2026
Blue Cross Blue shield
federal employee program
Blue Cross Blue shield
federal employee program
Role
Lead UI Designer
Lead UI Designer
agency
BBDO Chicago
BBDO Chicago
industry
Healthcare
Healthcare
Tools
Figma, Adobe CC & Tableau
Figma, Adobe CC & Tableau
overview
overview
overview
about the client
about the client
The Blue Cross Blue Shield Federal Employee Program (BCBS FEP) provides health insurance to more than 5.5 million federal employees, retirees, and their families.
BBDO Chicago supports the program across digital experiences, advertising, and CRM communications.
The Blue Cross Blue Shield Federal Employee Program (BCBS FEP) provides health insurance to more than 5.5 million federal employees, retirees, and their families.
BBDO Chicago supports the program across digital experiences, advertising, and CRM communications.
my role & contributions
my role & contributions
As Lead UI Designer on the BCBS FEP account, I work as part of a 40+ person team to create and evolve digital experiences.
I partner with account and strategy teams to design new web pages and refresh existing ones, including leading the redesign of the AskBlue FEP Plan Finder as the sole designer. My work also spans digital display and out-of-home advertising, as well as CRM emails for current and prospective members.
As Lead UI Designer on the BCBS FEP account, I work as part of a 40+ person team to create and evolve digital experiences.
I partner with account and strategy teams to design new web pages and refresh existing ones, including leading the redesign of the AskBlue FEP Plan Finder as the sole designer. My work also spans digital display and out-of-home advertising, as well as CRM emails for current and prospective members.
projects
projects
projects
2026
2026
AskBlue fep plan finder tool
AskBlue fep plan finder tool
the brief
the brief
Overview
Overview
The AskBlue FEP Plan Finder helps federal employees compare medical, dental, and vision plans to find coverage that fits their needs.
The AskBlue FEP Plan Finder helps federal employees compare medical, dental, and vision plans to find coverage that fits their needs.
Audience
Audience
Federal employees and their families navigating a wide range of health insurance options, often with varying levels of familiarity with insurance terminology and plan details. During Open Enrollment, users need to evaluate coverage, premiums, and out-of-pocket costs with confidence to make informed decisions about their healthcare.
Federal employees and their families navigating a wide range of health insurance options, often with varying levels of familiarity with insurance terminology and plan details. During Open Enrollment, users need to evaluate coverage, premiums, and out-of-pocket costs with confidence to make informed decisions about their healthcare.
Problem
Problem
Health insurance can be difficult to understand. Our team’s research found that roughly 50% of insured adults struggle to understand their coverage, highlighting the need for a simpler, more accessible experience.
The existing Plan Finder made this challenge harder: critical information, including premiums, out-of-pocket costs, and enrollment details, was difficult to locate and compare. Dense information and unfamiliar terminology created cognitive overload, making it harder for users to evaluate their options and make confident decisions.
Health insurance can be difficult to understand. Our team’s research found that roughly 50% of insured adults struggle to understand their coverage, highlighting the need for a simpler, more accessible experience.
The existing Plan Finder made this challenge harder: critical information, including premiums, out-of-pocket costs, and enrollment details, was difficult to locate and compare. Dense information and unfamiliar terminology created cognitive overload, making it harder for users to evaluate their options and make confident decisions.
the approach
the approach
Designing Around User Needs
Designing Around User Needs
Working alongside the UX team, we focused on making a complex health insurance decision easier to navigate. Rather than presenting users with large amounts of information at once, the goal was to prioritize what they needed most to make an informed decision, bringing clarity to the plan selection process without sacrificing important details.
Working alongside the UX team, we focused on making a complex health insurance decision easier to navigate. Rather than presenting users with large amounts of information at once, the goal was to prioritize what they needed most to make an informed decision, bringing clarity to the plan selection process without sacrificing important details.
Balancing Simplicity With Detail
Balancing Simplicity With Detail
The challenge was to make plan information easy to understand at a glance while still giving users access to the finer details needed to compare coverage confidently.
I approached the experience with a clear information hierarchy, surfacing essential information first and allowing users to explore more detailed benefits when needed. This created a more approachable experience that supported both quick comparisons and deeper research.
The challenge was to make plan information easy to understand at a glance while still giving users access to the finer details needed to compare coverage confidently.
I approached the experience with a clear information hierarchy, surfacing essential information first and allowing users to explore more detailed benefits when needed. This created a more approachable experience that supported both quick comparisons and deeper research.
Key Design Improvements
Key Design Improvements
Working with the UX team, we focused the redesign on three areas to make plan information easier to understand, compare, and act on.
Working with the UX team, we focused the redesign on three areas to make plan information easier to understand, compare, and act on.
Plan Overview
Plan Overview
Introduced a bento-style summary that brought the most important details, monthly premium, enrollment code, and a plain-language plan summary, into one easy-to-scan view.
By surfacing these details above the fold, users could quickly understand their recommended plan without digging through the page.
Introduced a bento-style summary that brought the most important details, monthly premium, enrollment code, and a plain-language plan summary, into one easy-to-scan view.
By surfacing these details above the fold, users could quickly understand their recommended plan without digging through the page.
Plan Comparison
Plan Comparison
Restructured the comparison experience to prioritize key details, including monthly premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket maximums.
Clearer tab styling and stronger visual hierarchy made differences between plans easier to scan, while a prominent “Best Match” indicator kept the recommended option easy to identify.
Restructured the comparison experience to prioritize key details, including monthly premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket maximums.
Clearer tab styling and stronger visual hierarchy made differences between plans easier to scan, while a prominent “Best Match” indicator kept the recommended option easy to identify.
Enrollment & Support
Enrollment & Support
Reorganized the page to make frequently asked questions easier to find and simplified the language to reduce insurance jargon. This helped users access relevant guidance more easily and created a clearer path toward enrollment.
The same content hierarchy and visual language were extended across the dental and vision plan tools, creating a more consistent experience across all three.
Reorganized the page to make frequently asked questions easier to find and simplified the language to reduce insurance jargon. This helped users access relevant guidance more easily and created a clearer path toward enrollment.
The same content hierarchy and visual language were extended across the dental and vision plan tools, creating a more consistent experience across all three.
the impact
the impact
40% Increase in Tool Usage
40% Increase in Tool Usage
Launched ahead of Open Season, the redesigned Plan Finder saw a 40% increase in tool usage, signaling stronger engagement with the plan-selection experience. By surfacing essential information and simplifying the comparison process, the redesign made it easier for members to explore their options and find a plan that fit their needs.
Launched ahead of Open Season, the redesigned Plan Finder saw a 40% increase in tool usage, signaling stronger engagement with the plan-selection experience. By surfacing essential information and simplifying the comparison process, the redesign made it easier for members to explore their options and find a plan that fit their needs.
60% Increase in Enrollments
60% Increase in Enrollments
Enrollments among users who completed the quiz increased by 60%, reflecting stronger progression from plan recommendations to enrollment. By highlighting recommended plans, clarifying key benefits, and reducing friction at critical decision points, the redesign helped members move from evaluating their options toward taking action.
Enrollments among users who completed the quiz increased by 60%, reflecting stronger progression from plan recommendations to enrollment. By highlighting recommended plans, clarifying key benefits, and reducing friction at critical decision points, the redesign helped members move from evaluating their options toward taking action.
Want to see the redesigned summary page? Complete the Plan Finder questionnaire for medical, dental, or vision coverage to explore the updated experience.
Want to see the redesigned summary page? Complete the Plan Finder questionnaire for medical, dental, or vision coverage to explore the updated experience.
2026
CRM Email marketing
2026
CRM Email marketing
the breif
the breif
Overview
Overview
CRM email is a key BCBS FEP communication channel, reaching roughly 4 million people monthly with updates on Open Season, plan benefits, preventive care, and everyday health. Campaigns range from standalone emails to multi-week journeys that guide members through decisions and encourage engagement.
CRM email is a key BCBS FEP communication channel, reaching roughly 4 million people monthly with updates on Open Season, plan benefits, preventive care, and everyday health. Campaigns range from standalone emails to multi-week journeys that guide members through decisions and encourage engagement.
Audience
Audience
Current members and prospective enrollees with different needs throughout their journey, from exploring coverage to understanding benefits and taking action.
Current members and prospective enrollees with different needs throughout their journey, from exploring coverage to understanding benefits and taking action.
Problem
Problem
Despite the scale of the email program, click-through engagement was steadily declining. BCBS FEP wanted to reverse this trend and increase the number of recipients clicking through to explore information, learn about their benefits, and take the next step.
The challenge was to make emails more engaging, communicate key information more effectively, and give readers clearer reasons to click through.
Despite the scale of the email program, click-through engagement was steadily declining. BCBS FEP wanted to reverse this trend and increase the number of recipients clicking through to explore information, learn about their benefits, and take the next step.
The challenge was to make emails more engaging, communicate key information more effectively, and give readers clearer reasons to click through.
the approach
the approach
Making Engagement Feel Effortless
Making Engagement Feel Effortless
Getting people to click in an inbox is harder than it sounds, especially for a healthcare brand. The goal was to pair relevant messaging with a clear visual hierarchy and calls to action that made taking the next step feel simple and low-commitment.
Getting people to click in an inbox is harder than it sounds, especially for a healthcare brand. The goal was to pair relevant messaging with a clear visual hierarchy and calls to action that made taking the next step feel simple and low-commitment.
Building a Distinctive Email Template
Building a Distinctive Email Template
I led the redesign of a reusable template for monthly member emails, from concept through client approval.
New colors, image layouts, and a refreshed content structure gave the emails a more distinctive look while staying true to BCBS FEP’s established color palette and typography guidelines.
I led the redesign of a reusable template for monthly member emails, from concept through client approval.
New colors, image layouts, and a refreshed content structure gave the emails a more distinctive look while staying true to BCBS FEP’s established color palette and typography guidelines.
the impact
the impact
A Scalable Figma Design System
A Scalable Figma Design System
I built a new Figma design system for the email program, including reusable color and typography styles, icons, layout options, and component variants. This created a consistent, flexible foundation for designing future campaigns.
I built a new Figma design system for the email program, including reusable color and typography styles, icons, layout options, and component variants. This created a consistent, flexible foundation for designing future campaigns.
Increased Email Engagement
Increased Email Engagement
Since BBDO took over BCBS FEP’s email design, the account has seen measurable increases in engagement and CTA interactions across sends.
Since BBDO took over BCBS FEP’s email design, the account has seen measurable increases in engagement and CTA interactions across sends.
2026
BCBS FEP Internal dashboard
2026
bcbs fep internal
dashboard
the brief
the brief
Overview
Overview
An internal, executive-level dashboard that consolidates BCBS FEP’s marketing KPIs into one centralized location, giving stakeholders a clearer view of campaign performance.
An internal, executive-level dashboard that consolidates BCBS FEP’s marketing KPIs into one centralized location, giving stakeholders a clearer view of campaign performance.
Audience
Audience
BCBS FEP executives and marketing stakeholders who need to monitor performance across campaigns, evaluate results, and understand how marketing efforts are performing against goals.
BCBS FEP executives and marketing stakeholders who need to monitor performance across campaigns, evaluate results, and understand how marketing efforts are performing against goals.
Problem
Problem
Before the dashboard, marketing performance data was scattered across reports, spreadsheets, and platforms. This made it difficult to get a clear, consolidated view of results and understand performance across key metrics.
Before the dashboard, marketing performance data was scattered across reports, spreadsheets, and platforms. This made it difficult to get a clear, consolidated view of results and understand performance across key metrics.
the approach
the approach
Organizing Data Around Business Needs
Organizing Data Around Business Needs
The dashboard is structured around how BCBS FEP organizes its business, with an executive summary surfacing key marketing KPIs at a glance. Stakeholders can filter by plan type for a more detailed view, with metrics contextualized against goals or previous periods.
The dashboard is structured around how BCBS FEP organizes its business, with an executive summary surfacing key marketing KPIs at a glance. Stakeholders can filter by plan type for a more detailed view, with metrics contextualized against goals or previous periods.
Visualizing Data With Clarity
Visualizing Data With Clarity
I designed KPI cards, charts, and graphs to make marketing performance easier to scan and interpret. Built from the ground up to align with the BCBS design system, the dashboard combines clear data visualization with a cohesive brand experience.
I designed KPI cards, charts, and graphs to make marketing performance easier to scan and interpret. Built from the ground up to align with the BCBS design system, the dashboard combines clear data visualization with a cohesive brand experience.
Note: Data shown is illustrative and does not reflect actual client figures.
Note: Data shown is illustrative and does not reflect actual client figures.
the impact
the impact
A New Standard for Marketing Performance
A New Standard for Marketing Performance
The dashboard is now BCBS FEP’s primary tool for monitoring marketing performance, bringing key metrics into one centralized view.
The dashboard is now BCBS FEP’s primary tool for monitoring marketing performance, bringing key metrics into one centralized view.
A Successful Client Partnership
A Successful Client Partnership
The client was extremely pleased with the dashboard’s design and layout, reinforcing the value of a clear, intuitive approach to presenting complex data.
The client was extremely pleased with the dashboard’s design and layout, reinforcing the value of a clear, intuitive approach to presenting complex data.
Expanding My Technical Skillset
Expanding My Technical Skillset
Having never used Tableau before the project, I taught myself the platform as the work progressed. By launch, I had developed the skills and confidence to bring the dashboard design to life.
Having never used Tableau before the project, I taught myself the platform as the work progressed. By launch, I had developed the skills and confidence to bring the dashboard design to life.
Niko Sarles
based in chicago, IL
Niko Sarles
based in chicago, IL
Niko Sarles | based in chicago, il