2011-2012
CRFB Deficit Reduction Comparison Tool
CRFB’s Comparison Tool provides side-by-side comparisons of nearly 50 deficit reduction plans that have been proposed by think tanks, members of congress, experts, and advocacy groups. The project goal was to develop a web-based alternative to a static PDF document. The result is a dynamic table that allows users to expand and collapse cells to show more or less information, and create custom side-by-side comparisons.
Client
Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, Washington DC
Nonprofit Organization | Think Tank
Audience & Topics
General Audience, Voters, Researchers, Policy Advocates, Policymakers, Journalists and the Media
Government | Public Policy | Reform | Politics
Launched
May 2011
Roles, Deliverables and Methods
Information Architect
Layout Design
Interface Designer (UI/UX)
Design Comps, Custom Form Elements
Lead Developer
Production Website with Content Management System
Webmaster
Functional Enhancements
Technology & Tools
Project Accolades
“To help make sense of the mushrooming number of proposals, the Center for a Responsible Federal Budget has a new interactive tool that allows users to compare the growing crop of deficit-reduction plans out there…It’s worth checking out.”
-National Public Radio
Features
A Table, Tamed.
The project’s greatest challenge was figuring out how the information — nearly 50 plans forming 45 pages of text — could be usefully presented in an aesthetically pleasing and highly functional manner. The solution was an interactive table where the main columns can be expanded. The effect is powered by custom written jQuery.
Side-by-Side Comparison Views
Similar to a product comparison tool, the site allows visitors to produce a custom table that compares the complete details of up to three plans side by side.
Sorting as Easy as 1, 2, 3
Most of the deficit reduction plans featured on the site provide numeric projections of their impact on such things as revenue, spending and government debt. The Comparison Tool allows users to sort the plans based on those projections. The function was accomplished using the Tablesorter.js plugin along with custom graphics to match the rest of the interface.
Printer-Friendly Comprehensive View
Before the Comparison Tool was built, all of the data was presented in a PDF file. That was handy for occasional printing needs, but updating and reposting the file was a maintenance burden. The Comparison Tool website eliminated that burden without sacrificing function. Visitors are still able to produce and print the complete table. It’s all done dynamically using a secondary template. As soon as the website is updated, so is the print version, automatically.
Content Management
The website is powered by the CMSense content management system, a lightweight and highly flexible CMS. This allows for nearly 100% of the tool’s content to be maintained without developer assistance. Content managers can add new plans, revise data/content in the existing plans, and remove plans from the master table. They can also “pin” featured items to the top of the table, separate the plans into categories, and provide links to other resources.
From the Publisher:
“Over the past year and a half or so, there have been a countless number of budgets or fiscal plans released that would attempt to deal with our rising debt…It can be tough keeping track of all them, so that’s why CRFB now gives you the chance to compare all of the plans with our Fiscal Plan Comparison Tool!”
From the Media and Web:
CNN
32 plans to cut the debt. Really.
“Members of the bipartisan debt committee have no fewer than 32 debt reduction plans at their disposal. All they have to do is call up a plan comparison table…”
NPR
Fiscal Watchdog Corrals Numerous Budget Plans For Comparison
“To help make sense of the mushrooming number of proposals, the Center for a Responsible Federal Budget has a new interactive tool that allows users to compare the growing crop of deficit-reduction plans out there…It’s worth checking out.”
The Atlantic
The Best Tool For Comparing Budget Plans Out There
“The Deficit Comparison Tool from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget is the most comprehensive and detailed way to compare the 30 D.C. deficit reduction plans (yes, we’re up to 30 now), from the president’s deficit commission to Rep. Mike Quigley’s budget. It’s an essential resource for people following the debate over how to raise taxes, cut spending, and slow the growth of entitlements to bring down our long term debt.”
The Financial Times
Comparing budget plans
“The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget has created a useful tool for comparing the various budget-reform plans.”
US News & World Report
6 Likely Social Security Changes
“…a useful online tool to compare nearly three dozen deficit reduction plans…”
Capital Gains and Games
Comparing 32 Deficit Reduction Plans While Trying To Lift The Gloom Over The Budget Talks
“The Committee for A Responsible Federal Budget has just posted a very handy side-by-side comparison of 32 deficit reduction plans. You can use this tool to compare any three at a time. This is Budget Wonk Heaven.”
From the Twitterverse:
@dmarron
Donald Marron
Want to compare #budget plans? Try this nifty tool from @BudgetHawks: crfb.org/compare/index.…
@ResidualLine
Erica
#CRFB interactive fiscal plan comparison tool crfb.org/compare/index.… #budget
@JMKamensky
John Kamensky
Here’s a handy Fiscal Plan Comparison Tool to explore the different debt cutting plans out there #fedcostcut http://bit.ly/kRhBBY
@jimtankersley
Jim Tankersley
CRFB’s awesome new deficit-plan comparison tool: http://njour.nl/kkpI6Q #nerdalert
@joshgreenman
Josh Greenman
New tool for comparing 30 (!) different deficit reduction plans. Now to tackle deficit reduction plan reduction. crfb.org/compare/index.…FiscalFuture Fiscal Future
@FiscalFuture
Fiscal Future
RT @budgethawks: CRFB Unveils Fiscal Plan Comparison Website!: http://bit.ly/mm1h2S
@cantpaythattab
WeCan’tPayThatTab!
A good tool to compare all the debt plans now on the table. http://fb.me/12yW3KE5a
@JamalSimmons
JamalSimmons
For those paying attn to the deficit talk, this site makes comparing all of the plans out there easy. http://fb.me/TCSoPRQl
@sbittle
Scott Bittle
Very useful from @BudgetHawks: side-by-side tool to compare #deficit plans bit.ly/jqPr4N
@97mjackson
Mickey Jackson
#nerdalert: @BudgetHawks has a chart comparing ALL of the proposed deficit reduction plans: http://bit.ly/lOY6O4 Great resource.
@Harben_eco_dev
George Harben
If you have trouble following the debt reduction plans, CRFB put out this helpful comparison. Printable version. http://bit.ly/l6MoSI
@Harben_eco_dev
George Harben
If you want a database that you can customize and compare 30 separate debt reduction proposals, CRFB has that too. http://bit.ly/lOY6O4
@PolicyDaddy
Chris Dreibelbis
Attention #budget geeks: new interactive tool allows you to compare #debt reduction plans http://ow.ly/5kcN0.