Onboarding Overhaul | Mobile App Design and Governance
I overhauled the existing onboarding experience in a healthcare app by conducting competitive research, running qualitative and quantitative studies, implementing a new UX strategy and establishing a governance process. This streamlined the first time user onboarding experience, reducing the amount of friction between the user and their core task.
Client
Anonymized healthcare company
Methods
- Competitive research
- Rapid prototyping
- Quantitative surveys
- Prototype testing
Deliverables
- Competitive analysis
- UX design and strategy
- Decision tree
- Usage Guidelines
Opportunity Space
The original onboarding experience relied on a pop up tour with seven coachmarks, which users found cumbersome and often skipped through without reading. Meanwhile, various product partners were requesting 20+ additional coachmarks throughout the app. Without a clear strategy, onboarding risked overwhelming users instead of helping them.
Ultimately, the challenge wasn’t just deciding what to show, but how onboarding should guide users without adding friction. This became the foundation for the redesign strategy.
Guiding statement
How might we create an onboarding experience that guides users without adding friction?
Discovery and Research
To understand opportunities for improvement, I conducted a competitive analysis of healthcare and consumer apps, partnered with our UX researcher to run a qualitative survey, and created three distinct concepts to test. These activities revealed the biggest friction points and set the stage for a data-driven redesign.
Through prototype testing with our UX researcher, I stepped into the user’s perspective and uncovered important attitudes about onboarding. Users expressed a strong preference to explore and learn on their own, but also welcomed light, contextual guidance—particularly in a healthcare environment where accuracy matters. We also found that many users could accomplish key tasks without needing coachmarks at all, highlighting their desire for autonomy and their ability to succeed when the interface is intuitive.
Key Activities
Competitive analysis
Quantitative Survey
Qualitative prototype testing
Key Insights
Users want autonomy and dislike being “forced” through steps
Light, contextual guidance feels supportive in healthcare
Over-instruction risks redundancy and friction
***Please note that I cannot add visuals to this case study due to IP considerations but would be happy to share in an interview***
Design Principles and Strategy
I anchored the redesign on three guiding principles. First, guide lightly, don’t dictate—onboarding should respect users’ preference for autonomy rather than forcing them through steps. Second, support in context by offering guidance only when it’s relevant and helpful, instead of front-loading instructions. And third, respect user flow by reducing interruptions and avoiding overload, ensuring the experience feels seamless rather than obstructive.
Building on these principles, I shifted the onboarding model from a cumbersome, one-size-fits-all tour to a contextual experience that supports users as they go. To ensure sustainability, I created a governance framework that prevents an overload of coachmarks and aligns new requests with our guiding principles. This included a decision tree that can be used to approve or deny potential coachmarks. This approach allowed us to balance user needs for autonomy and trust with the business need to educate users on key features and reduce potential errors.
Outcome
Key outcomes include:
Replaced the forced seven-step tour with a contextual onboarding model that guided users only when needed
Worked with Design System team to publish usage guidelines in design system
Reduced redundant requests from stakeholders
Created a scalable, user-centered intake process
Looking ahead, the team can measure long-term impact on task success and retention while expanding contextual guidance across the app.