Centene Corporation

  • Senior UX UI Designer
  • Research

Overview

During a reorg, roles were tasked with new responsibilities, and for some those responsibilities presented foreign obligations and temporary confusion. Obviously unusual tension followed and was complimented by a lot of miscommunication. Everyone on the team felt pressured which should never be the case, especially considering we are all trying to serve the user and create the best experience. Often times, it is forgotten that we all are users as well, and our experiences being comfortable and possibly enjoyable definitely translates to amazing designs to exceeds expectations for the goals we all aimed for. 

Design Systems: An Atomic Approach

Centene, being state-regulated, requires that accessibility remains a priority focus for all products, both B2C and B2B. This is best accomplished through the intricacies of a well-established Design System, where detailed documentation is essential for successful usage.

Cards

Introduction to Centene

Button

My First Project Was The

Starting with the team’s current design system helped me quickly learn design patterns and ensure consistency.

Button

Design System

My initial tasks at Centene involved designing components for the design system that were assigned to their backlog.

Button

Stepper

Filters

Button and Tokens

Spacing

Responsive Design

Responsibilities

As a Designer, I led the completion of all products by their proposed deadlines, ensuring compliance with state guidelines and processes. I maintained design consistency with other state products and prioritized the user experience throughout the development process.

This process in product development presented experiences that allowed me to take full accountability for transferring information between team members and showcase my leadership skills during the design thinking process.

This example visually explains my responsibilities as a designer at Centene. (Blue = Design Responsibilities)

Full UI: New Product in React

As a Designer, I led the completion of all products by their proposed deadlines, ensuring compliance with state guidelines and processes. I maintained design consistency with other state products and prioritized the user experience throughout the development process.

Logos and copy on the UI below has been removed and edited to protect legal content related to the company.

Challenges

Centene, being state-regulated, requires that accessibility remains a priority focus for all products, both B2C and B2B. This is best accomplished through the intricacies of a well-established Design System, where detailed documentation is essential for successful usage.

Challenge One

During a reorg, roles were tasked with new responsibilities, and for some those responsibilities presented foreign obligations and temporary confusion. Obviously unusual tension followed and was complimented by a lot of miscommunication. Everyone on the team felt pressured which should never be the case, especially considering we are all trying to serve the user and create the best experience. Often times, it is forgotten that we all are users as well, and our experiences being comfortable and possibly enjoyable definitely translates to amazing designs to exceeds expectations for the goals we all aimed for.

Challenge Two

Another team fell behind schedule designing the MVP for a new product, and my design lead tasked me with creating user flows and wireframes to clarify the product’s design goals. The original designer’s focus on possibilities beyond the MVP caused delays. After introducing myself to the Product Owner (PO) and the designer, I quickly bonded with the PO over the urgency, while the designer resisted simplifying the design. With support from the PO and design lead, I gained control and successfully delivered the MVP designs. Unfortunately, it was beyond the deadline, and funding had run out, placing the new product in the backlog for future exploration.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I genuinely enjoyed and appreciated my contract with Centene. The environment fostered by the design lead and management exemplified the ideal workplace experience. The levels of respect and trust significantly elevated my standards, positively influencing both my skills and my expectations for future opportunities in my career journey.

Back To Top