Building a consumer-first car buying, finance and insurance platform
Code Change Ltd, a global software company, have developed a digital tool that is changing the way that insurance and finance products are sold within the automotive industry in Australia. However, the existing tool, while successful, was dealer-centric and inflexible. Recognising the need for a more adaptable and intuitive solution, Code Change embarked on developing a new version named Lynx. Lynx aims to bridge the gap between consumers, dealers, and manufacturers in the Australian automotive market, offering enhanced flexibility and scalability.
The challenge lay in transforming the dealer-led and rigid approach of the previous tool into a user-centric and flexible solution. Code Change sought someone to lead the development of the new UI with a focus on user needs. Additionally, there was a need to visualise the entire service, map end-to-end journeys and touchpoints, and collaborate closely with stakeholders and development teams to set clear milestones and objectives for the ambitious project.
To address these challenges, a series of strategic steps were taken. First, collaborative workshops were conducted to craft a comprehensive service map, detailing the end-to-end product journey, third-party dependencies, and interaction touchpoints. This visualisation provided clarity and alignment among all stakeholders regarding project objectives. Subsequently, the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) user journeys were defined to prioritise features and functionalities that simplify the car-buying process for consumers and dealers. These user journey models streamlined complex processes into easily understandable sequences of screens.
With the architecture development underway, emphasis shifted to designing a new brand and digital design system for Lynx. A design system was crucial for ensuring scalability and consistency across the feature-rich platform. Clear direction was provided for visual and UX aspects, accompanied by the creation of a coherent framework of beautifully designed components and patterns, facilitating efficient development at pace.
In my role as lead product designer for this project, my primary responsibility was to bridge the gap between stakeholder core requirements and consumer needs. This involved translating lofty ambitions into achievable phases, simplifying complexity, and ensuring that every design decision resonated with all audience segments. Throughout the project, I served as the voice of the audience, advocating for user-centric design principles and striving to create a product that consumers would not only use but also genuinely appreciate.
- Product design & Service mapping
- Stakeholder and audience workshops
- UX & UI Design
- Design System
- Branding