Redesigning the Health Insurance Enrollment Experience

Introduction

Project Overview: The project aims to redesign the online enrollment process for a major health insurance provider to improve user experience, reduce drop-off rates, and increase successful enrollments.

My Role: Lead designer in user research, design, prototyping, and usability testing.

Problem Statement

The Challenge: The existing enrollment process was lengthy, confusing, and resulted in a high abandonment rate. Users struggled with understanding insurance plans, completing forms, and navigating the website and ended up using insurance brokers provided by the website to figure out their insurance needs.

Target Audience: Individuals aged 25-60 looking to enroll in health insurance, including first-time buyers and those switching plans.

Research

User Research

• Methods Used: Surveys, user interviews, and usability testing of the current website.
• Participants: 10 individuals who had previously attempted to enroll in health insurance online.

Key Findings

• Complexity: Users found the language and options too complex.
• Navigation Issues: The process was not intuitive, causing users to get lost or stuck.

Ideation

Brainstorming

• Utilized techniques such as mind mapping and sketching to generate ideas.

Concept Development

• Focused on simplifying language, improving navigation.
• Developed concepts for a streamlined, step-by-step enrollment process with clear progress indicators.

Design

Wireframes and Prototypes

• Created low-fidelity wireframes to map out the new user flow.
• Developed high-fidelity prototypes using Figma, incorporating visual elements and interactions.

Design Decisions

• Simplified Language: Used plain language and complex wording to make information more accessible.
• Progress Indicators: Added a visual progress bar to show users where they were in the enrollment process.
• Guided Assistance: Included chatbot to help users understand and complete each step and ask for help at any steps they are unsure.
• Mobile Optimization: Ensured the design was responsive and user-friendly on mobile devices.

Testing and Validation

Usability Testing

• Conducted usability testing with 10 participants using the high-fidelity prototype.

Iterations

• Based on feedback, adjusted the placement of the progress bar, and enhanced mobile navigation.

Final Solution

• Presented a clean, intuitive design with a step-by-step enrollment process.
• Key features included a simplified plan comparison tool, secure data entry forms, and real-time assistance.

Implementation

• Conducted regular reviews and iterations to address any issues during development.

Results and Impact

Outcomes

• Decreased Abandonment Rate: The drop-off rate during enrollment decreased by 25%.
• Increased Completion Rate: Successful enrollments increased by 20%.
• User Satisfaction: Post-implementation surveys indicated a 40% increase in user satisfaction.

Feedback

• Users appreciated the simplified language and the clear, guided steps.
• Positive feedback on the added security features and overall ease of use.

Reflection

What Went Well

• Successful implementation of a user-centered design process.
• Positive impact on the abandonment and completion rates.

Challenges

• Trying to create a new design from scratch
• Ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements while simplifying the process.

Learnings

• Importance of continuous user feedback and iterative design.
• Need for cross-functional collaboration to align design and technical implementation.

Conclusion

Summary

The redesign significantly improved the health insurance enrollment experience, making it more user-friendly and effective in driving successful enrollments.

Future Steps

• Plan to introduce personalized plan recommendations based on user data.
• Ongoing usability testing and refinement to keep improving the experience.