Current job and use of digital tools
I am currently working in the insurance industry at a company called Protector Forsikring ASA, Finnish branch (hereafter Protector Insurance). Protector Insurance was established in Norway in 2004. The company has since expanded from Norway to Sweden, Denmark, Finland, the United Kingdom, and France. Protector Insurance offers a wide range of insurance solutions for businesses and public entities, primarily through selected insurance brokers. In Finland, Protector Insurance started its operations in 2016 and currently has 25 employees locally.
I started at Protector Insurance in 2017 and have worked in various roles. For the first two years, I worked in insurance pricing (Underwriting), after which I moved to the broker service team (Broker Service). I served as the head of the broker service team from 2021 to 2024 until the position was discontinued, and I transitioned to my current role as Account Manager & Product Owner. My current responsibilities include building and maintaining relationships with insurance brokers, group insurance solutions, risk selection for new potential clients, and managing the insurance portfolios of existing clients. Additionally, as the title suggests, I am involved in system development, where I am responsible for the development and maintenance of systems used by the SUWS team (Service, Underwriting, Sales).
When reflecting on the digital tools I use in my work, I realize I use a few. I occasionally use ChatGPT for informal information searches and translation tasks. I don’t typically use LinkedIn directly for my job tasks, but I try to build and maintain connections through it and follow changes in the market. I use YouTube from time to time for training on topics where there are instructional materials available on the platform. WhatsApp is primarily used for informal communication with my colleagues, though its use is generally not directly linked to my job tasks.
Social media tools
I easily found five different social media tools that I could use in my daily work, and here are more details about each of them. The first is Asana, a project management software that can be used for various tasks and projects. It is specifically designed to improve the work of teams and organizations. I chose this software because we have not had a clear and transparent project management tool in place, and Asana would fit these needs very well. In Asana, we could manage ongoing system development projects in such a way that every team member could see the progress and the timeline for implementation. Through this tool, it would also be possible to bring forward suggestions or ideas that other team members could then read. Documentation and reporting could also be done through Asana, making it easy to revisit topics later. I would consider Asana’s strengths to be its versatility throughout all stages of projects and its transparency. The downside to its versatility, however, is the complexity of the tool. After a brief investigation, I realized that the implementation and proficient use of this tool would be time-consuming and challenging. A successful implementation would require a comprehensive orientation, including dedicated, uninterrupted time.
The next tool I could use in my daily work is definitely DeepL, a translation tool. Currently, I use Google Translate or ChatGPT for translations, but after getting to know DeepL, I found that it might suit my needs better as it seems to be a more accurate and reliable translation tool that can also account for industry-specific terminology. I could use this tool for slightly more informal instructions and internal material creation, but I wouldn’t use it for translating, for example, insurance terms. Effective use would require both confidence and careful consideration regarding what tasks the tool should be used for. For DeepL, I would highlight its limited language options (especially compared to Google Translate) and its inability to maintain the original formatting of the text. Additionally, the free version has limitations, such as translation length, so translating large amounts of text would require a paid version.
The third social media tool I might consider using in my daily work is Evernote. Evernote is a popular note-taking app that helps users save, organize, and share notes across devices. I chose this app because I often have to remember many different things simultaneously in my work, which is not always possible to write down at the moment. In these situations, I currently rely on either my memory or physical sticky notes. However, with Evernote, I wouldn’t lose my notes, and they would always be available on my work computer, properly documented. With Evernote, I could also organize notes into various categories, and the search function would help me find the information I need later using keywords. Sharing notes would also add value, as I could delegate tasks to others via the app. Effective use would simply require regular active use of the app, making it a part of my routine. The biggest drawback of Evernote, in my opinion, would be the limitations of the free version in terms of syncing, storage, and attaching large files. Still, I would consider using the app for documenting simple and straightforward notes.
The next tool that our company should definitely implement is mobile authentication. Through an electronic identification tool, we could provide our customers with much more accessible and secure information through our online services. Currently, we are unable to transfer, for example, damage reports and decisions to the online service because it requires strong electronic authentication, which could be implemented via mobile authentication. The advantages of mobile authentication are its security, reliability, and ease of use. It would also open up new, broader ways for us to serve our insurance customers. Since we could transfer damage decisions online, we wouldn’t have to send them via mail or email (where there is always a small privacy risk). The downsides of mobile authentication include its limitations. The user must have a functioning mobile phone with an internet connection, and its use abroad is uncertain. Carrier-specific issues may also cause occasional problems with the use of mobile authentication. Successful use would require careful testing and implementation, as well as precise operation at the user level.
The final tool that I could easily start using is Todoist. Todoist is a task management and productivity app that helps users manage personal and work-related tasks, projects, and deadlines. Todoist allows for organizing tasks, setting deadlines, and prioritizing, so users can stay organized and achieve their goals effectively. I see many similarities between this app and Outlook’s calendar, but Todoist is specifically designed for managing tasks and schedules without the extensive manual work. Using this app, I could organize tasks for different months and weeks in order of priority, and it would clearly remind me of upcoming deadlines. The app also allows for tracking productivity, which is something that Outlook cannot do. Its drawbacks, however, include limitations on the free version (such as file sharing, advanced filters) and the simplicity of its interface (for managing complex projects, creating charts/tables, and visualizing data). Still, I would be willing to try using this app and would use it solely for organizing and prioritizing my work, as well as getting timely reminders for upcoming deadlines and task progress.
Self evaluation
Through this task, I was able to truly reflect on the social media tools and applications I currently use in my work. I also considered whether all of them are the best options or if there might be a better alternative application for each. I realized that I use relatively few social media tools in my work, which is, on the other hand, understandable since I don’t work in a creative field at all. Through this task, I also gained an understanding of many new digital applications, and I definitely plan to at least try some of them in my work. I am looking forward to seeing if these applications will genuinely add value to my work! Overall, this was a very different course compared to the others I’ve taken so far, and because of that, it was an excellent change of pace.