From Corporate to Captivating
Redesigning this plain Insurance website to maximize our customer engagement.
Overview
At Unum, we faced a challenge common to many insurance companies—our website was plain and becoming dull. We frequently heard feedback that all our web pages looked the same. At first glance, this might not seem like a major issue for an insurance company, but from both a business and user experience perspective, it told a different story. The lack of visual distinction led to low engagement, high bounce rates, and navigation difficulties. Given the size of our website, it was essential to differentiate our pages to enhance usability and engagement.
Challenge
The biggest obstacle we faced was our strict brand guidelines, limited design elements, and pressure from leadership to prioritize technology. This led to our own version of "same-face syndrome." Stock photography became so repetitive that certain faces started to appear too frequently. On the majority of our banners, we used cutouts of people because they provided the best spacing for copy. Typically, the person would be holding a mobile device and looking off to the side to avoid making the photo appear too staged.
Solution
We experimented with mock-ups and background shapes to add depth, but it wasn’t enough. The breakthrough came when we started thinking of our dashboards and page content as graphic elements themselves. By combining this infographic-style approach with our existing design resources, we created a far more engaging experience.
Role
UX Designer
Team
- 1 Product Manager
- 2 UX Designer
- 2 Frontend Developers
Tools
- Sketch
- Miro
- Adobe Suite
Timeline
1 Months | 2023
Rinse & Repeat
Almost all the banners on our main pages followed the same formula, as shown in the examples below. These are just four of many web pages that featured a cutout of someone in office attire holding a mobile device. Eventually, other departments began urging designers—sometimes not so subtly—to find new stock photos or stop using them altogether. Our lack of flexibility left us feeling stuck.
The Breakthrough
We began enhancing our designs by layering mock-ups and focusing on showcasing screenshot content. However, some of the text was so small that users found it distracting to read. Despite this challenge, we knew we were on the right track and decided to refine the approach further.
The Results
We masked any information that was too small while highlighting what was legible and relevant to the page’s content. We experimented with shapes and sizing, zooming in on key details to create contrast and improve visual hierarchy. Our stock photo selection shifted toward more diverse lifestyle imagery, increasing variety and authenticity. Lastly, we introduced motion through sliders, adding a dynamic touch. Together, these changes gave our website a completely refreshed look and feel.
