CSAA – SMARTtrek

Leading SmartTrek’s UX, I translated raw driving data into clear, motivational, and user‑friendly visuals. By defining core metrics, designing engaging feedback loops, and embedding privacy-first principles, I helped turn behavioral data into real-world savings, delivering up to 20% in discounts and a 4‑star app loved by users.

Case Study

Gamifying Driving Behavior for Insurance Discounts

Overview

CSAA’s SMARTtrek was a a telematics service for usage based insurance (UBI) application designed to engage insurance policyholders by studying their driving behaviors. The primary goal was to offer personalized discounts based on individual driving habits and usage patterns.

The Challenge

The challenge was to accurately capture and interpret complex mobile motion sensor data, translate it into meaningful insights for users, and design an experience that encouraged safer driving behaviors while making the process intuitive and rewarding.

  • Data Accuracy & Interpretation: Translating raw mobile sensor data into reliable and understandable driving behavior metrics (e.g., hard braking, acceleration, cornering).
  • Privacy Concerns: Addressing user concerns about data collection and ensuring transparency regarding how driving data was used.
  • Behavioral Nudge Design: Designing an experience that genuinely influenced and improved driving habits, rather than just reporting them.
  • User Engagement: Keeping users consistently engaged with the app and motivated to track their driving over time.
  • Technical Integration: Ensuring seamless integration with telematics data streams and the core insurance system for discount application.

My Contributions & Process

As the Lead UX Designer for SMARTtrek, my focus was on enhancing the app’s ability to accurately measure and effectively communicate driving behaviors, fostering user engagement:

  • Behavioral Measurement Optimization: I deeply analyzed mobile motion sensor data to understand how it correlated with driving behaviors. My work aimed to improve the accuracy and reliability of the app’s measurement capabilities, ensuring fair and precise assessment of driving habits.
  • User Research & Observation: I conducted extensive user interviews and observed users in real-world scenarios to gain insights into their interactions with the app and their understanding of driving data. This direct research was crucial for identifying pain points and opportunities for improvement.
  • Interaction Design for Behavior Change: Based on research, I designed and refined the app’s interactions to make the measurement of driving behaviors more transparent and comprehensible. This included proposing new methods for presenting driving data that were easy to interpret and actionable for users.
  • Improving User Engagement: My efforts focused on making the app’s feedback loop intuitive and motivational, encouraging users to modify their driving habits to achieve better scores and, consequently, larger discounts.
  • Marketing Campaign & Landing Page Design: I also contributed to the broader marketing efforts by redesigning their targeted landing page. The main purpose of this fully responsive website was to lead the marketing campaign for SmartTrek, and it was thoroughly tested to ensure optimal performance and user experience.

Solutions & Approach

My approach combined deep analytical understanding with empathetic user-centered design:

  • Transparent Data Presentation: Designed clear, simplified visualizations of driving data, breaking down complex metrics into easily digestible scores and actionable tips.
  • Intuitive Feedback Loops: Implemented immediate and personalized feedback mechanisms post-drive, allowing users to understand their performance and areas for improvement.
  • Gamification Elements: Explored and proposed gamification elements (e.g., progress tracking, badges, comparative insights) to enhance user motivation and sustained engagement.
  • Iterative Testing & Refinement: Conducted iterative testing with users to validate the effectiveness of new interaction models and data presentation methods, ensuring they resonated with the target audience. This iterative approach also applied to the marketing landing page to optimize its effectiveness.

Impact & Results

My contributions to the SMARTtrek and its supporting marketing efforts led to significant improvements in user understanding and the app’s core functionality:

  • Improved Driving Behavior Measurement: Enhanced the accuracy and clarity of how driving behaviors were measured and presented, leading to more reliable data for discount calculations.
  • Enhanced User Interaction: The refined interactions made the app more intuitive and engaging, encouraging users to actively monitor and improve their driving.
  • Increased User Engagement: By making driving data more understandable and actionable, the app likely saw increased user retention and consistent usage. The redesigned landing page also contributed to driving traffic and engagement for the overall marketing campaign.
  • Direct Impact on Discounts: The improved measurement and user engagement directly supported the app’s main goal of enabling policyholders to achieve better discounts based on their driving, fostering a win-win scenario for both users and CSAA.
  • Effective Marketing Campaign Support: The redesigned, responsive, and tested landing page successfully served its purpose in leading the marketing campaign, contributing to the app’s discoverability and adoption.
Note: Due to a confidentiality agreement, specific projects and product details remain generalized.