Working Relations Index Study Results Reporting

Plante Moran

Overview

A redesign of a long-running industry research study focused on clarity, usability, and executive relevance.

Focused on translating complex survey data into clear visual systems that support interpretation and decision-making
Worked closely with subject-matter expert to refine analysis, narrative, and presentation under real-world constraints
Balanced methodological rigor with accessible design across dashboards, charts, and explanatory frameworks

Note: Some values anonymized (0.00) and OEMs generalized to protect confidential data.

PROJECT DETAILS
Role: Information Designer and Editor
Deliverables: Research report redesign, OEM dashboards, new visualization systems, navigation and annotations, PR graphics package (additional assets not shown)
Tools: InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Excel, PowerPoint, Word
Focus: data clarity, executive readability, information architecture, production accuracy

Key Outcomes

Faster executive comprehension and meeting-readiness
Reduction in cognitive load and manual interpretation
Consistent visual language applied across report
Structure now supports mini-dashboards, charts, and comparison logic

Selected Work

OEM Dashboard

A single, decision-ready view designed to replace fragmented OEM reporting and support executive discussion.

Consolidated key OEM metrics previously distributed across multiple sections into one cohesive, decision-ready view
Selected and prioritized the most relevant variables for each OEM so readers could quickly understand strengths, weaknesses, and recent changes
Replaced dense tables and limited visual cues with focused visualizations that make meaningful patterns and movement immediately apparent
Established a clear visual hierarchy integrating scores, trends, peer context, and statistically significant changes

Before: Narrative + Tables

Legacy OEM report page showing dense narrative paragraphs without visual comparison aids. — BEFORE: Hard to scan and compare, the legacy format presented OEM insights as long-form narrative pages that required close reading to find key takeaways.

Legacy OEM variable table with numerical values and significance indicators — BEFORE: Hard to interpret at a glance, key variables were presented in dense tables with limited visual cues, forcing readers to manually spot patterns and movement.

Designed as a static, print-friendly dashboard (tear sheet) intended for meetings, presentations, and executive discussion.

Modernized Index Visualization

An executive-level expansion of an existing index chart format to better support comparison and interpretation of WRI results.

Updated bar chart showing three-year WRI scores per OEM with significance dots and minimal grid lines. — AFTER: A modernized 3-year WRI view using annotations, clear significance markers, and reduced visual noise to support faster OEM comparison.

Extended an existing executive index chart format to include the Working Relations Index for the first time
Brought top-line WRI scores previously shown in tables and long-term historical charts into a focused summary view
Improved readability by separating statistical significance indicators from data labels and reducing visual congestion
Shifted emphasis toward recent performance and competitive positioning while preserving analytical accuracy

Historical WRI line graph with multiple OEM trend lines spanning many years. — BEFORE: Too broad for quick executive review, the legacy visualization emphasized the full historical range and made recent cross-OEM comparison slower.

Leadership Impact Visualization

A new insight visualization aligning WRI performance with Purchasing leadership transitions to add organizational context.

Chart showing impact of Purchasing VP tenure aligned with OEM WRI performance over time. — A new insight visualization aligning WRI performance with Purchasing VP tenure to add leadership context to year-over-year score changes.

Introduced a new longitudinal visualization aligning WRI performance with Purchasing leadership transitions
Established an appropriate historical scope to ensure relevance to modern industry conditions
Enabled readers to consider how leadership changes may intersect with shifts in working relations
Refined explanatory narrative in collaboration with subject-matter experts to support clear interpretation

Report Use Guide

Clear visual explanation of WRI score meaning using color bands, thresholds, and plain-language labels.

Page explaining adequate/good/poor score ranges using color scales, labels, and brief guidance text. — A plain-language interpretation guide using color bands and score thresholds to help readers quickly understand what results mean and how to act on them.

Translated WRI score ranges into three clear relationship types to help stakeholder interpret results and plan next steps
Unified color, language, and scale to reduce ambiguity and eliminate the need to cross-reference explanations elsewhere in the report
Replaced fragmented and inconsistent explanations from prior reports with a single, cohesive framework
Designed the page to support executive discussion by making the implications of WRI scores immediately understandable

Systemic Model Redesign

A clarified, modernized view of the existing WRI framework and how its indices work together.

Systemic WRI model graphic with highlighted index sections and supporting explanation text. — A refreshed systemic model showing how indices connect, using progressive emphasis and simplified layout to improve comprehension while preserving full context.

Redesigned the existing systemic model to improve clarity, hierarchy, and visual consistency
Modernized legacy visuals while aligning typography, color, and iconography with Plante Moran brand standards
Used progressive emphasis to keep the full system visible while guiding readers through specific components
Consolidated index definitions, components, and question counts into a concise reference to reduce cognitive load

Annual WRI Results Presentation

Slides from the annual WRI results presentation, designed to communicate complex research findings clearly to study participants and industry stakeholders.

Diagram illustrating how buyer characteristics, business practices, and working relations activities interact with supplier behaviors to influence value creation and profits. — Systemic model used to frame supplier relations through buyer behaviors, supplier responses, and working relations activities rather than isolated transactional outcomes.

Circular diagram showing the Working Relations Index components including trust, engagement and communication, reduction of barriers and hindrances, assistance and help programs, and mutual profit. — Analytical framework highlighting interrelated factors most closely correlated with effective working relations and improved operational and financial outcomes.

Scatter plot showing the relationship between Working Relations Index scores and the percentage of price reduction given by suppliers. — Visualization demonstrating the relationship between collaborative working relations and suppliers’ willingness to support price reduction requests.

Charts comparing Net Promoter Score and Working Relations Index scores across multiple automotive OEMs over time. — Composite view linking trust, mutual value creation, and customer-of-choice dynamics through the alignment of Net Promoter Score and Working Relations Index results.

Overview graphic showing how WRI participant report outputs are used across OEM results, purchasing areas, benchmark tables, and internal alignment efforts. — Example of how study outputs are structured and applied by OEM leadership and supplier participants to support internal alignment, benchmarking, and cross-functional decision-making.

Full presentation system included additional audience-specific views not shown here.

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