UX Audit of an Internal Quoting Tool for Insurance Agents

A research-driven evaluation of an agent-facing system to identify usability issues and streamline workflows.

Define

Developed personas to represent user goals and frustrations. Mapped the user journey, identifying pain points such as:

  • Lack of comprehensive location details.
  • Time-consuming searches across multiple platforms.
  • Uncertainty about crowd levels and amenities.

Ideate

Conducted a lightning demo exercise to analyze competitors like Yelp and Google Maps.

Identified opportunities to merge their best features while addressing gaps:

  • Enhanced filtering tools.
  • Detailed location descriptions (e.g., crowd size, noise level, amenities).

Prototype

Designed a high-fidelity prototype focusing on:

  • Intuitive search and filter options.
  • Visual maps with location highlights.
  • Comprehensive location details, including reviews, photos, and amenities.
Outline
The ChallengeAuditAnalyzeRecommendNext Steps

Project Overview

As a foundational step in a broader redesign initiative, I conducted a UX audit of an internal quoting platform used by insurance agents to uncover friction points and inform design direction.

Using behavioral analytics, agent feedback, and competitor insights, I identified key areas to streamline workflows, reduce errors, and improve overall efficiency and satisfaction.
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Role: UX/UI Designer
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Focus: UX Research & Audit
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Methods: Mouseflow analysis, user feedback review, heuristic evaluation, competitor benchmarking
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Outcome: Research-backed recommendations to streamline quoting, reduce friction, and enhance usability‍

The Challenge

Insurance agents rely on an internal quoting platform daily to create and manage complex policies and accounts. Over time, the system had become increasingly cumbersome, leading to slower task completion, recurring errors, and growing user frustration.

My role was to evaluate the current experience, identify key pain points, and deliver actionable insights to support future improvements. These research findings served as the foundation for uncovering design opportunities and informing the next phase of the platform’s evolution.

Define

Developed personas to represent user goals and frustrations. Mapped the user journey, identifying pain points such as:

  • Lack of comprehensive location details.
  • Time-consuming searches across multiple platforms.
  • Uncertainty about crowd levels and amenities.

Ideate

Conducted a lightning demo exercise to analyze competitors like Yelp and Google Maps.

Identified opportunities to merge their best features while addressing gaps:

  • Enhanced filtering tools.
  • Detailed location descriptions (e.g., crowd size, noise level, amenities).

Prototype

Designed a high-fidelity prototype focusing on:

  • Intuitive search and filter options.
  • Visual maps with location highlights.
  • Comprehensive location details, including reviews, photos, and amenities.

Step 1 - Audit

To understand the agent experience with the quoting tool, I began with an audit of real user behavior. I reviewed session recordings, usability feedback, and UI patterns to identify where the experience was breaking down.

Understanding the Agent Experience

This initial research phase helped surface patterns in how users interacted with the platform and where they struggled most. Below are the most critical observations that informed the next phase of analysis.

‍Key Observations:

  • Frequent mis-clicks on non-interactive elements.
  • Repetitive errors during vehicle data entry.
  • Lack of in-context help or tooltips
  • Repetitive errors during vehicle data entry

Step 2 - Analyze

After identifying initial friction points, I grouped the findings to better understand recurring themes. I compared areas that worked well against pain points to assess usability gaps and prioritize opportunities.

Identifying Patterns and Priorities

After compiling observations, I categorized what was working well and what needed improvement. This helped prioritize the most critical usability issues.

‍What worked well:

  • Clear navigation.
  • Step-by-step validation.
  • Ability to toggle between payment options and compare quote details.

‍Pain Points:

  • Error frequency and unclear validation.
  • Pop-up overload that interrupted focus.
  • Limited flexibility in modifying policies mid-flow.
  • Poor affordance — users clicked on non-clickable UI.
  • No guidance for newer or infrequent users.

Step 3 - Recommentions

With insights from the audit and analysis, I developed targeted recommendations to improve usability. These changes were prioritized based on impact, feasibility, and alignment with user and business needs.

1. Simplify the Layout

Research showed that agents struggled with dense pages and excessive scrolling. Simplifying the layout would help users locate information faster and reduce visual fatigue.

Recommendations:

  • Use a multi-column grid layout to reduce vertical scroll and increase visibility of key data.
  • Group related content using accordion dropdowns and structured tables.
  • Apply strong visual hierarchy and clear interactive cues (color contrast, hover states) to guide users confidently.

2. Streamline the Workflow

The quoting flow contained redundant steps and scattered inputs that slowed down task completion. A more streamlined workflow would support efficiency and reduce user frustration.

Recommendations:

  • Eliminate repetitive steps and consolidate redundant data entry fields.
  • Apply progressive disclosure to keep screens focused on the task at hand.
  • Combine related steps into single screens or tabs to minimize navigation.

3. Reduce Pop-Ups & Add Inline Support

Frequent pop-ups disrupted the user experience and broke focus. Providing contextual support within the interface would allow agents to complete tasks with fewer interruptions.

Recommendations:

  • Replace unnecessary pop-ups with inline editing and expandable sections.
  • Include tooltips, helper text, and real-time validation for added guidance.
  • Offer optional onboarding walkthroughs for new or infrequent users.

Reflection & Next Steps

This audit revealed critical friction points and laid the foundation for redesigning an internal tool that directly impacts agent productivity. The insights helped guide the product team’s roadmap by prioritizing high-impact changes early.

Next Steps:

  • Translate findings into wireframes and testable design concepts.
  • Partner with product and engineering to phase in updates.
  • Validate changes through usability testing.
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