With the rise of remote healthcare, creating accessible digital solutions for physiotherapy has become essential, and seamless registration experience is key to engaging users from the very start.
As part of a student project at the UX Design Upskill program at Hyper Island, we were tasked with designing a single user flow within a mobile app that facilitates digital physiotherapy.
I decided to work with the onboarding experience at first but, due to time constraints, I had to focus primarily on the registration process. My next step would be to incorporate more onboarding in the process of onboarding.
The registration flow was crafted with focus to help patients get started quickly and effortlessly, ensuring secure access to remote care and exercise programs.
By simplifying account setup and verification, the design supports a welcoming and efficient first step in the user journey, allowing patients to easily connect with their physiotherapists and begin their path to recovery.
The first step in this project was to really understand the user and their journey. After reviewing the brief and persona, I chose to focus on the app’s registration and onboarding feature. In this project I followed the Design Thinking process, as it provided me with structure, maintained user focus, and allowed room for iteration.
Building on information provided by the stakeholder, we were introduced to two personas with distinct goals and challenges, and a scenario for each of them to guide our focus. Using this foundation, I chose one of the personas (as part of the course assignment) and created a User Journey Map to visualize the user’s experience, find possible pain points, and identify areas of opportunity.
Creating the User Journey Map provided me with insights into the user’s emotions, actions, and needs. By examining specific touch points and potential problem areas, I identified new opportunities to improve the user's experience and address potential gaps. The User Journey Map gave me a clear idea for what to prioritize in the design, ensuring that the design solution would resonate with users as well as support business goals.
Building on the insights from the User Journey Map, I created a User Flow Chart specifically for the onboarding/registration process. This chart mapped out each step a user would take to create an account, ensuring the process was intuitive and minimized friction.
The User Flow Chart allowed me to break down each steps into a streamlined flow, making it easy to identify and address potential barriers that might disrupt registration. By visualizing this critical entry point, I laid the groundwork for a smooth user experience from the very first interaction, ensuring users could begin with confidence and ease.
To anchor the Define stage, I developed a few problem statements based on insights from the User Journey Map and User Flow Chart. These statements captures the core challenges that users may face during the onboarding/registration process, allowing me to focus on addressing specific pain points that impact their initial experience.
In this design phase, I explored various approaches to onboarding through brainstorming sessions and examples on Mobbin.com. Initially, I aimed to integrate both registration and user guidance, but time constraints led me to focus on registration alone.
Using FigJam, I brainstormed independently, with some instructor input, to examine how apps handle onboarding, ranging from basic registration to full user tutorials.
Initially, I aimed to incorporate both registration and introductory guidance within the onboarding phase. However, due to time constraints, I ultimately narrowed my focus to the registration process alone, reserving functional onboarding steps for later.
Reflecting on this choice, I recognize that integrating both stages might have offered a more comprehensive user experience upfront, but would have also added more time to the project. Nonetheless, this exploration emphasized the importance of clear onboarding as a key component of user experience design.
To fulfill the project requirements, I created a high-fidelity mockup and a concise design system that aligned with the client’s vision. Working from client-provided design mockups, I built a cohesive system of colors and styles that maintained brand consistency.
In crafting the design system, I focused on harmonizing elements such as typography, button styles, and spacing, ensuring they reflected the client’s intended look and feel.
Additionally, I incorporated feedback on usability and accessibility, aiming to create a design that was not only visually cohesive but also functional and user-friendly. This approach allowed me to balance creative interpretation with the client’s brand requirements, building a robust foundation for the mockup.
The prototype underwent testing by peers, my instructor, and myself, resulting in several valuable iterations. Although I reached a satisfactory version for submission, and as mentioned before, I found that time constraints limited further development, leaving room for potential improvements.
Through feedback from peers and my instructor, I identified areas for refinement, allowing for iterative adjustments to the design and functionality. However, with additional time, I would have extended testing to a broader audience, potentially including users from the target demographic for more diverse insights.
This could have also included A/B testing for specific features or additional usability testing sessions to refine the user flow and interface details. A continued focus on user-centered adjustments would have strengthened the final outcome, aligning it more closely with user needs and enhancing the overall user experience.
To build on the current foundation and enhance the onboarding experience, several steps could be undertaken to further develop and test the prototype. These steps would address remaining gaps and deepen the insights gained from user feedback, ultimately improving the registration and onboarding journey for users.
Reflecting on the project, the "As-Is" User Journey Map I created was a bit difficult, especially with so little user research and user data available in the assignment, but it was vital in understanding the user’s experience before introducing the app.
For the onboarding process, there is an opportunity to expand onboarding to include guided introductions to essential features like app personalization, booking physiotherapy appointments, and using other core tools.
I also learnt that onboarding could be so much more than just the registration and information about the app and service, but also that there is a fine line for where to place the onboarding - before or after registration.
Other learnings is that I have a lot of ideas, but that ideas are time consuming, and also that I really focus on details, and therefore the Design System took a lot of time to create. But as this is a learning, I now know how to better plan my projects in the future, being better at prioritizing tasks.
"Your essay achieves a 'Pass with distinction' for its thorough understanding of design thinking principles and insightful reflection on their application in UX design. Your experience and learning showcase the importance of a structured process, collaboration, and iterative thinking in solving complex design problems."
Design Director @ EY Doberman and Industry Leader at Hyper Island, UX Design Upskill program
