Reimagining User Registration Flow at Niche
At Niche, we are on a mission to connect high school students with colleges through a unique matching process, flipping the traditional application system by having schools match to students based on predetermined criteria. The aim is to broaden students' awareness of available college options and encourage enrollment in lesser-known institutions.
Objective
Our specific goal for this project was to reimagine and redesign the user registration flow to make it more personalized for both the user type and the individual user. We wanted to address issues with user drop-off rates and enhance the value perception of the registration process, ultimately making it clear that the information in a user's profile is crucial for connecting them with suitable schools.
Challenges
We faced two primary challenges:
High Drop-off Rates: The existing registration flow was tedious and did not immediately demonstrate its value to users, leading to high drop-off rates.
Profile/Application Clarity: We needed to make the registration process feel more like creating a profile or application to convey that this information is used to connect users with schools.
See previous version below.
Solutions
To address these challenges, we experimented with several changes:
Enhanced Clarity: We added more explanatory copy and images to make the process more understandable.
Reordered Layout: We changed the order and layout of information and fields to help users understand why specific questions were asked.
Full-page Experience: To combat drop-off and improve flow continuity, we shifted from multiple modals to a full-page experience.
Role and Responsibilities
As the lead designer on this project, I collaborated with project managers and developers to ensure the new flow integrated seamlessly with the existing, complex registration process. I then partnered with the user research team to conduct ten user interviews, discussing the new flow in the context of college applications.
Design Process
For this project, creating high-quality prototypes was essential for effective user testing. I researched similar registration and onboarding flows, sketched recommendations, and iterated on designs based on feedback. Once settled on a design, I developed detailed prototypes for user testing, refining the experience based on insights gathered. This iterative process ensured the final design was user-friendly and aligned with project goals.
Research and Ideation
First Round Sketches
Wireframes
Design Variations
Final Designs
Results
User feedback was overwhelmingly positive, indicating that the new flow provided better context for the direct admissions process and clarified the purpose of the registration.
Impact
The immediate next step is to implement the copy changes to guide users more effectively. Following the finalization of the copy, we plan to conduct A/B testing to compare the new version against the current one and determine which performs better.
Key Learnings
This project underscored the importance of clear communication and user-centric design in improving complex processes. By involving users in the design process, we were able to create a more intuitive and valuable registration experience.