We increased completion of onboarding by almost 50% by reducing friction, encouraging user momentum, and connecting Dropbox Business users to value on their first day. Resulting in a $6.88M increase in annual recurring revenue.
4 designers, 4 PMs, 11 Engineers, 2 Analysts, 2 QA Engineers, 1 User Researcher, 1 UX Writer, 1 Product Marketing Manager, 1 Internationalization Specialist
Lead Product Designer
Sept 2019 - April 2020
Research showed that users felt like they were doing actions that benefited Dropbox more than themselves, or like they were being held hostage. We set out to increase user momentum and activity in the product.
I worked with my Revenue Analytics partner to gather a quantitative picture of the entire flow. We learned that the total onboarding flow amounted to almost 36 steps, which blocked most users from ever getting to value. This resulted in very few people converting at the end of their trial.
The previous onboarding flow
We streamlined UI from one flow to another to reduce cognitive load. We built in user tracking to cut down redundant education. We removed dead-ends, helping users get into the product. We created pathways for core repeatable actions that helped users get work done.
I kicked off the project by proposing and orchestrating a series of workshops that lead the team to highlight key problem area: The varying UI from one flow to another adds cognitive load. Little tracking is embedded, so users often receive redundant education. Some steps direct users to dead-ends, introducing friction and slowing momentum. These workshops informed the goals of the overall project.
Diagram created for strategy kickoff
We came out of the workshop with a set of actionable goals:
By working with a UX Writer, we made sure copy was succinct and user value props were highlighted, with clear actions to progress the user forward.
I created a motion language for the transitions from one step to the next to celebrate the completion of each step in a delightful way. User testing proved that this made the process easier because it matched user’s mental model for progress.
I designed a visual system throughout the setup process that responds to user data and actions to build a stronger connection with the user as they set up their account. This personal touch resonated with users because it helped build trust and understanding. In addition to adding delight, this allowed the business to have translatable text increasing scalability, accessibility, and accuracy in all languages.
We enabled users to take immediate core actions, such as adding content and setting team permissions, by dropping users directly into the product with actionable empty states. We removed over a dozen steps between setup completion and using the app freely, rather than forcing them to take actions in a predetermined order.
We surfaced valuable actions that were previously buried in hard to find places. This encouraged healthy repeatable behaviors and drastically reduced the number of CX tickets around onboarding.
We added supporting education to the first time experience of inviting. We saw in testing that this approach built the necessary confidence around who will have access to content once users invite team members.
We created a persistent affordance that appears after a user adds content, allowing them to open their files in desktop. I worked with my UX Writer to create an experience for users to better understand the value of the desktop app.
To set users up for success, we took the opinionated approach of moving the download moment to the beginning of the setup flow increasing desktop downloads and usage by 47%. I worked with my PM and two engineers to adjust this flow to avoid ping-ponging users between platforms during the setup flow.
Data showed that 75%+ of people setting up a new account had previous experience with Dropbox. I designed a flow that automated the pairing of multiple accounts at the same time. This resulted in 50% more users pairing their business and personal accounts — making it easier to toggle between accounts on all Dropbox apps.
team setup completion
annual recurring revenue
desktop usage
multi-account pairing
We ran a final round of user testing with the new Business onboarding experience. Users unanimously called out how thrilled they were to be done with setup and into the product so quickly. They showed an immediate understanding of where to start; adding content and inviting team members — calling out how uncluttered the interface is, with no “pop-up or ads”.
Our team came out of this experience with a new strategy for activating users by focusing their value and building their momentum. We now have a cohesive experience that establishes a new baseline to experiment on, that continues to bring users value.
