Insurance Provider Improves Agent Website and Mobile Interface through Usability Testing, User Interviews and Competitive Analysis
Insurance Company Improves Agent Desktop, Mobile Websites through Usability Testing, User Interviews and Competitive Analysis
Situation:
A leading life insurance company was in the process of adopting a new user-centered design approach for the development of its digital properties when it engaged my company for a variety of user research and competitive intelligence services. At the forefront of its initiatives, the firm was in the process of developing a tablet optimized website for agents to assist them during face-to-face meetings with clients. At the same time, the firm also wanted to understand what could be done to improve its existing desktop website experience. To ensure both properties offer agents best-in-class content and functionality, our client asked us to help them understand:
- What is the user experience like for insurance agents on competitor websites how does it differ from their own site?
- How are agents and back-office staff using the website?
- What, if any, usability issues are caused by the design of the current desktop website and a proposed mobile website?
Approach:
To answer these difficult questions, I devised a two-phase study. In the first phase, I worked with our client to identify three key competitor firms, based on a number of factors including market share, business strategy and the quality of their online properties. I then led a team that performed a top-to-bottom analysis of each competitor's agent portal, highlighting strengths and weaknesses, identifying competitive gaps and developing recommendations to help our client improve its existing desktop experience.
For the second phase of our study, I sought out real world users of our client's website and gathered their input on both the desktop website and a functional prototype of the proposed mobile optimized site. To recruit these users, I worked closely with our partners at the client firm to identify individuals in three user groups - captive agents (i.e., producers who work directly for the client firm), independent brokers and back-office employees who support the previous two groups. We then arranged interviews on location at the participants' offices to better understand their roles, day-to-day activities and their opinions regarding our client's current technology offerings. During these sessions, I also conducted usability tests, both on the desktop website and on a functional prototype of the mobile experience, to uncover design flaws and identify areas for improvement. Upon completion of the two usability tests, participants were asked to complete a Standard Usability Survey in order to measure their level of satisfaction with both interfaces.
Click here to view the recruitment questionnaire, interview questionnaire and usability test plan.
Click the image to access a copy of the recruitment questionnaire, interview questionnaire and usability test plan.
Results from Standard Usability Survey
Recommendation highlighting agent worries regarding display of compensation information
Deliverable:
At the end of each research phase, I delivered a report featuring detailed analysis of our findings and recommendations for potential improvements to both interfaces. I also edited hours of video from the user interviews and usability test sessions into condensed highlight films that supported the key findings. After the client had a chance to review this content, we scheduled a Webex session to review our findings with key stakeholders, offering additional feedback to help our partners identify the most critical areas of concern. Following this session, we worked with our client to develop a high-level summary of both reports to be presented to the firm's executive management team.