The Met Office is one of the UK’s most trusted public institutions. Millions rely on it daily for forecasts and statutory weather warnings that influence decisions about travel, health, business and safety.
To fulfil its mission to help people stay safe and thrive, the Met Office needed to modernise its digital estate. The goal was clear: ensure world-class weather science could be clearly understood, quickly accessed and confidently acted upon in moments that matter.
The challenge
Trusted science, outdated digital experience
Despite its reputation for accuracy, research revealed a gap between the quality of the Met Office’s science and the usability of its digital service.
Citizens described the legacy app as cluttered and difficult to navigate. While rich in information, it was hard to interpret quickly, increasing cognitive load and reducing confidence. For a service responsible for official weather warnings, this created real risk.
The underlying technology added further constraints. Built in 2016 across separate iOS and Android codebases, the platform increased cost, slowed delivery and limited the ability to respond to changing needs.
At the same time, people were increasingly accessing weather information through third-party platforms. Without a modern, intuitive service, the Met Office risked losing reach and relevance.
Key learning
Clarity and usability are essential to delivering public value, even for highly trusted organisations.
The approach
Redesigning experience and enabling continuous improvement
Made Tech partnered with the Met Office to redesign and rebuild its weather app, focusing on both user experience and delivery capability.
The team simplified information architecture and redesigned key journeys so users could quickly understand conditions and act with confidence. Development was shaped through beta phases involving over 18,000 users, ensuring real feedback informed each iteration.
The legacy platform was replaced with a single React Native codebase, enabling faster releases, reduced duplication and a more resilient service.
A key shift was introducing stronger data, tracking and reporting. This supported an insight-to-action model for product decisions and enabled clearer communication of progress and impact to stakeholders and senior leaders.
Key learning
Embedding data and clear reporting improves both product outcomes and organisational decision-making.
The results
Better decisions for users, greater efficiency for the organisation
The refreshed app delivers measurable improvements in usability, engagement and operational efficiency.
Users can now complete key tasks more quickly and with greater confidence, with testing showing clear improvements in perceived simplicity, calmness and professionalism.
During Storm Chandra, daily active users increased by 29%, demonstrating the app’s role as a trusted source when it matters most. The app remains the top-ranked weather app in the UK, with ratings stabilising after launch.
Operationally, the new platform has delivered significant efficiencies:
- 33% reduction in developers required
- Shift from three weekly to weekly releases
- Simplified support through a single codebase
The introduction of data-led reporting has also strengthened how performance is tracked and communicated, helping teams demonstrate impact and support better decision-making at all levels.
The platform now provides a strong foundation for future improvements, including accessibility, personalisation and richer communication of weather and climate risk.
Key learning
Modern technology combined with insight-led delivery creates services that are easier to use, easier to evolve and more effective at delivering public value.
Summary
By modernising both the technology platform and the way it is delivered, the Met Office has strengthened its ability to serve citizens at scale. The refreshed app improves clarity in everyday decisions and resilience in critical moments, while reducing operational complexity and cost. It provides a sustainable foundation for continuous improvement and ensures the Met Office can continue helping the UK stay safe and thrive in an increasingly digital world.
For more information on the digital transformation services we offer, visit our digital transformation website or take a look at our national security and public safety pages.
