illustration qualityTechnology continues to advance at such a rapid pace these days. Every day we are bombarded with new devices and applications. In 2007 both the iPhone and Android phones were introduced. Just 5 years later, both now boast of over 500,000 software titles being available for download. As technology has advanced, so have the consumers’ expectations. Today’s consumers expect software to do more and interact with more than ever before. As a result, software complexity has grown exponentially.

With this growing demand for more complex features and functionality, comes the issue of how to ensure quality. The same is true of today’s life and annuity illustration systems. With demands for more functionality, integration with 3rd party systems, more complex calculations and higher demand for complex business rules, the stress on quality is being pushed.   It requires new approaches and designs to ensure that the quality is better today than ever before.  Customers demand it; whether the customer is an agent, consumer, banker, or financial planner, the quality has to be there.  Otherwise it is a reflection on the carrier.  So, how do you ensure that your solutions provide the quality you demand?

How do you ensure quality?

It starts with design.  In order to deliver higher quality, you have to test more which takes more time.  The problem is that most companies have very tight development cycles in order to compete in the market.  Developing a new product illustration in 8 to 12 months just won’t do.  So what happens?  Typically the first area cut or reduced in a development project plan is quality assurance testing.  While everyone recognizes the importance of quality assurance, it is also the easiest to cut in order to meet demanding delivery schedules.  With most of today’s illustrations each new product family, i.e. UL, Term, Whole Life, Annuity, Disability or Critical Illness comes with its own calculation engine.  Additionally, each carrier’s illustration comes with its own custom set of engines that are unique to their products. This means that all the testing of the illustration comes from either the software development team and/or the insurance carrier.  Now when you cut back on development testing cycles you maximize your opportunity for lower quality and ultimately jeopardize your company’s reputation with the producers or consumers. Not very appealing is it?

What if there was a better way?

What if you could have every carrier test the same set of engines every time it is delivered?  What if every user that touches the system becomes a quality assurance tester?  With the OPUS True Engine ArchitectureTM they can.  illustrate inc’s industry leading technology design is a better way.  With the True Engine Architecture, each company’s product rules, calculations, business rules and rounding requirements are completely separate from the product engines.  This means that there truly is one engine for all companies.  Now when you develop a new product illustration, you can rest assured that numerous carriers, thousands of users, and illustrates own quality assurance team have all tested the engine time and time again.  This ensures the industry’s most trusted illustration solution, OPUS, delivers the quality that your end users demand, and that you deserve.

To find out more about OPUS and True Engine Architecture, visit www.illustrateinccom today.

(Download: Is technology outpacing real quality in today’s life and annuity illustrations? PDF)