Carl Elliott

Summary

Contents Flex is a modern contents insurance app that allows users to easily manage and customize their home insurance policies. I led the design effort from concept to completion, overseeing the creation of over 50 screens and contributing significantly to key product decisions. The goal was to create a user-friendly, flexible insurance experience tailored to individual needs.  

Problem Statement

The traditional contents insurance process can be complex and overwhelming, especially for new users. Direct Line wanted to simplify the process, allowing users to purchase and adjust coverage through an intuitive app, offering greater flexibility and transparency.  

My role & responsibilities

As the lead designer on this project, I was responsible for designing all user interfaces and interactions across 50+ screens in Figma. I collaborated closely with the head of product to define key features, streamline the user journey, and ensure a seamless user experience. I also made key product decisions such as prioritizing ease of use, ensuring accessibility compliance, and creating scalable design systems.  

Design Process

We began with in-depth research into user pain points, analyzing competitor apps and gathering feedback from current insurance customers. This research guided our approach to simplifying the insurance journey.

I created wireframes to explore different user flows and validate key interactions. Once the direction was clear, I developed high-fidelity prototypes in Figma, ensuring alignment with Direct Line Group's brand guidelines.

The UI design focused on simplicity and clarity. I crafted a clean, modern aesthetic with easy-to-understand navigation and clear call-to-action buttons. Through iterative user testing, I refined the design to ensure maximum usability.

One interesting insight was regarding the use of sliders to select values. When used incorrectly, sliders can create frustration, as some users struggle to select the exact value they need. However, since we were only interested in whole number estimates rather than precise figures, we tested sliders with several user groups of different ages, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Many users appreciated the ease of use of the sliders and found the page more enjoyable and easier to complete.  

Key Screens

The onboarding process was designed to be as frictionless as possible. With simple input fields and contextual help, users could set up their policy in under 5 minutes.  

We tested a new chatbot style of onboarding for the first time within the business and received excellent feedback. Overall, the trial demonstrated that the chatbot significantly improved the onboarding experience where users commented things like "I liked how it breaks down the whole thing into sections" and "it feels shorter as there are different things like a chat, sliders and some questions.". 

Challenges

One of the major challenges was balancing flexibility with simplicity. Users needed the ability to adjust coverage on specific items while keeping the overall process straightforward. We solved this by introducing an interactive slider system and pre-set coverage options to minimize user input while allowing customization.  

Learnings & takeaways

Working on Contents Flex taught me the importance of seamless collaboration between design and product teams. It also reinforced the value of user-centered design, as our iterative approach based on user feedback directly contributed to the app's success.  

Conclusion

 As the lead designer on Contents Flex, I’m proud to have shaped an app that simplified insurance for everyday users. This project underscored the importance of designing with empathy and creating solutions that empower users with clarity and control.