Redesigning Insight Global's CRM
COMPANY
Insight Global
ROLE
Lead Designer & Researcher
Team
4 Members
YEAR
2024
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Summary
Project Overview
Integrated an Organizational Chart into the Insight Global CRM system to streamline the identification of key stakeholders and client information, enabling Account Managers to enhance business growth and develop stronger client relationships.
My Contribution
I led the user research process, including conducting interviews and field studies, and synthesized insights to identify key user needs. Based on these findings, I generated potential solution concepts and designed the final UI screens. I also developed a functional prototype to bring the solution to life.
Intended Impact
To reduce the time account managers spend finding and verifying information needed for pitching Insight Global's services. Facilitate easier identification of organizational hierarchies within client organizations to help account managers quickly pinpoint key stakeholders for outreach.
My learnings
Collaborating with industry experts helped me understand how different stakeholders perceive the same problem. Learned how to manage their expectations while addressing design requirements.
Who are we Building for ?
A premier staffing firm connecting top-tier professionals with organizations in IT, healthcare, finance, engineering, and government. With a nationwide presence, Insight Global offers contract staffing, direct hire, managed services, and workforce consulting.
Account managers ; Our Main Stakeholders
Collaborate with organizations to understand staffing needs, deliver tailored talent solutions, and foster long-term partnerships for mutual success.
Responsibilities
Managing client relationships and acquiring new clients.
Tasks
Identifying decision-makers within potential client organizations
Filling open-requisitions for clients
Building strong relationships
Tools Used
IG’s CRM system, LinkedIn, and lead generation platforms
Our Mission Statement
Our Problem Statement
How might we help Insight Global’s Account Managers identify key decision-makers more efficiently and effectively within potential client organizations in order to build stronger relationships and drive business growth?
How did we identify Problems ?
Learning More About the Current System
To better understand how the problem impacted our stakeholders, the exploration was focused on the current process of acquiring clients and organizing their data within the system. This involved conducting a deep dive into Insight Global's existing CRM, the primary tool used by account managers to manage client relationships and maintain records of business interactions.
User Journey Mapping
Cognitive Walkthrough + Semi Structured Interviews
To better understand the interactions between potential clients and account managers, we began by participating in a cognitive walkthrough led by Insight Global executives. This walkthrough provided a comprehensive overview of the CRM's features and functionalities.
To see how these features translate into real-world practice, we conducted interviews with 4 account managers, asking them to describe their client acquisition process. This approach allowed us to effectively map the process and connect CRM functionalities with practical experience.
Our Research established the importance of the CRM in the process of client acquisition for the account managers and prompted us to evaluate its efficiency and adaptability to the account managers needs.
Account Managers at Insight Global rely heavily on their CRM to manage client relationships and secure new business. However, the current system presents several challenges ; Data Fragmentation, Inefficient workflows and Lack of Real Time Updates.
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Lack of Real Time Updates
Scattered
Data
The current CRM has limitations in tracking key decision-makers and historical contracts in client organizations.
AMs navigate multiple platforms to gather client information, leading to inefficiencies and redundant efforts.
Manual processes and inconsistent data disrupt productivity, leading to wasted time and higher operational costs
Mid Fidelity Wireframes :
A premature representation of our ideas
To better understand the interactions between potential clients and account managers, we began by participating in a cognitive walkthrough led by Insight Global executives. This walkthrough provided a comprehensive overview of the CRM's features and functionalities.
Testing Our Concepts
Aligning Direction with Stakeholders
To align our concepts with stakeholder interests, we tested each idea with Account Managers and executives at Insight Global. After analyzing their feedback, we identified the most beneficial features and consolidated them into a single refined concept. This served as the foundation for developing an organization-wide Org Chart.
Concept Development ;
Analyzing insights from qualitative and quantitative research
To address the issues identified, we analyzed insights gathered from the cognitive walkthrough, semi-structured interviews, surveys, and comparative analysis. This was achieved through thematic analysis and affinity mapping to identify patterns and similarities that could inform improvements to the workflows.
From this analysis, we distilled our observations into eight key design requirements that encapsulate features necessary for enhancing CRM workflows. These requirements served as a foundation for generating five distinct design concepts that reflect our proposed solutions.
We employed 6-3-5 brainstorming and SCAMPER methodologies to ideate solutions, iterating and refining the concepts to ensure alignment with the identified design requirements. This structured approach allowed us to craft ideas tailored to improving the workflows while addressing user pain points effectively.
Concept 1 : Competitor Chart
Concept 2 : Central Dashboard
Concept 3 : Contractual Placement list
Concept 4 : Contact-Activity list
What can be done to improve ?
Building an efficient tool
To address the issues identified during our research, we conducted a Comparative Analysis of existing CRM systems and industry tools that effectively tackle similar challenges. This analysis helped us identify features and best practices that could be incorporated into the current CRM to enhance its functionality and resolve the pain points.
Contact Cards
Streamlining the Process of Identifying Key Decision-Makers
ChartColor-coded contact cards visually indicate relationship status within the organization.
Key metrics displayed: Contractors (C) and Full-Time Employees (FTE) for quick identification.
Intuitive design enhances clarity and usability for streamlined decision-making.
Client Info Panel &
Activity Timeline
Providing Tools for Tailored Client Pitches and Outreach
The side panel, activated by clicking a contact card in the organizational chart, displays detailed information about the selected contact, including their role, contact details, and assigned Account Managers (AMs). It includes an Activity timeline designed for quick access and streamlined communication, helping AMs review client interactions, track status, and initiate communication efficiently.
Contract Placements & Contractor Details
Enhancing Collaboration and Information Sharing Among Teams
Displays contractors and employees by role for tracking placements and talent allocations.
Supports account managers in managing contracts, renewals, and client discussions.
Enables team leads to oversee roles and resource management.
Edit & View Contact details
Improving Data Accuracy and Update Frequency
The Edit feature offers flexibility to account managers in ensuring that the chart remains up to date and additional details pertaining to interactions can be updated.
What We Optimized ?
THE ORG CHART
Based on extensive research and stakeholder feedback, the Org Chart emerged as the most favorable concept. It provides a comprehensive overview of the organizational hierarchy of potential client organizations, enriched with sales-specific information for each connection within the organization.
Usability Testing with Stakeholders
Testing the Solution
To ensure that our model aligned perfectly wih the cognitive models of the Account managers we made sure to test all our concepts periodically. We held usability testing sessions with both the executives and Account managers at insight global prompting them to complete a set of preemptive tasks while thinking aloud.
Getting Things in Order;
Iterative insights from Usability Testing
Things we did Right :
Professional Presentation and Clear Visual Hierarchy
Intuitive Navigation and Efficient Workflow
Enhanced Data Management and Accessibility
Foster Inter-Team Collaboration and Improve Data Accuracy
Alignment with Insight Global’s Business Objectives and Support for Strategic Decision-Making
Things we need to change :
Ambiguous Color Coding: Replace colors with "Build" and "Drop" tags; add filter options.
Missing "Mine" Tags: Allow users to label and filter contacts as "Mine" for better workflow.
Limited Contact Transfer: Enable moving contacts between organizational charts.
Lack of Personal Note-Taking: Add note-taking and annotation tools on organizational charts.
What changed and what can be changed
Impact and Learnings
MY INFERENCES
Working with Industry Stakeholders
This project marked my first experience collaborating with industry stakeholders, offering a unique opportunity to navigate the delicate balance between meeting stakeholder expectations and staying true to user needs. Through this experience, I gained a deeper understanding of how to communicate effectively, prioritize requirements, and negotiate compromises that align with both business goals and user-centric design principles
Latest Tech is not always
the answer
With AI being an essential part of tech ecosystems now, Our natural instinct was to try an inculcate the benefits offered by AI into the CRM. However upon further evaluation this would have further increased the time taken for account managers to complete these tasks.