Victor Swarovski

Human-centered design

The GuardTree project was a true testament to the power of human-centered design. Unlike traditional user-centered design, which focuses solely on the functionality and usability of a product, human-centered design takes a holistic approach that considers the emotional, social, and psychological aspects of the user experience. This approach was particularly relevant for the GuardTree project, where the goal was to establish a brand and create an emotional connection with the target audience.

UX methodology

The UX design approach for the GuardTree project was focused on creating an experience that was not only functional and user-friendly, but also emotionally engaging. To achieve this, I employed a design methodology that took into account not only the technical aspects of the product but also the psychological and emotional needs of the target audience. This was achieved through a thorough understanding of the target audience, which was gathered through various research methods, and the use of design elements such as animations, illustrations, and a clean layout to evoke emotions and create a personal connection with the users.

User research

User research was an essential part of the design process. Understanding the target audience's needs and preferences was crucial in order to create a website that meets their expectations and provides a positive user experience.

Research methods conducted

To gather information about the target audience, we conducted several research methods such as surveys, interviews, and focus groups. We also conducted competitor analysis to understand the current market and identify opportunities for improvement.

The solution

The solution was a website that showcases the potential users through clean layouts, animations, and illustrations. The website was designed to be easy to navigate and understand, with a focus on providing the necessary information to the users in a clear and concise manner. The website was also designed to be visually appealing, with a clean and modern look that would establish the brand and create a positive first impression.

The results of this project were overwhelmingly positive, with the website receiving positive feedback from the target audience. The website has become an essential tool in the marketing and sales efforts of GuardTree and has contributed significantly to the company's success. Overall, this project was a great example of how UX design can help establish a brand and create a positive user experience.

Accessibility at the forefront

With accessibility as a key consideration, the GuardTree website's monochromatic color scheme, paired with striking green elements, creates a visually appealing contrast while also serving to identify important call-to-action elements and key information. This thoughtful design ensures that all users, including those with visual impairments, can easily navigate the site and access its essential features.

When it comes to insurance, the online experience can often feel overwhelming and confusing. At GuardTree, we aimed to change that by focusing on three key aspects: Ease of Use, Choice, and Advice.

Ease of use

We designed GuardTree with the user in mind, making it easy to find information and complete common tasks. From applying for coverage to making changes to your policy, our website streamlines the process and saves you time.

Choice

Informed choices lead to informed decisions, and that's why we made sure that GuardTree website provides clear and interactive comparisons of different policies. Our goal was to educate our users about the coverage, policies, and risks in a way that's simple and straightforward.

Advice

Purchasing insurance is an emotional decision—users are looking to protect their life or valuables. It is important for users to feel that they are being served well during this process. The transparency of information plays a crucial role in this process. GuardTree website effectively “humanized” the experience of helping, guiding, and reassuring users online.

To create engaging and memorable visuals, I utilized Adobe Illustrator to sketch and refine the drawings of vehicles and characters. To animate them, I utilized Adobe After Effects to bring motion to the illustrations and bring them to life. The final product was then exported as vector graphics via the Lottie animation plugin to ensure scalability and optimal performance on any platform and device.

GuardTree set of icons to enrich the visual experience.

Although consumers prefer digital transactions, they need to trust that a real person will be available to assist them when necessary and will understand their needs, wants, and frustrations. To show the human aspect of GuardTree, members of the customer service team are featured on the "About Us" page (image above).

As a socially responsible company, GuardTree has partnered with Offsetters, one of Canada's leading carbon management solutions companies, to create a high-quality offsetting program for GuardTree subscribers.

A portion of each customer's warranty subscription goes towards neutralizing the equivalent amount of greenhouse gases the average Canadian driver emits in a year. On behalf of each subscriber, GuardTree will then purchase carbon offsetting credits that match this amount.

The process

In today's market, companies should strive to be design-driven, delivering functional products or services in a user-friendly way. With this in mind, the design for GuardTree began by predicting and addressing various interactions with the product and selecting the most optimal ones.

Seven different user flow scenarios have been created (below).

Wireframing was the next step in the process.

With a defined website structure in mind, I moved to designing the look and feel. At that stage, five various designs were created: from conservative and typical for the industry, to fairly edgy. This step was needed to test which design best fits our desire to make the website friendly and transparent.

We decided that illustrative approach may stand the new website apart from the competitors, and set up unique and personal tone of voice.

Next step: after selecting the design direction, a full-page mockup was created.

After all other pages were defined, I created a set of graphic assets to pass to the developers. During the development time, I supervised the process for quality control.

Elevating the GuardTree brand

The launch of the GuardTree website was just the beginning of a larger effort to establish the brand and drive success for the business. I was eager to continue supporting the marketing department and contributing to the growth of the brand. I leveraged my expertise in design to create eye-catching banners and videos that helped bring the GuardTree brand to life. The use of these promotional materials helped to drive engagement and increase brand awareness, creating a cohesive brand experience that tied together the website design and marketing efforts.

A Mobile-First approach

To ensure a seamless and optimized user experience, GuardTree's website was designed with a mobile-first approach. This was a crucial consideration, given that over 60% of our audience visits the site through their mobile devices. The design and development of the mobile version were optimized to ensure that users had access to the same features and functionality as they would on desktop.

GuardTree website is full of engaging, informative, and highly visual storytelling pages that cover the products and services using attention-grabbing UX techniques and strategically-placed calls to action. GuardTree is everything insurance industry isn’t known for: it is simple, it is frictionless, and it is quick.