexity made data handling inefficient and time-consuming.

ODP was created to streamline these processes, making them more transparent and accessible, particularly for users with low to moderate technical expertise — who also happen to be the primary consumers of data within the organization. By centralizing data management, the platform significantly reduces both the time and costs associated with data-driven decision-making.

Simple Solution for a Complex Problem

Replacing existing tools with an all-in-one custom solution was never a viable option. Building such a system would take decades, and overhauling established processes and policies would be even more complex. Additionally, replacing industry-standard tools would introduce significant risk with unpredictable outcomes.

The challenge, then, was finding a way to maintain the existing toolset while unifying disconnected processes into a seamless user flow.

The solution was to create a dashboard that serves as a central homepage for a suite of products, consolidating alerts, notifications, and metadata from various tools onto a single screen.

This was made possible through key design components: a vertical navigation that enables users to switch quickly between different tools and an activity/metadata sidebar that establishes connection between them.

Sidebar with the Shared Metadata

The sidebar is essential component for unifying workflows across different platforms in the suite. Following features support this experience:

• Activity Log – Displays all the activity in the suite, with event notifications coming from different platforms, sorted by relevance.
• Details – Shows metadata and relevant links for selected asset. For example, if a report is stored in one tool but its data comes from another, users can click the data source link in the sidebar to go directly to its detail page — without opening a new window and searching for data source manually.
• Quick Actions – Allows users to edit data, status, tags, and descriptions instantly, while staying in the current workflow and on the same screen.

Simplified Permissions and Approval Flows

Approval processes for viewing, using or editing data and reports can be tedious and time consuming.

Solution we pushed with this design solutions was to assign a default rights to users once they sign up for ODP based on their role and place in companies hierarchy. Accordingly, user sends access requests only if they are outside of the currently assigned permissions, and not for every usage of each asset in the system.