VIU by HUB
Project Type
Research, End-to-end design of ios native experience.
Industry
Finance and Insurance
Tools
Figma, Researcher , Project manager
ROle
Product Designer
Project Overview
HUB International approached us with a challenge to explore whether a mobile app was necessary to help reshape how people engaged with insurance. We believed that an app could be a good companion to the already developed Web platform that would assist users throughout their insurance journey, but before we went down that road we first needed to validate it as a real business opportunity.
Research Insights
We kicked off our research with a competitive analysis and user interviews. Our aim was to determine whether this product was worth building, and if so what users would expect from it. Our findings revealed that several competitors had already begun expanding into the mobile space in different ways. While users provided valuable feedback and shared some of their struggles with buying and managing their insurance claims, they also expressed concerns about security when it came to accessing their sensitive insurance information via mobile devices
Is there a real need here?
Through our research, we found that there is not yet a strong user demand for a mobile insurance companion, especially one focused on managing policies form multiple providers rather than offering insurance directly. Most users prefer handling their sensitive policy information via desktop or by contacting customer service over the phone.
However. While user demand may not yet be a driving force, the business need told a different story. The competitive analysis showed us that the industry is pushing forward with creating mobile experiences and investing in this product now would be a strategic move to stay ahead of the curve.
User Goals
1) Provide education and Transparency
2) Simplify the insurance process
3) Make information easy to access
Users mentioned that they often struggled with insurance jargon and wanted to feel more confident when making decision about purchasing insurance. They are looking for guidance and education, as well as a way to access their information with ease.
Proposed Solutions
My Leading hypothisis is that in order to have a meaningful expereince we need to have a more personlized experience that paints us in the light of the authority on all thing insusres that is looking to be the educator to help them also become an authrority
A more robust information capture system
1) Person information allows us to be a better educator
2) Allows us to make suggestions that help to simplify the insurance process
Adding ways to capture information from users helps us move towards the goal of the personalized, helpful and educational guided experience through out the app. The more we know the more helpful we can be.
So creating a more robust information capture system was needed. Two places we could beef this up. The first place was during onboarding the second place was using inline information capture events that would be a gentle nudge for you to share info with us.
Articles ( general and Personalized)
1) Educates Users on complex topics around insurance
2) This also helps to builds trust and credibility
General articles would cover foundational topics (e.g., " How Deductibles Work" ) AI- driven content can generate personalized articles based on user actions, location, asset types, and policy details. So a user in Florida might see an article about why they would need hurricane insurance while someone in California might receive a similar article but about wildfires or earthquakes.
The combination of these personalized insights and broad educational content is meant to help users navigate insurance with clarity and confidence. Integrating both general insurance articles and personalized AI- generated content allows us to be the educator and guiding light throughout the users insurance journey. By providing valuable information tailored to their needs we can empower users to make more informed decisions about their coverage.
Inline Glossary
1) Enhances User Confidence
2) Simplifies Complex Insurance Terms
Users can tap on any highlighted term in their policy to see a quick definition pop up. A long with that would come a dedicated glossary page where users can search for term. This feature directly addresses one of the biggest user pain points which is confusing jargon that makes policies difficult to understand.
Pro Tips and Recommendation based informed by AI and data we collected.
Using AI-driven insights and user data to provide personalized guidance thought the insurance experience. By leveraging information collected during onboarding, and in other parts of the experience, we can identify coverage gaps and ensure users aren't caught off guard by protection against serious events or unaware of coverage they may need
Final Solution
We conducted usability testing in segments, starting with the base experience and then gradually testing each new feature one by one. This approach allowed us to gather user feedback that ensured that each feature added meaningful value to the overall experience. The positive feedback we received confirmed that these features were worth building so we began to build in a phased approached.
We began by building the core foundation , ensuring the app could match the functionality of the web platform . In parallel, we worked on laying the infrastructure necessary for future enhancements, such as a more robust information collection system which is a key component for delivering a personalized user experience.
Phase one includes: a homepage shaped around making access your key documents quicker , and including blog post to help educate, and hub for policies as well as a design system to ensures consistency, efficiency, across the product as it continues to grow.
Outcomes
We hit our goal by not only identifying a legitimate need for building a companion app but also designing an experience that sets VIU apart from competitors while meeting user needs and solving the problems they shared with us.
What I learned
Complexity is a barrier that people look to technology to breakthrough
In any industry where users feel intimidated (finance, legal, healthcare, insurance), the products we build should act as educator not just a tool. We should not only be giving people the “ what” ( in this case policy details filled with jargon that they may or may not understand) but also providing them why and the “how” ( why do you need this information and here is how to use it)
Personalization is always going to create a stickier, more engaging experience
Users are looking for tailored experiences that adapt to and predict their needs. If you can create an experience that not only solves their current need but also proactively helps with their overall journey, you’re building something that drives real adoption.
People don’t just want convenience—they want guidance. The more intuitive and forward-thinking a product is, the more likely users are to return and engage with it over time.
Design Systems, Design Systems, Design Systems
I never leave a project behind without a design system and documentation. I know this isn’t unique to me as a designer, but it’s something I take pride in. I enjoy building design systems and documentation because it ensures that the product remains cohesive, scalable, and easy to build upon—whether I’m there or not. For me, a design system isn’t just a set of reusable components—it’s a way to future-proof a product. It allows teams to work more efficiently, maintain consistency, and continue evolving the product without repeating design debt. It’s my way of showing that I care about the longevity of what we’ve built together.
