Overview
Umwuga is a London-based start-up conecting workers with potential employers worldwide.
The Problem
The start-up needed a redesign of the Sign up/ Sign in module. Some users found it too long, complicated and sometimes counter- intuitive.
The Goal
To design new, simple, straightforward and user- friendly Sign up/ Login module in compliance with the company's brand style.
Process
I decided to start with tests and analysis of the current design, which allowed me to highlight all sources of flaws and inconveniences flagged by users.
The second step was ideation, conceptualising of all the changes which would help to achieve the end goal.
And then I come up with an actual design.
Last step was a test of a prototype I designed.
Research
- Test with a potential Umwuga's user - observe the process and conduct a user experience survey
- Detailed analysis of the whole process, spotting any potential bugs and flaws
- Research on solutions used by different brands
- Reading articles, watching videos written/ made by UX designers who faced similar problems
Tester's profile
Kamil is a 32-year old professional living in a big European city. He loves traveling and spending time with his friends.
He would love to use the Umwuga to hire workers who could help him with jobs like plumbing, fixing a dishwasher or occasional helping with cleaning.
I asked him to create an account on the Umwuga's website and share with me his experience.
"It took way to long"
"I was promised that I would be able to create my account in three simple steps. I thought I finished the whole sign up process until I was further asked to fill in my profile section which spanned a few extra pages. Way too much effort for someone who just wants to have a glance on the website."
"The map is confusing"
"I haven't noticed a box where I could type my location. I just found my location on the map. I think it would be much easier just to type it in the right box though. Definitely not both options at the same time. "
"Cool lion!"
"I really like Umwuga's logo. Even though orange is not my favourite colour it seems to be uplifting and eye-catching"
"Alternative options!"
"In real life I would probably create my account with my LinkedIn or Facebook profile. I trust these two platforms and I have mostly good experience with creating accounts in that way"
After testing with Kamil I did research on how other brands designed their sign up/login sections.
Next step was going through some articles and video clips to understand the thoughts of other designers and UX researches about the topic.
Before I started wireframing and designing process I marked all flaws I spotted on this stage
Ideation
How might we...
- make the process effortlessl?
-design a non-destructive interface?
-make the process more intuitive
Sign up flow
Potential solutions
Wireframes
Design
Before:
After:
A
Very complicated and disturbing graphic replaced with Umwuga's logo.
B
Less is more! Long sentence replaced with shorter ons.
C
Sign in replaced with Login. SIGN-UP and SIGN-IN can be a little bit confusing for users (especially for non native English speakers).
D
It is good practice to have a password box which shows the strength of a user's password.
Before:
After:
E
Privacy policy text hidden under the information logo. It makes the design clearer.
H
In this case the map should be a lifebouy only when users need it. It should pop up only when users want it to.
G
Questions about gender are personal and private. I decided to add a "prefer not to say" option in case some users would not like to answer.
H
It fits here to remind users of the agreement and policy. I also redesigned the button. Now it is clear that by clicking "Agree and join", Umwuga's new users understand and agree with the terms and conditions.
Before:
After:
I
Small UI improvement of Umwuga's logo presentation. Now users know that in just three steps they can already create their account on Umwuga's website.
J
At this stage some users might want to have a glance on the website before competing their profiles. It is reassuring to give them that opportunity by adding "I will do it later" button.
All changes were implemented simultaneously on the web and mobile designs.
Clickable mockups
Final testing
Seven people were asked to test old and new Umwuga's designs. Testers went through two prototypes: A- the new design and B- the old one. Then they had to answer five questions:
1. Which prototype (A or B) allows you to reach the goal (create an account) faster?
All testers agreed that prototype A is a faster way leading them to the goal.
2. Which prototype (A or B) contains more visual elements (infographics, text, etc)?
All testers pointed prototype B as one that contains more visual elements
3. Which prototype (A or B) contains more colors?
All testers agreed that prototype B is more colorful.
4. Which prototype (A or B) contains more text?
All testers pointed a prototype B as the one with more text.
5. Which prototype (A or B) requires you to fill more boxes?
Six out of seven testers answer B for that question. One person pointed to A is a prototype with more boxes to fill. This result is very interesting because both prototypes require a user to fill in the exact same number of boxes.
Test results show that the new design provides a much more user-friendly experience than the old one.
Summary and learnings
The original Umwuga's sign up/login module was complex. It had all the features the start-up asked for. Everything was widely visible: company logo, big key visual and wordy descriptions of the platform's content and company statement. Every element was calling for attention- a distracting layout. There was a handful of information which a potential user might recall. But do they need to remember anything from that process? Do we need to keep selling our product to the user who already trust us enough to create an account on out platform? I don't think so. I tried to redesign the whole process to be fast, easy, smooth and... totally forgettable.
It's easy to forget that users are also final decision- makers relying on their intuition. If someone already decided to create an account on your app or website is best to make the process- easy, secure and friendly. Nothing more, nothing less. Just right.