Cigna Healthcare
Reducing cost for Cigna through better decision making
Cigna Healthcare has been modernizing its digital platforms, with dental enrollment as the next priority. The existing experience was outdated, off-brand, and buggy. Terms and rules were unclear, leading many customers to disenroll within months due to poor plan fit or lack of transparency, ultimately creating unnecessary business costs.
Research
Research
Research
Strategy
Strategy
Strategy
Envisioning
Envisioning
Envisioning
Design-to-Build
Design-to-Build
Design-to-Build
Collaborating with a cross-functional team to turn big ideas into practical solutions
The project consisted of two tracks: Day 1, focusing on designing a solution that could be built under a tight deadline and Day 2, which envisioned a more ideal user experience over a three-year horizon.
My responsibilities
Co-led discovery through stakeholder interviews, competitive analysis, and experience audits.
Partnered with researchers to plan and run foundational and concept testing.
Designed, validated, and refined concepts while co-leading strategy workshops with client teams.
Ensured brand compliance by applying Cigna’s guidelines and aligning the design team.
Bridged strategy, design, and development, providing critiques, sharing insights, and supporting developers through implementation and handoff.
Discovery
Designing for two audiences
DIY potential customers
23 interviews
Individuals seeking quotes and enrollment in dental insurance who typically dread going through the quoting process.
DIY potential customers
23 interviews
Individuals seeking quotes and enrollment in dental insurance who typically dread going through the quoting process.
DIY potential customers
23 interviews
Individuals seeking quotes and enrollment in dental insurance who typically dread going through the quoting process.
Brokers / help center agents
11 Interviews
Independent or internal employees supporting customer enrollments requiring efficient tools to manage the process.
Brokers / help center agents
11 Interviews
Independent or internal employees supporting customer enrollments requiring efficient tools to manage the process.
Brokers / help center agents
11 Interviews
Independent or internal employees supporting customer enrollments requiring efficient tools to manage the process.
Participants tend to have an anxious mindset when beginning to look for dental coverage.
Foundational research insights
Even if longer, a guided quoting and enrollment was preferred.
Apples-to-apples comparisons across plans, companies, and providers were the most useful feature.
Industry-specific terminology adds complexity.
Many participants surprisingly welcomed AI.
Strategy
Balancing realities
User needs vs. business requirements
The insurance industry is highly regulated, requiring complex rules and disclosures to be clearly presented. While this can create friction, it is essential for the business and necessary for compliance unless the client seeks to change the process.
User needs vs. development requirements
Some functionalities, such as advanced call center tools and provider search integration, were not included in the initial Day 1 build and were designated for post-launch updates to meet the MVP deadline. This reflects the realities of deadlines and bandwidth.
Strategy
Balancing realities
User needs vs. business requirements
The insurance industry is highly regulated, requiring complex rules and disclosures to be clearly presented. While this can create friction, it is essential for the business and necessary for compliance unless the client seeks to change the process.
User needs vs. development requirements
Some functionalities, such as advanced call center tools and provider search integration, were not included in the initial Day 1 build and were designated for post-launch updates to meet the MVP deadline. This reflects the realities of deadlines and bandwidth.
Strategy
Balancing realities
User needs vs. business requirements
The insurance industry is highly regulated, requiring complex rules and disclosures to be clearly presented. While this can create friction, it is essential for the business and necessary for compliance unless the client seeks to change the process.
User needs vs. development requirements
Some functionalities, such as advanced call center tools and provider search integration, were not included in the initial Day 1 build and were designated for post-launch updates to meet the MVP deadline. This reflects the realities of deadlines and bandwidth.
Design
Creating decision-making features
Stakeholder interviews revealed that many customers disenrolled within months due to poor plan fit or lack of information transparency, creating business costs. Therefore, we prioritized giving users enough information upfront to select a plan aligned with their needs.
To address our user and business needs, we focused on the following features, among others, in a step-by-step flow.
Design
Creating decision-making features
Stakeholder interviews revealed that many customers disenrolled within months due to poor plan fit or lack of information transparency, creating business costs. Therefore, we prioritized giving users enough information upfront to select a plan aligned with their needs.
To address our user and business needs, we focused on the following features, among others, in a step-by-step flow.
Design
Creating decision-making features
Stakeholder interviews revealed that many customers disenrolled within months due to poor plan fit or lack of information transparency, creating business costs. Therefore, we prioritized giving users enough information upfront to select a plan aligned with their needs.
To address our user and business needs, we focused on the following features, among others, in a step-by-step flow.
Concept ideation for prioritization during strategy workshop
Concept ideation for prioritization during strategy workshop
Concept ideation for prioritization during strategy workshop
Provider lookup
Users found provider lookup tools functional but lacking depth and personalization. With providers split across two networks and reviews limited to logged-in users, the experience was often confusing.
Day 1 MVP / Display prompts at key points—such as before starting a quote, on plan detail pages, or within an application—to encourage users to search for their preferred provider. Clearly label the provider network associated with each plan.
Day 2 envisioning / Integrated provider lookup feature directly into the quoting process, enabling users to check for available providers while reviewing plan details.
Provider lookup
Users found provider lookup tools functional but lacking depth and personalization. With providers split across two networks and reviews limited to logged-in users, the experience was often confusing.
Day 1 MVP / Display prompts at key points—such as before starting a quote, on plan detail pages, or within an application—to encourage users to search for their preferred provider. Clearly label the provider network associated with each plan.
Day 2 envisioning / Integrated provider lookup feature directly into the quoting process, enabling users to check for available providers while reviewing plan details.
Provider lookup
Users found provider lookup tools functional but lacking depth and personalization. With providers split across two networks and reviews limited to logged-in users, the experience was often confusing.
Day 1 MVP / Display prompts at key points—such as before starting a quote, on plan detail pages, or within an application—to encourage users to search for their preferred provider. Clearly label the provider network associated with each plan.
Day 2 envisioning / Integrated provider lookup feature directly into the quoting process, enabling users to check for available providers while reviewing plan details.
After having done this for 30 years, it's not as simple as I'd like it to be. Once I think I understand terminology, I read it again and go 'Oh, wait a minute, maybe that's not covered' I wish it were a little clearer.
— Participant quote on understanding insurance rules
After having done this for 30 years, it's not as simple as I'd like it to be. Once I think I understand terminology, I read it again and go 'Oh, wait a minute, maybe that's not covered' I wish it were a little clearer.
— Participant quote on understanding insurance rules
After having done this for 30 years, it's not as simple as I'd like it to be. Once I think I understand terminology, I read it again and go 'Oh, wait a minute, maybe that's not covered' I wish it were a little clearer.
— Participant quote on understanding insurance rules
Insurance education
Industry-specific terminology adds complexity to an already challenging process.
Day 1 MVP / In-line explanations, or modals, clarify waiting periods, in-network versus out-of-network costs, and eligibility implications upfront, thereby reducing confusion later in the process.
Insurance education
Industry-specific terminology adds complexity to an already challenging process.
Day 1 MVP / In-line explanations, or modals, clarify waiting periods, in-network versus out-of-network costs, and eligibility implications upfront, thereby reducing confusion later in the process.
Insurance education
Industry-specific terminology adds complexity to an already challenging process.
Day 1 MVP / In-line explanations, or modals, clarify waiting periods, in-network versus out-of-network costs, and eligibility implications upfront, thereby reducing confusion later in the process.
Plan differences
Shopping for insurance is stressful, and users needed help comparing plans and understanding differences. Cigna’s experience lacked filters and comparison tools to support them.
Day 1 MVP / A comparison feature showcased the differences in plans based on the highest coverage and the lowest deductible. Users could filter plans according to specific benefits.
Day 2 envisioning / An AI agent assisted users by guiding them through a quiz or an open-ended conversation to align plans with their individual needs while also providing a second option.
Plan differences
Shopping for insurance is stressful, and users needed help comparing plans and understanding differences. Cigna’s experience lacked filters and comparison tools to support them.
Day 1 MVP / A comparison feature showcased the differences in plans based on the highest coverage and the lowest deductible. Users could filter plans according to specific benefits.
Day 2 envisioning / An AI agent assisted users by guiding them through a quiz or an open-ended conversation to align plans with their individual needs while also providing a second option.
Plan differences
Shopping for insurance is stressful, and users needed help comparing plans and understanding differences. Cigna’s experience lacked filters and comparison tools to support them.
Day 1 MVP / A comparison feature showcased the differences in plans based on the highest coverage and the lowest deductible. Users could filter plans according to specific benefits.
Day 2 envisioning / An AI agent assisted users by guiding them through a quiz or an open-ended conversation to align plans with their individual needs while also providing a second option.
Expanding Cigna’s visual language
Cigna had a dedicated branding team managing the component library. My role was to explore new applications, align them with the client’s guidelines, and expand the system to support our experience.
Expanding Cigna’s visual language
Cigna had a dedicated branding team managing the component library. My role was to explore new applications, align them with the client’s guidelines, and expand the system to support our experience.
Expanding Cigna’s visual language
Cigna had a dedicated branding team managing the component library. My role was to explore new applications, align them with the client’s guidelines, and expand the system to support our experience.
Outcome
The design team delivered ahead of schedule, handing off a polished, dev-ready solution to engineering. By focusing on decision-support features, plan comparison, provider search, and insurance education, we directly targeted enrollment friction and plan cancellations, two of the platform's highest-cost problems. The project also strengthened our design and cross-functional teams' collaboration under a tight timeline, balancing creative exploration with practical delivery constraints.
Outcome
The design team delivered ahead of schedule, handing off a polished, dev-ready solution to engineering. By focusing on decision-support features, plan comparison, provider search, and insurance education, we directly targeted enrollment friction and plan cancellations, two of the platform's highest-cost problems. The project also strengthened our design and cross-functional teams' collaboration under a tight timeline, balancing creative exploration with practical delivery constraints.
Outcome
The design team delivered ahead of schedule, handing off a polished, dev-ready solution to engineering. By focusing on decision-support features, plan comparison, provider search, and insurance education, we directly targeted enrollment friction and plan cancellations, two of the platform's highest-cost problems. The project also strengthened our design and cross-functional teams' collaboration under a tight timeline, balancing creative exploration with practical delivery constraints.
The team has been working diligently. I am really impressed by the expertise and collaboration. It's exciting that we have this functionality. It is easier on the eyes, and the ability to compare is important for people in making decisions. A lot of things to look forward to for day 1 and moving forward.
— Beatriz Hilden, Director, Business Development
The team has been working diligently. I am really impressed by the expertise and collaboration. It's exciting that we have this functionality. It is easier on the eyes, and the ability to compare is important for people in making decisions. A lot of things to look forward to for day 1 and moving forward.
— Beatriz Hilden, Director, Business Development
The team has been working diligently. I am really impressed by the expertise and collaboration. It's exciting that we have this functionality. It is easier on the eyes, and the ability to compare is important for people in making decisions. A lot of things to look forward to for day 1 and moving forward.
— Beatriz Hilden, Director, Business Development