The Client
This was a design challenge for a job interview with NCINO, a financial technology company.
The Problem
I was asked to design a software-as-a-service sign up experience where users have to choose 1 of 3 subscription models.
My Role
I was the only designer working on this project. I worked on product strategy, branding and UX design.
Timeframe
2020: The project took about 12 hours to complete.
Defining the Problem
Since the prompt didn't specify a software service, I chose to use an imaginary maps service like FATMAP or AllTrails for this challenge. I chose a mapping service because its something I use often for planning trips in avalanche terrain.
I also chose some business and experience goals for the sign up process to give myself some focus.
Business goals
Increase revenue by getting as many consumers through the sales funnel/onboarding and matching them with the right level of service so that they become long-term customers.
Experience goals
A delightfully fast and easy sign up. Make sure customers are purchasing the right product for them and features are clear and easy to choose between.
Functional Requirements
I decided, based on past experiences with software-as-a-service products, that my app would need to collect:
Login credentials
Payment info
A subscription level (free, recreational hiker, or pro)
Favorite activities so onboarding can be targeted
1. To better empathize with my business stakeholders and understand the overarching business goals, I created a business model canvas using a PDF template and the notability app on the iPad.
Understanding the User
Now that I understood my business and my goals, it was time to better understand the user.
I came up with 2 main personas based on personal experience:
Athletes recreating in avalanche terrain
Avid hikers and trail runners
2. I created empathy maps to get a better sense of who my customers were and what their goals, motivations, and frustrations were.
3. Using the empathy map and business model canvas created earlier, I constructed a value proposition canvas to see how my business would create value for my customers. This would be helpful for writing compelling product descriptions.
Design Brainstorming and Research
4. I made a mood board of competitors' sign–up interfaces that I liked. I looked at competitors in mapping (FATMAP and AllTrails) and software- as-a-service (Nordstrom Trunk Club).
5. I sketched out how I wanted the sign up process to work. I made sure that the workflow covered all of the functional requirements.
6. Based off of my experience in outdoor sports, I brainstormed some brand attributes.
7. I picked a color palette and imagery based off of the brand attributes I identified.
Designing the Signup Process
Because the sign up process didn't require complex interactions, I chose to use a design library so I could deliver a familiar user experience with standardized interaction patterns.
I changed the primary and secondary colors to match my brand and adjusted the color on the text inputs because the contrast didn’t meet accessibility guidelines. This was important not only to make my designs more inclusive, but because this app was designed to be a companion for outdoor adventures where an adequate contrast ratio would be important.
8. Sign up step only asks for favorite activities so that it can recommend an appropriate plan level without adding too much friction
9. If the user tries to use a paid feature, they'll be pitched the minimum subscription plan that includes that feature.
10. Credit card sign up clearly details which plan they picked & the cost. It only asks for necessary information.
11. After sign–up the program recommends a paid feature so that user can immediately get started and feel like they're getting value from the service.
12. I also explored what the signup experience might look like on desktop and tablet browsers.
Key Takeaways
I really enjoyed working on this project because it allowed me to combine a mix of visual design, experience design, and business strategy.
I really loved being able to create a visual identity for this as well. Branding and visual identity are specialties that I have always been fascinated by, especially distinct and refreshing visual perspectives.
In the future I would love to continue working with creating visual identities, product strategies, and customer experiences.