Led product strategy and cross-functional development of a unified Salesforce platform consolidating Critical Illness, Life, and Disability insurance products. Defined requirements for a dynamic rules engine and modular architecture that eliminated data silos, reduced processing time by 50% (2 hours to 1 hour), and drove a 25% growth in applications from brokerage advisors.
Insurance Advisors selling RBC Insurance were trapped in a painful workflow cycle. To sell Critical Illness, Life, and Disability insurance to one client, they manually re-entered the same information across four disconnected platforms. No data carried over between systems.
To submit 3 products for one client, advisors manually re-entered the same information 4 times
This wasn't just an efficiency problem—it was a competitive threat. Brokerage advisors were actively choosing competitors with streamlined application processes, directly impacting RBC's market share.
Business Question: How do we consolidate three distinct insurance products with unique eligibility criteria into a single, intelligent platform that advisors actually want to use?
I led comprehensive user research combining qualitative and quantitative methods to understand the true cost of this fragmented experience. We conducted 15+ advisor interviews, field observation sessions, and analyzed over 1,000 application records to identify patterns in errors, drop-offs, and time waste.
Quantified pain points discovered through advisor interviews and data analysis
Qualitative data revealed that Advisors were switching to competitors because RBC's application process was too cumbersome. This was a threat to advisor retention and new advisor acquisition.
Vision: Create a universal e-application platform where advisors can seamlessly process all three insurance products through a single, intelligent system that dynamically adapts to client information and product selections.
Strategic Approach:
Rather than building three separate solutions or creating a rigid, one-size-fits-all system, I defined requirements for a modular architecture powered by a sophisticated rules engine. This would allow:
Core Product Requirements:
I mapped requirements across six problem areas identified in research:
The solution required deep business analysis before any technical design. I created a comprehensive matrix documenting eligibility criteria across all three products—age limits, citizenship requirements, health conditions, occupation restrictions, and product dependencies. This analysis revealed which elements could be shared and which required product-specific handling.
Technical Requirements Defined:
I partnered with engineering to define requirements for:
Key Architectural Decision: Building a rules engine that business teams could maintain was critical. This wasn't just about solving today's problem—it was about creating a platform that could evolve with changing regulations and business needs without requiring engineering resources for every update.
For Advisors:
For Business Operations:
Beyond the metrics, this project fundamentally shifted how RBC approaches product development. The rules engine architecture became a template for other digital initiatives, and the observability practices established a data-driven optimization culture that continues today.
Unified platform delivered measurable business value
1. Deep business analysis unlocks better technical solutions
Mapping eligibility criteria across all three products revealed consolidation opportunities that wouldn't have been obvious from a purely technical analysis. Time spent understanding the business rules upfront saved months of rework later.
2. Rules engines enable business agility
The most valuable architectural decision was empowering business teams to update product rules independently. This shifted the platform from a static solution to an evolving capability that adapts to changing regulations and market needs.
3. Observability drives continuous improvement
Establishing analytics and tracking from day one created a feedback loop for ongoing optimization. We didn't just launch and walk away—we built systems to understand user behavior and iterate based on data.
4. Cross-functional collaboration is the multiplier
Close partnership with engineering, design, compliance, and business stakeholders was essential. The best solutions emerged from understanding each perspective's constraints and opportunities, not from product dictating requirements in isolation.