Underwriters Adopt a Single Source of Truth Product
Problem
The underwriting risk analysis process relied heavily on multiple Excel spreadsheets to determine insurance premiums. This was an outdated method of analysis that did not allow for efficiency and ease of use.
Goal
Design and deliver a centralized, intuitive tool that enables underwriters to evaluate all risk categories in one place, establishing a true single source of truth across insurance types.
Team
Product Owner, Project Manager, Developers, UX Designer
Tools
Sketch, Figma, Zeplin, Miro, Mouseflow, Illustrator
Timeline
Ongoing (2018–present), with phased releases by insurance type
Background
This initiative began in 2018 to modernize and streamline the underwriting quoting process. I joined the project in 2020 as the sole UX designer, inheriting an actively used product with established design patterns.
My focus was twofold: maintain visual and interaction consistency across new features while evolving the experience based on real user behavior and feedback. Today, the platform saves underwriters over 2,000 hours annually. This case study highlights one subsection of the tool: contractor’s equipment insurance.
User Research
We began with two weeks of discovery research to align business goals with real user behavior.
First, I collaborated with the product owner and project manager to map the ideal workflow from the business perspective using Miro. Establishing this “happy path” upfront helped identify potential gaps before engaging with users.
Next, I conducted interviews with underwriters across varying experience levels, asking them to walk through their existing spreadsheet-based workflows. A key insight emerged:
- Experienced users navigated non-linearly, skipping between fields based on their knowledge.
- Less experienced users followed a strict, linear process and often lacked clarity on which inputs were critical.
This revealed a central design challenge: creating a system flexible enough for experts, yet structured enough to guide newer users.
Using these insights, I developed a revised workflow that reflected real-world usage, incorporating alternate paths, friction points, and dependencies. As expected, the actual workflow proved significantly more complex than the business-defined model.
Before moving into design, we partnered with users to address key pain points by:
- Eliminating unnecessary fields
- Reordering content to match natural workflows
- Clarifying and simplifying language
These changes not only improved usability but also aligned the experience more closely with what the business had imagined.
Design Process
I began designing solutions based on the workflow diagrams and user interviews.
Because other sections of the tool were already live, maintaining visual cohesion was critical. I adhered to existing design patterns while thoughtfully adapting them to better support the contractor’s equipment workflow.
We restructured the layout to reflect a more intuitive progression, improving both efficiency and ease of use. I developed high-fidelity wireframes and conducted iterative feedback sessions with users to validate decisions early and often.
Various Iterations
Design Solution
Through multiple iterations, we arrived at a solution that aligned user needs, business goals, and technical feasibility.
The contractor’s equipment section was successfully designed and delivered within three months. The final product provides a streamlined, guided experience while still allowing flexibility for advanced users.
As a small but meaningful enhancement, I also designed a custom icon in Illustrator to introduce a subtle moment of delight within an otherwise analytical workflow.
Final Design
Icon created in Illustrator
Impact & Results
- Saves underwriters 2,000+ hours annually
- Improved efficiency and usability across experience levels
- Increased product adoption, with usage doubling from 2023 to 2024
- Received strong internal feedback for enhancing workflow clarity and speed
Final Thoughts
This project was my first section of the tool that I worked on after taking over as sole designer. Ensuring continuity in the user experience was critical: users should never feel the transition between designers.
By grounding decisions in user research while respecting existing patterns, I was able to evolve the product without disrupting it. The result is a cohesive, scalable tool that continues to deliver measurable value as it grows.