Streamlining sign-ups to boost completion & satisfaction
My role
Product Designer
UX Researcher
Team
Bunker, Advisor
Timeline
8 weeks
Parsons School of Design
Major Studio 1
Area
Website Design
Project Overview
Problem
Summit Learning, an online tutoring platform, was struggling to bring in new clients due to a confusing and overwhelming onboarding experience. After conducting an audit and heuristic analysis, I identified three key issues: a long and tiring sign-up process, unclear tutor selection, and a payment flow that didn’t feel trustworthy.
Solution
I redesigned the experience from the ground up by turning the long form into a friendly, step-by-step quiz, creating clearer tutor profiles to help students choose with confidence, and improving the payment process to build trust and encourage users to complete their purchase.
Impact
This was my first full product design project using Figma. I learned how to build components, create a design system, and communicate ideas through prototypes at different fidelities. I also led user testing sessions and used real feedback to guide my design decisions and iterations.
The problem
Summit Learning is struggling to take on new clients because of the onboarding experience.
The online tutoring platform pairs students with tutors to help them learn and achieve their educational goals. After launching its online flow, the company had very low completion rates and received bad reviews for its confusing process. The business is struggling, and tutors want to leave because they're not seeing enough clients.
Current design
Platform Audit
Identifying key issues in the user experience through a heuristic analysis.
I conducted a comprehensive audit of their onboarding flow to identify key issues in the user experience. This assessment enabled me to identify pain points that users might face and then prioritize which problems needed immediate attention.
Heuristic analysis
Pain Point 1
Lengthy Onboarding Form
Onboarding form increases the cognitive load by asking unnecessary questions and has confusing UI.
Pain Point 2
Confusing Tutor Selection
Tutor selection is minimal and constrictive. Lacks information to help users choose.
Pain Point 3
Untrustworthy Payment
Payment process doesn't follow industry standards, creating distrust and unreliability with the user.
Ideation
What if the current onboarding process was broken down into sections?
Based on the insights from the app audit and brainstorming various solutions, I pin-pointed the current form's length and unrelated questions to be one of the biggest pain points users face.
Current design
Lengthy Form
The current onboarding is a lengthy form with a confusing UI that doesn't follow industry standards and asks unnecessary questions.
Proposed solution
Bite-Size Quiz
A quiz with smaller sections could lower cognitive load and encourage users to complete the onboarding process.
user flow
I created a user flow to outline my proposed onboarding process and define what screens need to be designed and tested.
User Onboarding
How might we better understand user needs through an engaging quiz?
Users preferred a quiz over a long form, so I focused on restructuring the onboarding into a more engaging, step-by-step quiz. I broke down the necessary questions into clear sections and tested the flow through 4 user interviews with people who’ve worked with tutors before. These conversations gave valuable insight into what motivates users to seek tutoring, helping tailor the questions to better match their needs.
Mid-fidelity prototype
Broad Audience: Most users only received tutoring in high school, driven by pressure to perform for college. Unlike college, where they focus on strengths, they need help in subjects they struggle with.
Help is Too General: Every user had a different reason for getting a tutor, but all of them had a goal in mind, whether it's boosting a grade or catching up before a big test.
Final design
Tailoring Onboarding to Support Learning Goals
Focus on High Schoolers
Narrowed down the target users to high schoolers based on insights that this was the only period of time they worked with one.
Specific Subject Search
A search bar was added so users can easily find help in the exact area they need, making the experience feel more personalized and efficient.
Personalized Goal Selection
Users can select from common student goals or search for their own, helping them feel seen and supported by a platform that adapts to their unique needs.
Tutor Selection
What factors do users take into account when choosing a tutor to work with?
Choosing the right tutor can feel like a big decision. Through user testing, I explored what really matters to students when picking a tutor. The insights helped shape how tutor profiles are presented, making it easier for users to feel confident in their choices.
Mid-fidelity prototype
Nervous to Pick the Wrong Tutor: Users were anxious about committing to a tutor and wondered if there could be a trial.
Tutor's Qualifications Are Unclear: While reviews were helpful, users really wanted to know what made a tutor qualified to teach a subject
Final design
Helping Students Choose Tutors with Confidence
Add a Trial to Ease the Pressure
I introduced a trial period to give them the freedom to try things out first and switch if it’s not the right fit.
Show Qualifications, Not Just Reviews
Adding clear credentials and subject expertise to each profile gave students more confidence in their decision.
Purchasing lessons
How might we encourage users to complete booking a lesson?
Once users have selected their tutor, the next crucial step is guiding them through payment. I designed a payment confirmation page focused on building trust and reducing friction, key factors in encouraging users to complete their purchases. I developed designs to test with users and validate whether they meet those expectations.
Mid-fidelity prototype
Pricing Is Confusing: Users were unsure about the differences between class prices and monthly options.
Unclear What Payment Is Due Today: Users were confused about what they're paying for today between the trial lesson and the learning package.
Final design
Building Trust to Encourage Purchase
Clarifying Services & Payment Timing
To clear things up, I laid out the learning packages side by side with simple bullet points to make it easier to compare what each one includes.
Remind Users of their Selections
The booking summary reinforces their decision and encourages them to follow through with the purchase.
Emphasis on Trial Lesson
Included clarifying copy close to the payment button and total to ensure users understand exactly what they’re paying for now versus later.
Next Steps
Further User Testing
All my interviewees were asked to review the onboarding experience, setting the expectation that they would have to complete it. However, if this site were to launch, I'd be curious to see how users would interact with the product outside of a closed environment like an interview. I wonder where they might drop off, their reason for doing so, and how the design could be improved based on these findings.
