1. The Challenge:
We had an ambitious goal: to completely redesign the General Insurance platform in just 4 months. This involved covering 4 direct purchase journeys: Motor, Personal Accident, Home, and Travel. We had only 8 design sprints to get it done. The pressure was immense, with tight deadlines, a small window for user research, and the challenge of delivering a seamless customer experience.
2. The Approach:
We recognized the need to work smarter, not harder. Our strategy revolved around customer journey mapping, through which we identified similarities across various insurance products. We developed reusable components for plans, forms, and payments, significantly reducing development time while ensuring design consistency. This approach enabled us to deliver results quickly without sacrificing quality.
Role & Responsibilities
As the UX Lead/Manager, I was at the helm of this high-stakes project. My role was not just to lead the design effort but to act as a strategist, problem solver, and motivator. I had to keep the team aligned and energized, ensuring that we didn’t lose sight of the end goal despite the mounting challenges.
With so much at stake, I needed to manage stakeholders, balance resources, and guide the design team through each sprint, making critical decisions to keep us on track.
Position / Role
Stragtegist
Position / Role
Problem Solver
Position / Role
Motivator
The Design Process
As time was running out, we didn't have the luxury of conducting traditional user research. Instead, we delved into real-world customer data by analyzing feedback, listening to hours of customer service calls, and thoroughly examining funnel analytics.
This approach allowed us to identify where users were encountering difficulties and where they were abandoning the platform.
Research & Discovery
The pressure to deliver something fresh and functional was real. We quickly drew inspiration from industry trailblazers like Lemonade Insurance for its clean, simple design and DBS Bank for its intuitive questionnaire format.
We weren't simply copying - we were learning, adapting, and innovating. Our concepts had to be sharp, relevant, and achievable in a short timeframe.
Ideation
We used stakeholder input as our guide throughout the process. As we introduced prototypes, we relied on their feedback to refine our designs in real time.
After the launch, our analysis of customer behaviors led to rapid improvements, ensuring that the user experience continued to evolve.
Prototyping & Testing
Hey, I'm James, a UX Manager, Product Owner, and relentless design enthusiast! I lead kick-ass teams to create user-focused experiences that not only solve problems but also spark joy for businesses and their users.
I believe great design starts with people – understanding the creators and the users. With a mix of creativity, strategy, and a love for human-centred solutions, I bring ideas to life that truly make an impact!
jameschiamxw@gmail.com
+65 8201 2424
© 2025 by James Chiam
Made with Love
Challenges & Solutions
This project was like running a marathon at a sprint pace. We had to revamp 4 journeys in just 8 design sprints, which was quite challenging. We encountered roadblocks such as design elements that didn’t quite fit, unforeseen technical constraints, and looming deadlines.
However, we didn’t give up. We followed agile principles, maintained a tight design backlog, and collaborated closely with the technical teams to ensure that our designs didn’t overload the design with unnecessary API calls. Since speed was crucial for a real-time purchase journey, we had to be meticulous with every interaction we designed.
This project felt like a UX boot camp. The pressure was intense, the timelines were tight, and the obstacles seemed endless. Through it all, I learned the value of resilience. Not every design will work out as planned, and sometimes, you have to pivot, adapt, and find creative solutions.
The key to success was keeping my team focused on the main goal and maintaining clear communication at every step. It was a challenging experience, but it improved my leadership skills and taught me how to steer complex projects to success, regardless of the challenges.
Reflection
38%
Reduction in time required to purchase an insurance product
After the relaunch of the platform, we saw immediate and undeniable results. Negative customer feedback decreased significantly, and we managed to reduce the time required to purchase an insurance product by an impressive 38%.
What seemed like a race to the finish line turned out to be a resounding success, not only for the team but also for the customers who experienced a greatly improved journey.