Onboarding Experience
Designing a captivating onboarding experience that lets the customer dictate their project journey.
Client
CustomMade
Project Type
Web App
Timeline
2019 - 2022
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overview
CustomMade identified a significant opportunity to convert more leads into active projects by reworking the lead generation flow into a more comprehensive onboarding experience.
Given CustomMade's unique position as a small business that operates exclusively online, every conversion is critical to their success. With no physical stores, they depend on digital channels to drive revenue. While the existing lead generation system attracted users who registered with the intent to create a custom project, many did not proceed beyond that point. The challenge was not only addressing drop-offs, but also leveraging insights to create a more engaging, efficient system that aligned with user needs and business goals, turning high-intent registrations into conversions.
The Opportunity
Through heat maps of user behavior and user analytics, three key opportunities with clear business implications emerged:
Enhancing the post-registration experience: Users who registered to start a project often dropped off due to a lack of immediate guidance or reassurance.
Sustaining user excitement throughout the lead generation form: Designing a custom engagement ring is inherently exciting, but also a significant commitment.
Streamlining the project workflow: The manual, consultant-led onboarding process presented an opportunity to reduce operational costs and improve turnaround times.
The GOAL
This project aimed to elevate the user experience while addressing key business priorities: increasing conversion rates, reducing operational inefficiencies, and maximizing the value of high-intent leads.
Research
CompetitIVE ANALYSIS
To inform the approach, I analyzed competitors like Brilliant Earth and Taylor & Hart as well as other makers of custom goods like Anomalie, Prose, Curology. The most engaging experiences shared common features:
Multi-step flows kept users engaged.
Visual and interactive elements created a playful, inviting feel.
Casual, supportive language sustained excitement while reducing pressure.
These insights inspired a flow that used approachable language, clear guidance, and interactive elements, avoiding the pitfalls of overwhelming technical jargon seen in competitors.
User journey INSIGHTS
Heat mapping revealed a critical issue: users often registered with intent to complete a project, but dropped off due to unclear next steps. This informed the addition of a confirmation message with detailed next steps, which reduced drop-offs and clarified the process.
USER ARCHETYPE PROFILES
Profiles based on data identified two main groups: users shopping for themselves and users shopping for partners. Sub-archetypes, such as window shoppers and overwhelmed users, informed specific design decisions, including:
Adding pathways for non-committed users to explore other offerings.
Incorporating an “I’m not sure” option at every step to reduce pressure and decision fatigue.
Strategy
Transforming the Onboarding Process
The onboarding experience was redesigned to:
Break down the jewelry consultant process into digestible steps, mirroring expertise while maintaining user excitement.
Implement a filtration system with targeted questions to redirect nonviable leads early.
Infuse the process with engaging, self-serve features that allowed users to specify preferences and contribute to the design.
Design implementation
Whiteboarding and Collaboration: Workshops with stakeholders mapped the walkthrough’s structure, aligning it with user needs and business goals.
Prototyping and Feedback: Wireframes evolved into high-fidelity designs through iterative feedback cycles.
Engineering Feasibility: Close collaboration with developers ensured the solution was scalable and adaptable to future needs.
IMPACT
The redesigned onboarding flow doubled the volume of qualified leads, directly increasing sales conversions. Shortly after launch, the company transitioned from operating at a loss to breaking even, marking a significant financial turnaround.
User feedback further highlighted the process’s success. Two years post-launch, our first round of user testing revealed:
97% of participants reported increased confidence as they progressed through the walkthrough.
Many were impressed by the depth of the self-serve options, exceeding their initial expectations.
Misunderstandings about the service offering were clarified by the end of the process, highlighting the walkthrough’s ability to educate and engage users effectively.
Overall, user feedback highlighted the process’s ability to build trust, confidence, and excitement in customers. The project not only addressed immediate business objectives but also laid a scalable foundation for sustained growth, ensuring CustomMade can continue optimizing customer acquisition and engagement.
