In Sept 2023, I led an innovative project with the Claims team enabling customers to select vehicle damages and receive personalized repair recommendations. The goal was to create a digital solution that would reduce the time and effort required for customers to file a claim, while also increasing the accuracy of repair estimates and reducing costs for the insurance company.
Product Designer - discovery, user research, design, testing, strategy
Product Manager, Engineers, UX Research, Legal
Currently, in the digital file a claim process, there is no way for customers to report vehicle damages digitally, forcing them to either reach out to an adjuster or wait for an adjuster to contact them. They are forced to rely on manual methods,
Vision
I conducted in-depth interviews with claims adjusters and subject matter experts to understand the damage reporting and repair estimates process. The whole process typically takes 15-30 days, depending on various conditions such as adjuster workload, repair shop availability, etc. This process involves the following steps:
With the help of UX Research partner, we interviewed 8 current claims customers to understand their challenges with the process.
“I'm so frustrated with the manual damage reporting process! It takes forever to fill out the paperwork and get an estimate."
“I'm shocked and upset when the final bill is way higher than the initial estimate! Manual estimates are prone to human error, and it feels like they're taking advantage of me. I'm tired of waiting for an accurate estimate.”
“I'm tired of waiting weeks for a repair appointment. I need my car to live my life, but the prolonged process is inconvenient and frustrating.”
Since this project relied heavily on technical detail, I teamed up with the tech lead to figure out what was needed. Together, we created a flow that combined technical requirements with a user-friendly experience. This made sure our solution worked well and was easy to use.
After my first kick-off meeting with the stakeholders, I initially shared my ideas, and out of the three options, I recommended the interactive vehicle image as the ideal choice. This approach would provide users with a visual reference for damages, reducing the likelihood of inaccurate damage data for the business.
Easy, right? WELL, NO.
We had pushback from developers due to time constraints, as they preferred the list-only approach for faster development.
I partnered with UX Research to run a usability test for option 1 & 2. During the testing I found that users are not familiar with the technical terms used to describe vehicle parts, such as "fender" or "quarter panel". This lack of knowledge lead to a inaccurate damage selection. Based on the testing, option 2 was the most successful to get the accurate damage data.
The Strongest Wins
I went back to our developers and PM and shared the research results. I successfully convey the idea and push the development team to move with interactive image approach.
Initially, my design lacked a compelling business selling point to encourage customers to use our recommended repair program. So, I went back to the drawing board and came up with a new solution that highlights the benefits of choosing an in-network repair shop, while also following all state steering laws. I worked closely with our legal team to make sure everything was accurate and compliant. When we tested the new approach with users, it met their expectations perfectly!
1. Easy and fast to report vehicle condition
Simplified the vehicle condition questions process, making it quick and easy for users, by leveraging the design system's components.
2. Confident Decision Making
By providing visual indications of the impact point and vehicle damages, users can make decisions with confidence.
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As this feature was complex and involved a lot of backend logic, which differed from front-end options. To help the development team, I created clear documentation that clearly explained both front-end and backend logic to avoid confusion. Here are some examples of the guidelines I created to ensure designs were thoroughly executed.
Damage reporting and repair recommendation process was launched in December 2023. 🎉
(Compared to 30% in plan)
(Compared to 20% in plan)
Receiving such heartfelt appreciations from key stakeholders feels incredibly rewarding. 🏆
Always fight for good UX
I had to work under very strict technical constraints, but still fight for what I believe is essential to having a good user experience.
Dealing with edge cases by collaborative feedback
Recognizing and addressing edge cases in the design phase through continuous feedback from all stakeholders is key to preventing future issues and enhancing the overall quality and robustness of the design.
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