Case Study

Transforming Self-Serve Car Management

AA logo
Role
Senior Designer
Duration
12 Months
Launch
October 2021

700K

monthly app users

Vs 600K target, 6% increase MOM

↑16%

app engagement
MOM

achieving 4.7 in Google Play store

↑34%

cross-sale CTR

on car insurance

1,968

app renewals

processed in app via new functionality, Nov 21

AA app home screen
Case Study
Case Study

Transforming Self-Serve Car Management

Transforming Self-Serve Car Management

Transforming Self-Serve Car Management

Role
Role

Senior Designer

Senior Designer

Senior Designer

Duration
Duration

12 Months

12 Months

12 Months

Launch
Launch

June 2021

October 2021

October 2021

700K

700K

monthly app users

monthly app users

Vs 600K target, 6% increase MOM

Vs 600K target, 6% increase MOM

Vs 600K target, 6% increase MOM

↑16%

app engagement
MOM

achieving 4.7 in Google Play store

achieving 4.7 in Google Play store

achieving 4.7 in Google Play store

↑34%

↑34%

cross-sale CTR

on car insurance

on car insurance

on car insurance

1,968

1,968

app renewals

processed in app via new functionality, Jul 21

processed in app via new functionality, Nov 21

processed in app via new functionality, Nov 21

Problem
Problem

The AA offers a wide range of digital products

The AA offers a wide range of digital products

The AA offers a wide range of digital products

People have an overwhelming amount of choice but they're struggling to find what they need. A number of the apps are legacy, outdated and provide disjointed experiences that result in people relying on the call centre to perform basic tasks.

The AA wants to improve and streamline it’s digital services, and offer better self-service options so that people can manage their vehicles themselves. As Senior Designer on the app team my goal is to make car management easier and more intuitive.

Various AA products
Various AA products
User testing the existing AA digital products
User testing on existing AA digital products

I can’t find what I need

  • Users struggle to locate essential features because less useful options are given priority in the main app.

  • Important functions, like breakdown assistance, are hard to find.

  • Customers are overwhelmed by the number of apps available and often download the wrong one by accident.

!!!

Over 50% of app complaints are for navigation and layout

Support Staff interviews & analytics

Customer managing her calendar on mobile
Woman managing her calendar on mobile

I should be kept up to date

  • Users aren’t keeping informed about key information they expect.

  • Customers rely on calendars and third party apps to remind themselves of key policy dates.

  • They regularly turn off notifications because we are sending too much low urgency information. Without them we rely on users proactively seeking information rather than being kept informed.

Card sorting various notifications
User testing into notification urgency

Low urgency = low value

  • Unused features, such as maps, are prioritised over more critical functions, making the app feel less valuable.

  • Outdated apps like Car Genie are no longer being used by customers, signaling a need for more relevant offerings.

  • Some apps are inefficient and prone to breaking down, requiring more energy to run than they are worth.

!!

Testing showed a critical link between app retention/value and the urgency of information being pushed to users

Diary Studies and Card Sorting

Interview with AA breakdown serviceman
Interview our internal staff and rescue team

I'll just call them

  • Many members manage their policies via the call center because they can’t find key information and basic functionality is missing

  • Over 14 million members resort to calling the helpline leading to long wait times of over 45 minutes.

!!

“The majority of calls we receive are for policy management, a high number are asking for policy number”

Support Staff interviews

I can’t find what I need

I can’t find what I need

  • Users struggle to locate essential features because less useful options are given priority in the main app.

  • Important functions, like breakdown assistance, are hard to find.

  • Customers are overwhelmed by the number of apps available and often download the wrong one by accident.

!!!

Over 50% of app complaints are for navigation and layout

Support Staff interviews & analytics

!!!

Over 50% of app complaints are for navigation and layout

Support Staff interviews & analytics

!!!

Over 50% of app complaints are for navigation and layout

Support Staff interviews & analytics

I should be kept up to date

I should be kept up to date

  • Users aren’t keeping informed about key information they expect.

  • Customers rely on calendars and third party apps to remind themselves of key policy dates.

  • They regularly turn off notifications because we are sending too much low urgency information. Without them we rely on users proactively seeking information rather than being kept informed.

Low urgency = low value

Low urgency = low value

  • Unused features, such as maps, are prioritised over more critical functions, making the app feel less valuable.

  • Outdated apps like Car Genie are no longer being used by customers, signaling a need for more relevant offerings.

  • Some apps are inefficient and prone to breaking down, requiring more energy to run than they are worth.

!!

Testing showed a critical link between app retention/value and the urgency of information being pushed to users

Diary Studies and Card Sorting

!!

Testing showed a critical link between app retention/value and the urgency of information being pushed to users

Diary Studies and Card Sorting

!!

Testing showed a critical link between app retention/value and the urgency of information being pushed to users

Diary Studies and Card Sorting

I'll just call them

I'll just call them

  • Many members manage their policies via the call center because they can’t find key information and basic functionality is missing

  • Over 14 million members resort to calling the helpline leading to long wait times of over 45 minutes.

!!

“The majority of calls we receive are for policy management, a high number are asking for policy number”

Support Staff interviews

!!

“The majority of calls we receive are for policy management, a high number are asking for policy number”

Support Staff interviews

!!

“The majority of calls we receive are for policy management, a high number are asking for policy number”

Support Staff interviews

Solution
Solution

Streamlining for seamless, scalable, purpose-driven experiences

Streamlining for seamless, scalable, purpose-driven experiences

By cutting unsupported and redundant products, we can streamline our digital offerings, focusing on delivering exactly what users need through the right platforms. By aligned tools with specific user types we can ensure each platform has a clear purpose, and users need less separate tools meaning more cohesive experiences.

By designing modular, intuitive components we can deliver scaleable solutions that clearly meet user expectations now and for the future.

Users expect comprehensive, up-to-date, data-driven policy management provided by the AA within a single platform

Project Discovery Phase

Users expect comprehensive, up-to-date, data-driven policy management provided by the AA within a single platform

Project Discovery Phase

Users expect comprehensive, up-to-date, data-driven policy management provided by the AA within a single platform

Project Discovery Phase

Mapping the digital landscape of the various AA products
Mapping the digital landscape of the various AA products
Mapping the entire AA digital ecosystem

Challenging old assumptions

Challenging old assumptions

Challenging old assumptions

The legacy app suffers from high churn rates. It is designed based on legacy business products and assumptions focussed on maps and way finding, with policy and breakdown features hidden.

The legacy app suffers from high churn rates. It is designed based on legacy business products and assumptions focussed on maps and way finding, with policy and breakdown features hidden.

AA current home screen
AA current home screen
Old AA home screen
AA current settings screen
AA current settings screen
Old AA settings screen

!!!

Discovery revealed major misalignments between what was expected and the current app experience.

Project Discovery Phase

!!!

Discovery revealed major misalignments between what was expected and the current app experience.

Project Discovery Phase

!!!

Discovery revealed major misalignments between what was expected and the current app experience.

Project Discovery Phase

Redefining the digital landscape
Redefining the digital landscape

Why are people coming to the AA?

Why are people coming to the AA?

We worked with the wider design team to refine to vision for the various digital products and aligning them to the various demographics and stages of car of car ownership.

We worked with the wider design team to refine to vision for the various digital products and aligning them to the various demographics and stages of car of car ownership.

The apps most targetted user demographic
The apps most targetted user demographic
Our

'Freedom Seekers' are our key demographic, making up a quater of the market

User research, analytics, interviews and surveys

'Freedom Seekers' are our key demographic, making up a quater of the market

User research, analytics, interviews and surveys

'Freedom Seekers' are our key demographic, making up a quater of the market

User research, analytics, interviews and surveys

App usability testing and severity rating results
App usability testing and severity rating results
Top 5 tasks
Top 5 tasks

Identifying key tasks for key demographics

Identifying key tasks for key demographics

We identified the top 5 tasks for our key demographics:

  • Buy and check my policies (breakdown, insurance)

  • Find and book a garage (service, MOT)

  • Route planner (traffic, fuel, parking, EV charging)

  • Member benefits

  • Report an accident/breakdown

I redefined a modular interface that could cater and grow for different accounts, and was scaleable for our long term strategy.

Redesigning the app IA
Redesigning the app IA
Showing the app hierarchy of top 5 tasks
Showing the app hierarchy of top 5 tasks
LEt us do the hard work
LEt us do the hard work

Reducing cognitive load

Reducing cognitive load

The modular design consolidates and condenses information focusing on the top 5 tasks hierarchically. This approach allows us to surface the most relevant content, such as MOT cards, only when they are due, reducing unnecessary distractions.

Prioritising core AA services like Breakdown and Insurance not only aligns with business goals but also enhances user engagement by ensuring the app remains relevant to their immediate needs.

Breakdown is emergency functionality so is placed centrally in the nav bar for access throughout the app.

App design principles

Breakdown is emergency functionality so is placed centrally in the nav bar for access throughout the app.

App design principles

Breakdown is emergency functionality so is placed centrally in the nav bar for access throughout the app.

App design principles

AA app home screen with policy cards
AA app home screen with policy cards

Native and intuitive for AA accessibility

Native and intuitive for AA accessibility

The app was built to native design standards to ensure a seamless user experience across all devices. By sticking to platform-specific design guidelines we enhanced usability for our key segments, ensured consistency and reliability across the app and reducing the learning curve for new users.

!

Over 75% of Freedom Seekers use bespoke native accesibility settings, so adhering to native design is vital

User research and analytics

!

Over 75% of Freedom Seekers use bespoke native accesibility settings, so adhering to native design is vital

User research and analytics

!

Over 75% of Freedom Seekers use bespoke native accesibility settings, so adhering to native design is vital

User research and analytics

App modular policy card designs
App modular policy card designs

!

Customers depend on timely notifications, especially during critical moments like breakdowns or policy expirations.

User research, analytics, interviews and surveys

!

Customers depend on timely notifications, especially during critical moments like breakdowns or policy expirations.

User research, analytics, interviews and surveys

!

Customers depend on timely notifications, especially during critical moments like breakdowns or policy expirations.

User research, analytics, interviews and surveys

Keep me informed
Keep me informed

Informative, actionable notifications are critical

Informative, actionable notifications are critical

The AA relies on different notification models to keep people informed. Push notifications are particularly key for the most urgent information.

By streamlining notifications and focussing on key policy information we can enhance app value, reduce call centre traffic and promote an app-first approach.

!!!

Too many low urgency notifications overwhelm users, leading to disabling them and ultimately deleting the app.

Card sorting and interviews

!!!

Too many low urgency notifications overwhelm users, leading to disabling them and ultimately deleting the app.

Card sorting and interviews

!!!

Too many low urgency notifications overwhelm users, leading to disabling them and ultimately deleting the app.

Card sorting and interviews

Card sorting various notifications
Card sorting various notifications
Card sorting various notifications
Card sorting various notifications

Informative, actionable notifications are critical

Informative, actionable notifications are critical

Research was conducted to refine customer mental models. We developed communication principles to guide future notification strategies and an effective notification system across the AA brand.

Collaboration with Marketing, DevOps, and Customer Support teams is ongoing to ensure consistent and user-friendly communication across all digital channels.

Mapping out notification principles through a notification model matrix
Mapping out notification principles through a notification model matrix
Mapping out notification principles through a notification model matrix
Launch
Launch

Keep on top of vehicle management effortlessly

Keep on top of vehicle management effortlessly

We launched the new designs in October 2021.

Customers can now manage and upgrade multiple policies in-app, and are kept on top of their vehicle policies proactively. They can action renew or purchase new policies, as well as report an emergency stress free knowing they will be informed accordingly.

Final flow of AA app
Final flow of AA app
Measured Success
Measured Success

Everything works as it should now, very happy indeed

Everything works as it should now, very happy indeed

With greater visibility of policies and clear in-app purchase journeys, the business saw a 34% increase in cross sell. App engagement is building each month with churn swiftly reducing.

These changes in behaviours are seen in our customers attitudes and perceptions of the app through feedback channels and reviews. Testing continues to validate the success and measure the impact to customer perception.

*Numbers across IOS and Android,

Improvement, CSAT and social channels monitored moving forward

700K

monthly app users

Vs 600K target, 6% increase MOM

↑16%

app engagement
MOM

achieving 4.7 in Google Play store

↑34%

cross-sale CTR

on car insurance

1,968

app renewals

processed in app via new functionality, Nov 21

700K

monthly app users

Vs 600K target, 6% increase MOM

↑16%

app engagement
MOM

achieving 4.7 in Google Play store

↑34%

cross-sale CTR

on car insurance

1,968

app renewals

processed in app via new functionality, Nov 21

700K

700K

monthly app
users

monthly app
users

Vs 600K target, 6% increase MOM

↑16%

↑16%

app engagement
MOM

app engagement
MOM

achieving 4.7 in Google Play store

↑34%

↑34%

cross-sale CTR

on car insurance

1,968

1,968

app renewals

app renewals

processed in app via new functionality, Nov 21

Want to hear more?

Want to hear more?