Bernt, UX Designer - About Life at Cloud Insurance
Hi Bernt, this is your secnd anniversary at Cloud Insurance as a UX Designer. What does your role entail exactly?
My main focus is to ensure that all product functionalities add value to our end users. Whenever we add new, I seek to understand the current world of systems, people, processes, and how these affect each other. When that knowledge is in place, I work with our end-users to create the insurance functionalities for the future.
What drew you to Cloud Insurance in the first place?
I said "yes" to almost any project or internship that companies offered during my studies. That led me to work for one of Norway's biggest insurers. However, bureaucracy and the constant need for mutual agreement across all parts of the organization were frustrating! This was leading us to a massive loss in efficiency and slowed down innovation. So when Cloud Insurance offered me an internship as a UX designer, I felt that this was the exact opposite, a smaller team with a clear vision and simple processes. That's why I chased to prolong my contract until I could start full-time.
How do you like to spend your time off?
When working with such a complex system as Cloud Insurance, you continuously improve things. Thus, it's nice to have a personal project that has a clear finish line. I often like building tangible objects during my time off work. My previous apartment was like living on a dime, I designed and built a coffee table and a desk with a storage system. Then when COVID-19 hit, my mind needed something to keep itself busy. To dream and plan takes about the same cognitive load, so I started to design my own speaker. It's not the first speaker I've built - I've always had a profound love for both sound and music. But to add something new to the project, I chose a new material - concrete. The molds are ready, and we'll see the result in a couple of weeks.
Our Product Team has grown and developed quite a lot lately. What do you think about the changes?
It's been one of the most exciting times, seeing our Product Team grow and influence our company and the product. There's been an enormous shift in the approach to product development over the past two years. The entire team has shifted from a "sales-driven" to a "product-driven" development cycle, with a lot of focus on customer experience. Luckily we've had Anja, our Senior Project Manager! Her experience, drive, and knowledge about design methodology and project management have been super important. Also, involving multiple teams in the earlier stages of prototyping helps to narrow the scope. Right now, I'm working on including clients and end-users even earlier in the process. Hopefully, this will result in deeper insights and functionalities to fit their needs.
Are there any significant highlights that you'd like to point out over the years?
It's fascinating to see Cloud Insurance grow and turn into a more mature organization! Since I've joined, we've gone from 5 to 23 employees. It's truly a fantastic experience to be a part of, even though it can sometimes be a bit hectic.
What do you enjoy the most about your day-to-day life?
I love working alongside a rock-solid team where everyone continues to amaze me with their skills and knowledge. This group of people never leaves a stone unturned in the search for new possibilities and refinement of the product we deliver.
About Cloud Insurance
Cloud Insurance is a seamless SaaS solution made by insurance experts for insurers since 2016. We feature all the aspects of the daily work of insurance providers, and help to reduce time on managing policies, claims, financials, and reports through APIs, AI, and rule-based technology. Learn more about us here>>.
