Root Insurance

Transforming customer feedback into a product performance dashboard

  • UX research
  • Product design
  • Prototyping

Executive Summary

Root combined surveys, app reviews, and interviews to measure product performance.

I was tasked with reimagining a quarterly reporting structure for the executive leadership. I combined internal research, product design, and code to turn that problem into a design system and dashboard prototype.

Design System Components Created
+34
UX Research Workflows Automated
+40
Usability Issues Discovered
+18
Got going with Root bumper sticker on the back of a red car

Problem

Previous data reports contained useful information, but it was difficult for teams to take action:

  • Data VisualizationCharts lacked clearer labels to explain what each metric meant
  • Performance TrackingSurvey findings were not consistently communicated or interpreted
  • Customer EmpathyIndividual customers' hardships with insurance were often overlooked
Root customer quote: I have no accidents or tickets with the last 5 years and my rates continue to go up. I actually plan on leaving within the next 30 days. Benchmark Survey (Q2-2026), on why they assigned a negative NPS.

Research

Working closely with the SVP of product, I conducted usability testing interviews across Customer Service, Actuarial, and other business departments.

My objective was to map which customer data mattered most to their daily operations.

  • I took the initiative to build the design system from scratch, defining variables and layout constraints in Figma. Afterwards, I pivoted into building a working prototype through AI-assisted coding.

    Round 1

  • We conducted back-and-forth revision rounds. To validate our deliverable, I asked stakeholders to find information, explain its meaning, and describe how they would use it.

    Round 2

  • Finally, to prevent hand-off issues, I built the backend automations for the dashboard to run autonomously, and even created research-specific AI skills for future research projects.

    Round 5
Close-up of the Root app icon on an angled iPhone against a warm Lychee Light 1 gradient

Results

My final deliverable contributed to automating user research workflows and increasing our data efficiency. That was achieved primarily through a complete dashboard prototype, with front-end engineering and back-end integrations for executive audiences.

UX Research Workflows Automated
+40
Usability Issues Discovered
+18
An orange Root flyer reading Nicely parked beneath the windshield wiper of a red car
A city skyline above an orange Root wall advertisement reading Fair insurance for good drivers
An orange Root advertisement reading Going places? Get Root. above a row of brown seats in a tiled waiting area

If you’ve come this far,Let’s grab a virtual coffee

For new projects, partnerships, and collaborations, contact me via e-mail.

julio@uni.minerva.edu

Credits

  • Anna NguyenUX Researcher
  • Hala DaherUX Researcher
  • Julie HarrisonUX Researcher
  • Layilah CampbellUX Researcher
  • Jill KelletSVP of Product
  • Klew StillProduct Designer
  • Brooke WebsterProduct Designer
  • Wes KullCreative Director
  • Allison ChenProduct Designer
  • Jason JeongProduct Designer
  • Ryan FarhamPrincipal Product Designer
  • Brandon HillProduct Manager

Reflection

Throughout this project, I learned that making customer research easier to apply also meant simplifying its visualization. Given that each department used distinct research methodologies, I wanted to help executive leadership understand the product performance more cohesively and then examine the qualitative evidence behind it.

Building and testing the interface gave me a way to check whether that explanation worked directly in the prototype stage, as I was responsible for both the backend and frontend of the dashboard.