Inspiration

In Canada, disability affects 27% of people, representing 8 million individuals. Amira is a 46-year-old woman who is recovering from cancer treatment leaving her with enduring symptoms and unpredictable energy. In addition to her recovery, Amira has to support her teenager and assist with an aging parent. After realizing her return-to-work plan is no longer feasible, Amira decides to switch from short-term disability to long-term disability. As we learn from Amira’s story, the transition process from STD to LTD can be unclear and overwhelming, especially when dealing with unpredictable symptoms and external responsibilities. Our inspiration for Liaise is Amira and the many other Canadians living with chronic disabilities who face challenges transitioning from short-term disability (STD) to long-term disability (LTD) plans.

What it does

Liaise is a system that proactively guides users through their disability insurance journey, reducing the burden of managing communication and progression. The system centralizes document management and benefit applications, allowing users to upload or scan documents through the app. Liaise then organizes the necessary information and compiles the required forms for applications to Sunlife and external organizations, simplifying the process and reducing the burden of navigating unfamiliar circumstances. Pulling data from the integrated wellness log, Liaise has the ability to assess and track the user’s recovery, creating a summarized report that can be shared with a case worker to proactively plan for a return to work and secure the proper accommodations. Liaise acts as a middle man between the user, insurance companies, healthcare providers, and government services, giving the users a voice.

How we built it

The initial brainstorming and planning stage of Liaise was executed using Figma, which included affinity mapping and user journey mapping. After identifying the requirements and desires for our design solution and determining that Liaise would primarily be a digital application, rough wireframes were developed using Figma. Finally, ClaudeDesign was used to iterate on those ideations and prototypes, developing the final version of Liaise.

Challenges we ran into

One of the team’s main challenges was narrowing down product features while ensuring the final solution addressed Amira’s needs. Given the depth of information in Amira’s profile, it was difficult to determine which moments and emotions to prioritize. To address this, the team focused on the broader challenges of transitioning from STD to LTD, aiming to develop a personalized solution that could support both Amira and other individuals navigating this process. The team also considered privacy and security, exploring how the system could manage sensitive personal information while protecting the user’s data.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Overall, our team is proud to have developed a solution that directly addresses Amira’s needs and pain points while extending beyond her individual circumstances. Liaise is customizable to support a range of users navigating the transition from STD to LTD. Although our user interface differs slightly from the original My Sunlife app, it still has the potential to be integrated into the broader My Sunlife ecosystem. Given the assignment's time constraints, our team had to make timely design decisions while carefully evaluating each choice to ensure the final solution remained aligned with user needs and project objectives.

What we learned

Through this challenge we learned that the disability insurance claim process is complex and involves multiple moving parts. Recognizing the stress and uncertainty people with chronic disabilities face, we wanted to simplify the process, reduce confusion, and make the transition process more manageable. We also learned the importance of clear communication and transparency throughout the user’s journey. Ultimately, we learned that an effective solution must consider the user’s entire experience, addressing not only the practical challenges they face but also their need for clarity, transparency, and support throughout the process.

What's next for Liaise

The next step in developing Liaise would be to map out the system from a caseworker’s perspective, identifying opportunities to better support Sunlife employees and provide an improved customer experience. Looking ahead, our team envisions Liaise as an integrated part of the broader Sunlife ecosystem rather than a competing platform. Achieving this would involve refining the app’s features and user interface to align with Sunlife’s existing products and services. Ultimately, our goal is to transform the way people experience disability insurance by creating a more seamless, supportive, and empowering process for individuals like Amira.