Sennep creates global data app Urban World

The iPad app, called Urban World and launched by The McKinsey Global Institute (MGI), the business and economics research arm of McKinsey management consultants, allows users to compare 2010 levels of GDP, population and income.

They can then see how they may change by 2025, showing previously unavailable data from more than 2600 global cities.

For instance London’s GDP was bigger than that of the entire country of Turkey in 2010, but by 2025 Turkey is forecast to be more than 50 per cent larger than London in terms of GDP.

Sennep was appointed by The McKinsey Global Institute about a year ago having previously worked on other projects for the company.

The consultancy looked to create a ‘slick, fun and intuitive’ interface to show the approximately 50,000 data points that make up the app, according to Sennep. The look and feel is based on that of NASA nighttime maps, which show the world from space.

Stuart Jackson, Sennep partner, says, ‘[McKinsey] have got this great data set and they wanted to let the public play with it. It can help 14 year-old school kids do their geography homework and then when the parents see it, they can look at it from a more business point of view.’

He adds, ‘We wanted to create an innovative, slick interface that means you can find insights really easily.’