Insurance platform setup

Role

Product design consultant

Discipline

Product strategy, design & ways of working

Defined the product design approach and ways of working at the outset of a large-scale insurance platform programme.

The work focused on replacing a legacy system used by brokers and advisors. Delivered over a two-week engagement in Cape Town, I joined at the outset of the programme. There was no established process or clear integration between design, product and engineering.

Working across vendor and client teams, I helped bring structure, alignment and momentum to enable the programme to move forward.

Whiteboards filled with handwritten notes from a workshop mapping features, workflows and priorities

Establishing structure and direction

I established a clear product design approach, translating fragmented inputs into a structured, workable model for the team.

I facilitated early-stage workshops to define initial features, map workflows and shape an MVP scope, creating a shared understanding of what the team was building and where to focus first. I then defined how design would operate within the programme, introducing a structured process from journey mapping through to feature definition, prioritisation and delivery.

To support this, I put in place a delivery model that integrated design into agile ways of working, including sprint structure, ceremonies and alignment points across product, engineering and business analysis. I also worked across vendor and client teams to align roles, responsibilities and expectations, ensuring design, product and engineering operated as a cohesive unit.

Alongside this, I supported and mentored the embedded designer, helping her navigate constraints, make effective use of the design system and operate with greater confidence. In parallel, I established alignment between the embedded designer and the client’s internal design team, and ensured research, backlog and delivery activities were in place to sustain progress beyond the engagement.

Slide showing prioritisation criteria used to determine MVP features for an insurance platform

Outcome

Established a clear way of working, integrating design into delivery and aligning product, engineering and business analysis
Defined initial features and MVP scope, enabling the programme to move into delivery
Introduced an approach and delivery model adopted by the team, providing a foundation for continued progress
Client requested an extension to the engagement, reflecting the value of the work delivered