Better Dataviz Helps 55 Degrees Deliver Analytics Faster
One of Black Label’s Swedish Clients 55 Degrees were in need of Data Visualization specialists to help improve their Analytics Platform. Black Label stepped up to the challenge!
We are excited to present one of our first client Case Studies in Dataviz in Action. Not only is the story of how Black Label started working with 55 Degrees a great read, but the article was written by their very own CEO. A huge thanks from the Blog Label team to Julia Wester for the great writing and amazing cooperation!
Challenge: We Hit a Roadblock
2023 was a pivotal year for us at 55 Degrees. Our flagship product, ActionableAgile™ Analytics, helps organizations optimize workflows and boost predictability by providing powerful insights into flow metrics. High-quality, interactive charts are at the heart of the value we deliver, enabling teams to analyze their data and make better decisions.
To make maintaining and improving our charts faster and easier, we decided to migrate to a new charting library—Highcharts. Widely regarded as the gold standard for charting libraries, Highcharts is trusted by countless companies for its robust functionality and flexibility. Choosing Highcharts seemed like the perfect fit for delivering the exceptional visualizations our customers expect.
While Highcharts was the ideal solution for our needs, we soon encountered unexpected roadblocks. Some of the features we needed weren’t available out of the box, and developing these proved more complex than anticipated. We spent countless hours trying to make Highcharts work for us, only to end up frustrated and blocked. That’s when we realized we needed help—specialists who knew Highcharts inside and out.
Enter Black Label.
Why Black Label?
Black Label’s story resonated with us. Starting as a SaaS platform builder, they had transitioned to become experts in Highcharts, partnering directly with Highsoft, the Norwegian company behind this powerful library. Who better to reach out to than the developers of the solution itself?
We chose Black Label because of their expertise—and, frankly, we were relieved they were available when we needed them most. From the moment we started working with them, Black Label delivered on their promise of expertise, helping us quickly turn roadblocks into opportunities.
But their technical knowledge was only part of the equation. Beyond expertise, Black Label’s approach to collaboration sets them apart, making them the perfect partner for our needs.
Solution: Flexible Expertise When We Needed It Most
One of the standout aspects of working with Black Label is their flexibility. Unlike hiring permanent staff or struggling to upskill our internal team under tight deadlines, Black Label’s consultants stepped in seamlessly as a specialized, on-demand workforce.
Their deep knowledge of Highcharts allowed us to tackle complex features we couldn’t achieve on our own. For example, one of our biggest challenges was developing an advanced data scrubber—a feature critical for our chart functionality but one that had delayed our beta release for weeks. Black Label delivered a fully functional version in just days, unblocking our progress and enabling us to move forward with confidence.
Below is an example of the advanced data scrubber implemented in ActionableAgile™ Analytics that allows users to granularly refine the data visualized in the charts. This tool was pivotal in improving data accuracy and user control.
Whether it was customizing interactive charts, optimizing performance, or tackling other complex features, they delivered results that exceeded our expectations. More importantly, they did so without disrupting our existing workflows.
Our developers easily work directly with them through familiar tools such as Slack and GitHub. This way of working made the collaboration not just efficient but empowering. By focusing on their strengths while relying on Black Label’s specialized knowledge, our developers were more productive and motivated. They could focus on their core responsibilities, confident that Black Label would handle the complex charting challenges.
This collaboration didn’t just solve immediate problems—it also boosted our team’s confidence and ability to meet future challenges, knowing we had the right partner by our side.
Result: Faster Time to Market
By partnering with Black Label, we turned a frustrating bottleneck into a breakthrough. Features that had previously consumed weeks of development time were completed in days. This was more than just a technical win—it lifted a major burden off our team, freeing us to focus on delivering value to our customers without being bogged down by development roadblocks.
Another example of their impact was with our tooltips for data points. The default Highcharts tooltips didn’t offer the flexibility we needed to align with our React components and custom designs. Black Label helped us seamlessly integrate those components into the tooltip functionality, creating a richer and more interactive user experience.
Here’s how Black Label’s expertise helped us create custom tooltips that enhance the Cumulative Flow Diagram in ActionableAgile™ Analytics. These tooltips provide richer, actionable insights at a glance, improving the overall user experience.
Whether it was a critical feature launch or an ongoing project, we could scale Black Label’s involvement up or down effortlessly. This scalability gave us the support we needed at exactly the right time, without overcommitting our internal staff or resources. Knowing we could rely on their expertise when it mattered most provided both flexibility and peace of mind.
Lessons Learned
Reflecting on our collaboration, here’s what has stood out so far:
1. Specialized Skills Save Time
Investing in expertise often costs less than the time lost trying to figure things out internally. From the data scrubber to the custom tooltip to usability tweaks we are continuing to implement with their help, the value Black Label provides overwhelmingly exceeds the cost.
2. Flexibility Matters
Black Label was there when we needed them most. Their ability to scale their involvement up or down during critical phases of our project made the decision to continue our partnership an easy one as we grow.
3. The Right Partner Makes a Difference
Black Label wasn’t just a vendor; they became an extension of our team, fully invested in our success. My team found working with them seamless, thanks to their collaborative approach and commitment to delivering results.
Summary: A Partnership Built for the Future
Working with Black Label has transformed how we tackle development challenges and approach partnerships. Their expertise not only helped us overcome our hurdles with Highcharts but also redefined our ability to deliver innovative solutions.
With their support, we’ve elevated, and continue to improve, ActionableAgile™ Analytics to deliver richer, more interactive charts that empower our customers to make smarter decisions faster.
If your team is facing similar challenges, don’t wait—reach out to Black Label today. Their expertise, flexibility, and collaborative spirit have helped us deliver faster and smarter, and we’re confident they can do the same for you. We’re excited about the future of our partnership and the innovative solutions it will continue to bring.
