REDESIGNING INSIGHT GLOBAL'S CRM TOOL
REDESIGNING INSIGHT GLOBAL'S CRM TOOL

Simplifying Client Acquisition & Management by Improving the CRM Experience

Simplifying Client Acquisition & Management by Improving the CRM Experience

COMPANY
COMPANY

Insight Global

Insight Global

ROLE
ROLE

Lead Designer & Researcher

Lead Designer & Researcher

Team
Team

4 Members

4 Members

YEAR
YEAR

2024

2024

My role through the process

  • Designed the CRM dashboard end-to-end, from the organizational chart's visual hierarchy down to the contact cards, client info panel, and contract placement views

  • Created the color-coded status system (Build/Drop, contractor/FTE indicators) to make relationship health scannable at a glance

  • Designed the account overview dashboard, prioritizing the three data views (growth, contract status, renewals) an account manager needs most before a client call

  • Built in Figma, with Claude assisting on data modeling and dashboard logic to keep the UI grounded in realistic account data

  • Designed the CRM dashboard end-to-end, from the organizational chart's visual hierarchy down to the contact cards, client info panel, and contract placement views

  • Created the color-coded status system (Build/Drop, contractor/FTE indicators) to make relationship health scannable at a glance

  • Designed the account overview dashboard, prioritizing the three data views (growth, contract status, renewals) an account manager needs most before a client call

  • Built in Figma, with Claude assisting on data modeling and dashboard logic to keep the UI grounded in realistic account data

PROBLEM STATEMENT

Where we started

During our first interaction with the team at Insight Global we were given a broad problem space, which we explored in depth by conducting interviews and identified the workflow gaps for account managers.

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 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?

Lack of Real Time Updates

The CRM has limitations in tracking key decision-makers and historical contracts in client organizations.

Scattered

Data

AMs navigate multiple platforms to gather client information, leading to inefficiencies and redundant efforts.

Workflow Inefficiencies

Manual processes and inconsistent data disrupt productivity, leading to wasted time and higher operational costs

SOLUTION

CRM Dashboard and Organizational chart for efficient client acquisition

A client relationship management dashboard with an integrated organizational chart provides a centralized view of client interactions and placements, enabling more efficient client acquisition.

Real-time account health at a glance

Rather than showing every metric at once, this view prioritizes the three signals that actually change how an account manager approaches a call: is the account growing, are contracts healthy, and what's coming up next. Everything else lives one click away.

FEATURES

Here's how the CRM assists with client acquisition

The CRM feature centers on an interactive organizational chart, a single place to see who's who, who owns what, and what's happened before. Supporting panels surface the history and context that AMs need without making them go looking for it.

Tab 1 of 4: Contact

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

How did i identify Problems ?

Learning more about the current system

To better understand the impact of the problem on our stakeholders, the focus of the research is restricted to the current process of aquiring clients. We started by conducting a deep dive into Insight Global's existing CRM tool, primarily used by account managers to manager all client relationships and interactions.

User journey mapping

Cognitive walkthrough + Semi structured interviews

  • Started with a cognitive walkthrough led by Insight Global executives to understand how the CRM works and how account managers are expected to use it.

  • Interviewed 4 account managers to learn how they actually acquire and manage clients in their day-to-day work.

  • Mapped their workflow by connecting their real-world process with the CRM features they relied on.

  • Key takeaway: The CRM was central to client acquisition, but we identified several opportunities to improve its efficiency and better support account managers' workflows.

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.

Concept development ;

Analyzing insights from qualitative and quantitative research

  • Synthesized our research using affinity mapping and thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns and pain points.

  • Defined 8 key design requirements based on those insights.

  • Generated multiple concepts using ideation methods like 6-3-5 and SCAMPER.

  • Refined the concepts to ensure they addressed user needs and improved the CRM workflow.

Concept 1 : Competitor Chart

Concept 1 : Competitor Chart

Concept 2 : Central Dashboard

Concept 2 : Central Dashboard

Concept 3 : Contractual Placement list

Concept 3 : Contractual Placement list

Concept 4 : Contact-Activity list

Concept 4 : Contact-Activity list

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.

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.

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 :

  1. Professional Presentation and Clear Visual Hierarchy

  2. Intuitive Navigation and Efficient Workflow

  3. Enhanced Data Management and Accessibility

  4. Foster Inter-Team Collaboration and Improve Data Accuracy

  5. Alignment with Insight Global’s Business Objectives and Support for Strategic Decision-Making

Things we need to change :

  1. Ambiguous Color Coding: Replace colors with "Build" and "Drop" tags; add filter options.

  2. Missing "Mine" Tags: Allow users to label and filter contacts as "Mine" for better workflow.

  3. Limited Contact Transfer: Enable moving contacts between organizational charts.

  4. 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 Learnings

Diving in-depth into a technical domain

Working with Industry Stakeholders

Going into this project, I didn't know the first thing about staffing operations. What I came out with was the ability to adapt to a technical workflow in a completely new domain, map out how it actually worked, and ask the right questions even without prior expertise. It also taught me to catch the small details that get missed when you're moving fast.

Working with Industry

Stakeholders

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

WHO ARE WE BUILDING FOR?

A premier staffing firm connecting top-tier professionals with organizations in IT, healthcare, finance, engineering, and government.

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 stakeholder impact, we focused on the current client acquisition process, beginning with a deep dive into Insight Global’s CRM.

User Journey Mapping

Cognitive Walkthrough +

Semi Structured Interviews

  • We explored interactions between potential clients and account managers through a cognitive walkthrough led by Insight Global executives, which clarified the CRM’s core features.

  • We then interviewed four account managers to understand how these features translate into real workflows.

  • This research highlighted the CRM’s central role and prompted us to evaluate its efficiency and alignment with 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.

Lack of Real Time Updates

The CRM has limitations in tracking key decision-makers and historical contracts in client organizations.

Scattered

Data

AMs navigate multiple platforms to gather client information, leading to inefficiencies and redundant efforts.

Workflow Inefficiencies

Manual processes and inconsistent data disrupt productivity, leading to wasted time and higher operational costs

What can be done to improve ?

Building an efficient tool

We conducted a comparative analysis of CRM systems and industry tools to identify key features and best practices, which informed improvements to address existing pain points.

Concept Development ;

Analyzing insights from qualitative and quantitative research

  • Synthesized insights using thematic analysis and affinity mapping

  • Identified 8 key design requirements

  • Developed 5 CRM design concepts

  • Refined concepts using 6-3-5 brainstorming and SCAMPER

  • Aligned solutions with user needs and key pain points

Concept 1 : Competitor Chart

Concept 2 : Central Dashboard

Concept 3 : Contractual Placement list

Concept 4 : Contact-Activity list

Testing Our Concepts

Aligning Direction with Stakeholders

We validated concepts with Account Managers and executives at Insight Global, synthesized their feedback, and consolidated the most valuable features into a single refined concept.

WHAT WE OPTIMIZED

THE ORG CHART

Based on research and stakeholder feedback, the Org Chart was selected as the preferred concept, offering a hierarchical view of client organizations enriched with sales-specific insights.

Features

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

  • Side panel opens on selecting a contact in the Org Chart

  • Displays role, contact details, and assigned AMs

  • Includes an activity timeline for quick interaction review

  • Supports status tracking and efficient communication initiation

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.

USABILITY TESTING WITH USERS

Testing the Solution

We conducted periodic usability testing with Account Managers and executives at Insight Global, using think-aloud tasks to ensure alignment with their cognitive models.

Getting Things in Order;

Iterative insights from Usability Testing

Things we did Right :

  1. Intuitive Navigation and Efficient Workflow

  2. Enhanced Data Management and Accessibility

  3. Foster Inter-Team Collaboration and Improve Data Accuracy

  4. Alignment with Insight Global’s Business Objectives and Support for Strategic Decision-Making

Things we need to change :

  1. Ambiguous Color Coding: Replace colors with "Build" and "Drop" tags; add filter options.

  2. Missing "Mine" Tags: Allow users to label and filter contacts as "Mine" for better workflow.

  3. Limited Contact Transfer: Enable moving contacts between organizational charts.

  4. Lack of Personal Note-Taking: Add note-taking and annotation tools on organizational charts.

REFLECTION

My Learnings

Working with Industry Stakeholders

  • First experience collaborating with industry stakeholders

  • Learned to balance stakeholder expectations with user needs

  • Strengthened communication and requirement prioritization

  • Gained experience negotiating trade-offs between business goals and user-centered design