At Sun Life, our Purpose is clear: to help Clients achieve lifetime financial security and live healthier lives. It's our commitment to put Clients at the centre of everything we do and deliver exceptional Client experiences. Our Purpose is foundational to who we are as a company and the culture we've built. We don't just sell insurance, wealth and protection products; we sell a promise to be there for Clients through all life's challenges and opportunities.

Experience Design (XD), the practice of putting end user needs at the centre of the experience we design, is a major component in ensuring we fulfill our commitment to our Clients. We won't successfully deliver on our Purpose if we're not adopting a design mindset throughout the end-to-end Client journey.

So, what does using XD in practice look like at Sun Life? Take our Diabetes Signature Solutions (DSS) product as an example. Individuals with diabetes face unique challenges that can last a lifetime. We thought: “how can we best extend coverage to more Clients through a person-centered approach and go the extra mile in helping our Clients manage a long-term chronic condition?” It was only through speaking directly to Clients, clinicians, and others in the field that we were able to uncover the relevant insights for us to work on developing the right solutions to meet their needs.

In developing DSS, the team used the following Sun Life XD principles:

Respect the entire journey.

Rather than just focusing on one moment in time for the Client to acquire a new product such as DSS, we looked at the full journey of what their needs might be at different moments and how we could best address them with a holistic solution and relevant support. In the case of diabetes, this includes exploring the use of behavioral science principles in our nudging program, mental health and emotional coaching, nutrition and exercise coaching, to name a few.

This process required us to continuously test and learn, leading to meaningful improvements based on Client feedback that best supports their health and protection goals.

Be transparent and inclusive.

Through understanding the individual Client's needs, we identified the right solutions for them and provided transparency into how the solution works, what the requirements are, and why we feel it's best suited for them. This is grounded in the insight that Clients need to trust Sun Life to be a credible partner on their journey to “living a healthier life”, that we are genuine in our intent, and will be there for them when they need us the most.

Innovate thoughtfully.

A key component to innovating thoughtfully for DSS was gathering and using data to develop a deeper understanding of our Clients and their needs. We collected insights on their individual circumstances to tailor solutions to them. We ensured our solutions were flexible while also adhering to industry requirements, and again, embracing an agile test and learn approach is the only way to success through continuous improvement.

To innovate thoughtfully, we must recognize the importance of diversity in thought and experience. It's important to bring in people from across the business with different viewpoints and who interact with Clients in different ways. Collaboration is key.

Adopting an XD mindset is how we can create exceptional Client experiences. It requires creativity, flexibility and empathy. Practitioner expertise is invaluable and drives Sun Life forward. We must continue to embrace more XD, educate our colleagues on the art of what's possible, and showcase how this work delivers on our Purpose.