Case Study: Allstate accelerates innovation with Slalom’s virtual reality hackathon

Reimagining insurance and inspiring employees with technology

Allstate, a major insurance company, sought to accelerate innovation by exploring the commercial applications of emerging technologies like virtual reality and empowering its employees to experiment. The challenge was to move beyond existing investments and cultivate a more open, efficient, and innovative organizational culture, which included learning how to effectively run hackathons. They partnered with the vendor Slalom to help address this.

Slalom implemented a two-phase solution, beginning with their own internal exploration of VR technology to identify possibilities and barriers. This was followed by a joint hackathon where Slalom’s engineers and consultants worked alongside Allstate employees to build VR proof-of-concepts for specific business challenges. The results included tangible prototypes built within hours, the development of new problem-solving competencies, and the fostering of a stronger "culture of engagement" across different business units at Allstate. The process successfully opened mindsets to new opportunities for innovation.

Allstate

Brian Gore

Director of Strategy