Overview

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Vitality Health International (VHI) is a digital platform designed to revolutionize wellness, vitality, and health insurance. As Design Lead and Lead UX Designer, I directed the design strategy and evolution of the platform, fostering significant user and stakeholder collaboration. Since launch, VHI has grown by 20% in membership, decreased healthcare costs by 10%, and earned a member satisfaction score of 4.5 out of 5 stars.

In mid-2021, we embarked on an ambitious journey: creating an inclusive health insurance platform for diverse African markets, set to launch by January 1, 2022. Amidst pandemic-induced remote collaboration, our challenges were multifaceted.

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Firstly, developing a distinctive, WCAG-compliant design system from minimal inputs was a key task. This entailed transforming a scant marketing guide and three colour codes into a unique digital identity that was also accessibility-focused.

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Secondly, the complexity of our diverse, multinational user base necessitated an 'app for all'. This demanded continuous user discovery, feedback loops, and approved user testing, ensuring our design met varied needs and preferences.

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Lastly, navigating the intricate landscape of stakeholder management while integrating our developers into the core design process was a pivotal challenge, amplified by the project's scale as it served as a proof of concept for future global launches.

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In the face of stringent timelines and remote collaboration challenges, our team turned these constraints into catalysts for innovation. We fostered close-knit relationships with stakeholders and product owners, leading to the timely development of the design system for the platform. Our approach wasn't just creation-focused; we also steered high-level problem-solving sessions, stakeholder workshops, and undertook comprehensive user research and design strategy, ensuring the platform was meticulously designed to cater to user needs. Our team's adaptability shone when we bridged the initial shortfall of business analysts, taking up multiple roles from requirement gathering to writing user stories, all while working in harmony with a senior analyst and our chief enterprise architect. As more analysts joined, they were seamlessly incorporated into the team, complementing our product design responsibilities. This journey encapsulated collaboration, adaptability, and user-centric design, serving as the cornerstone of our successful project execution.

Given that the existing infrastructure in African markets was vastly different from that of South Africa, our design solutions had to be innovative. We couldn't merely replicate the patterns used in South Africa. We needed to understand the specific needs and limitations of our target market and design solutions that worked within those parameters. This called for a high degree of creativity and adaptability, making the project all the more exciting and rewarding.

As the Design Lead for the VHI platform, my role was multifaceted and extensive, covering various aspects of the platform and its product offerings. My key responsibilities were:

1. Design Leadership: I steered the design process for the entire suite of products, which included member-facing and internal service products. I specifically spearheaded the design for the official Product website and the CRM tool, ensuring design coherence across all digital products.
2. Business Analysis: During the project's initial phase, I also served as a Business Analyst. Collaborating closely with the Chief Enterprise Architect and Senior Systems Analyst, I facilitated stakeholder workshops, meetings, and participated in key decision-making processes, translating stakeholder requirements into functional designs.
3. User Research and Team Development: In the absence of a dedicated UX researcher, our team undertook research responsibilities, conducting internal research with stakeholders to ensure our designs catered to user and business needs. Equally rewarding was the opportunity to build and mentor a PRODUCT design team. This project marked the second time I successfully led a design team, enhancing practice development and fostering a cohesive and collaborative team environment.

In summary, my role in the project was multifaceted, encompassing design leadership, business analysis, user research, and team development. Each of these aspects played a crucial role in the successful realization of the Vitality Health International platform.

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Official product website

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The VHI Website served as a dynamic digital gateway to the brand's diverse offerings, turbocharging the sales process with an intuitive quote request feature. Integrated page tracking offered a data-driven perspective on user behavior, continually refining the user experience. Linking VHI's offerings to relevant Discovery web pages expanded the brand's reach, and transformed the website into a potent blend of design, technology, and innovation.

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‍Member App (Native and PWA)
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The VHI Member App was designed to be a digital ally, providing members with immediate, intuitive access to their health plan information. Despite limited user data, we shaped a user-centric experience that transformed the members' relationship with their health plan. The app embodies our capacity to innovate and deliver effective digital solutions, despite constraints.

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Customer relationship management PWA
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The CRM tool revolutionized agent-member interactions, consolidating numerous agent desktops into one user-friendly interface tailored to each agent's role and preferences. Detailed broker and customer profiles facilitated superior customer service. The CRM tool demonstrates our commitment to attentive, personalized, and top-notch service.

Policy and Administration tool PWA

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The Policy Administration tool streamlines the member employer lifecycle with efficient onboarding, policy number issuance, and comprehensive management of product definitions and premium-benefit strategies. It also manages multi-year contracts and various employer rates, marking it as a cornerstone of administrative processes in the health insurance sector.

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Electronic transaction management PWA

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The Electronic Transaction Management tool offers robust data transfer capabilities with thorough audit logs for traceability. An advanced security layer safeguards sensitive information, demonstrating the tool's commitment to both convenience and rigorous security.

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The launch of the Vitality Health International (VHI) platform has yielded impressive results, demonstrating the success of our dedicated team's work:

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• Membership Expansion: Our user-centric design and intuitive experience have facilitated a 20% growth in VHI membership, attesting to the platform's appeal and ability to maintain user engagement.
• Improved Health Results: Our innovative use of gamification and rewards to encourage healthy behavior has led to fewer chronic conditions and more active members, validating our user-oriented design.
• User Satisfaction: Testament to the effective deployment of user-focused features and design, we've achieved a high user satisfaction rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.

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The successful deployment of VHI products in key African markets on January 1, 2022, is a testament to our team's resilience and innovation. Despite challenges related to remote work and limited infrastructure, we delivered a user-centric product tailored to specific market needs. This project, while largely informed by stakeholder insights, thrived on our commitment to our design process. Our collaborative approach melded our team's expertise with stakeholder perspectives, resulting in an impactful, well-informed design solution.

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The design strategy and execution for the Vitality Health International project showcase the transformative potential of user-centred design in the health technology sector. It illustrates how understanding user needs and behaviours, combined with effective use of technology, can drive positive health outcomes, increase user satisfaction, and deliver successful digital health products.

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The Discovery Vitality Health International project was an exceptional journey that highlighted the power of collaboration, adaptability, and innovation. Despite the challenges, under my design leadership we were able to successfully deliver a product that catered to the unique needs of the African market, enriching lives through a shared-value model. This project stands as a testament to Discovery Health's commitment to expanding its reach and pioneering healthcare solutions that cater to diverse user needs across continents.