Rebuilding business onboarding to drive platform adoption
Rebuilding business onboarding to drive platform adoption
Redesigned the complete onboarding experience to unify fragmented accounts, collect essential busiess data and create accessible flows the enable susseful business adoption and platform growth
Redesigned the complete onboarding experience to unify fragmented accounts, collect essential busiess data and create accessible flows the enable susseful business adoption and platform growth
B2B
Complete Rebuilt
MVP
Complete Rebuilt
MVP
B2B
Complete Rebuilt
MVP
B2B
Rebuilding business onboarding to drive platform adoption
Redesigned the complete onboarding experience to unify fragmented accounts, collect essential busiess data and create accessible flows the enable susseful business adoption and platform growth
B2B
Complete Rebuilt
MVP
Complete Rebuilt
MVP
B2B
Complete Rebuilt
MVP
B2B
Role
Role
Product Designer
Product Designer
Year
2024-25
2024-25
Team
CEO
Product Designer
My Impact
Accessibility Compliance
Information Architecture
Team
CEO
UX Designers
1 FE and 1 BE Engineer
My Impact
End- End Design
Future Vision Development
Handling edge cases
Overview
Overview
Fragmented accounts and incomplete onboarding were preventing businesses from adopting and returning to the platform.
Fragmented accounts and incomplete onboarding were preventing businesses from adopting and returning to the platform.
Nombolo connects businesses and customers, but onboarding wasn't working. Technical limitations in the legacy app forced business owners to manage separate personal and business accounts, failed to collect critical business information and created accessibility barriers, this was preventing platform growth.
Nombolo connects businesses and customers, but onboarding wasn't working. Technical limitations in the legacy app forced business owners to manage separate personal and business accounts, failed to collect critical business information and created accessibility barriers, this was preventing platform growth.
Problem
Problem
Onboarding and authentication were optimized for account creation, not for reliability, trust, or business success.
Onboarding and authentication were optimized for account creation, not for reliability, trust, or business success.
Fragmented Identity
Broken Core Flows
Missing Critical Data
Business owners managed separate personal and business accounts, fragmenting their identity and discouraging engagement.
Business owners managed separate personal and business accounts, fragmenting their identity and discouraging engagement.
Fragmented Identity
Password recovery failed, verification was inconsistent, and error states were unclear or missing.
Password recovery failed, verification was inconsistent, and error states were unclear or missing.
Broken Core Flows
The system failed to collect essential business information for platform visibility, while accessibility gaps and rigid flows made completion difficult.
The system failed to collect essential business information for platform visibility, while accessibility gaps and rigid flows made completion difficult.
Missing Critical Data
Outcome
Outcome
Unified Account Infrastructure: Supporting Dual Identities Without Fragmentation
Unified Account Infrastructure: Supporting Dual Identities Without Fragmentation
Unified Identity
Reliable Authentication
Scalable Foundation
Unified personal and business accounts into single identity system.
Unified personal and business accounts into single identity system.
Unified Identity
Rebuilt core authentication flows with reliable recovery and verification.
Rebuilt core authentication flows with reliable recovery and verification.
Reliable Authentication
Established foundation for scalable business growth and platform trust.
Established foundation for scalable business growth and platform trust.
Scalable Foundation
RESEARCH
RESEARCH
Designing with Assumptions, Not Analytics
Designing with Assumptions, Not Analytics
Given our fast-paced startup environment and limited access to traditional user research, I worked with the engineering team to analyze existing patterns and identify critical issues blocking business adoption.
Given our fast-paced startup environment and limited access to traditional user research, I worked with the engineering team to analyze existing patterns and identify critical issues blocking business adoption.
Competitive Review
Competitive Review
Competitive Review
Reviewed platforms like Airbnb, Yelp and Nextdoor to understand how other local business platforms handled account creation, verification, and business profile setup.
Reviewed platforms like Airbnb, Yelp and Nextdoor to understand how other local business platforms handled account creation, verification, and business profile setup.
Solution
Solution
Single Identity Supporting Both Personal And Business Roles
Single Identity Supporting Both Personal And Business Roles
The redesigned authentication system establishes both personal and business identities from one account. Business owners authenticate once and can instantly switch between browsing as a consumer and managing their business, eliminating the friction of maintaining separate logins.
The redesigned authentication system establishes both personal and business identities from one account. Business owners authenticate once and can instantly switch between browsing as a consumer and managing their business, eliminating the friction of maintaining separate logins.
Login/sign up flow
Login/sign up flow
The new login system uses phone number rather than email and also introduced 2 factor authentication to prevent account duplication, which has been a major problem in the legacy application.
The new login system uses phone number rather than email and also introduced 2 factor authentication to prevent account duplication, which has been a major problem in the legacy application.
Trade-off: Technical Constraint
Trade-off: Technical Constraint
The AWS authentication service required password creation before sending verification codes. While this added friction compared to fully password less auth, it enabled the critical phone verification we needed for business and user trust.
The AWS authentication service required password creation before sending verification codes. While this added friction compared to fully password less auth, it enabled the critical phone verification we needed for business and user trust.
Error States & Helpful Guidance
Error States & Helpful Guidance
Designed clear error states and contextual hint text throughout signup to guide users through common mistakes like missing required fields or invalid input, without disrupting their progress.
Designed clear error states and contextual hint text throughout signup to guide users through common mistakes like missing required fields or invalid input, without disrupting their progress.
BUSINESS ACCOUNT DISCOVERY
BUSINESS ACCOUNT DISCOVERY
Guiding Users Without Extensive Onboarding Resources
Guiding Users Without Extensive Onboarding Resources
With the unified system, everyone creates a personal account first. This solved the fragmented account problem but created a new challenge.
With the unified system, everyone creates a personal account first. This solved the fragmented account problem but created a new challenge.
Challenge- " How do business users discover they can add business functionality? "
Challenge- " How do business users discover they can add business functionality? "
Challenge- " How do business users discover they can add business functionality? "
With beta-stage constraints and no resources for product tours, we needed a lightweight solution
With beta-stage constraints and no resources for product tours, we needed a lightweight solution
Solution
Solution
I designed a contextual popup that appears after brief customer side exploration, asking users if they want to create a business account.
I designed a contextual popup that appears after brief customer side exploration, asking users if they want to create a business account.
Create business account - Direct to business setup
Create business account - Direct to business setup
Explore more first - Informed about Settings option
Explore more first - Informed about Settings option
Not a business - Clean dismissal, no further prompts
Not a business - Clean dismissal, no further prompts
Design Rationale
Design Rationale
This disruptive yet respectful approach ensures business users discover the feature without requiring resource intensive tours or overwhelming regular customers. The timing (after brief exploration) gives users context before asking them to make a decision.
This disruptive yet respectful approach ensures business users discover the feature without requiring resource intensive tours or overwhelming regular customers. The timing (after brief exploration) gives users context before asking them to make a decision.
Business Onboarding and Profile Creation
Business Onboarding and Profile Creation
To reduce friction, I broke the profile form into digestible steps. I grouped relevant information together and marked them. I also added tooltips and visual cues to make the experience more guided and less overwhelming.
To reduce friction, I broke the profile form into digestible steps. I grouped relevant information together and marked them. I also added tooltips and visual cues to make the experience more guided and less overwhelming.
Preventing Account Duplication
Preventing Account Duplication
To prevent duplicate accounts, we introduced a two-factor verification using business email. I designed clear error and confirmation states to guide users and ensure a smooth, secure experience.
To prevent duplicate accounts, we introduced a two-factor verification using business email. I designed clear error and confirmation states to guide users and ensure a smooth, secure experience.
Contextual guidance with tool tips
I incorporated strategically placed tooltips and helper text that appear at the moment of need, keeping users focused without disrupting their flow.
Contextual guidance with tool tips
I incorporated strategically placed tooltips and helper text that appear at the moment of need, keeping users focused without disrupting their flow.
Flexible Operating Hours
Introduced a flexible scheduling system allowing multiple time slots per day. Designed logic to prevent edge case errors like overlapping slots, missing close times, and invalid time ranges.
Flexible Operating Hours
Introduced a flexible scheduling system allowing multiple time slots per day. Designed logic to prevent edge case errors like overlapping slots, missing close times, and invalid time ranges.
Overlapping time slots
Prevents businesses from creating conflicting hours on the same day. Clear inline error guides users to fix the issue without losing their work.
Invalid time range
Ensures close time is always after open time, preventing illogical schedules. Clear validation for users to catch & fix the error immediately.
Missing close time
Requires both open & close times to be set, preventing incomplete schedules. Users are prompted to complete the time before saving.
Overlapping time slots
Prevents businesses from creating conflicting hours on the same day. Clear inline error guides users to fix the issue without losing their work.
Invalid time range
Ensures close time is always after open time, preventing illogical schedules. Clear validation for users to catch & fix the error immediately.
Missing close time
Requires both open & close times to be set, preventing incomplete schedules. Users are prompted to complete the time before saving.
Some of the additional edge cases handled: duplicate slots, toggle states, incomplete ranges, and more.
Some of the additional edge cases handled: duplicate slots, toggle states, incomplete ranges, and more.
Post-Onboarding Feature Tour
After completing onboarding, business users land on the dashboard where they’re guided through key features via contextual tooltips. This lightweight tour helps them understand what's available without feeling overwhelmed reinforcing feature discovery at the right time.
Two Distinct views of Business profile
Two Distinct views of Business profile
Once onboarding is complete, the business profile displays all setup information through two distinct views, Business and customer view.
Once onboarding is complete, the business profile displays all setup information through two distinct views, Business and customer view.
Business View
Business View
Business owners can edit and manage their profile through a dedicated dashboard view, with seamless switching between personal and business modes
Business owners can edit and manage their profile through a dedicated dashboard view, with seamless switching between personal and business modes
Edit business hours (using flexible scheduling system)
Update location and contact information
Manage business details and settings
Seamless toggle between personal/business views
Edit business hours (using flexible scheduling system)
Update location and contact information
Manage business details and settings
Seamless toggle between personal/business views
Customer Business Profile
Customer Business Profile
All information collected during onboarding now visible to the community .
All information collected during onboarding now visible to the community .
Color-Coded Profile Integration: Visual Differentiation Through Color Psychology
Color-Coded Profile Integration: Visual Differentiation Through Color Psychology
I used color coding to differentiate personal and business profiles throughout the platform, creating immediate visual context that reduces cognitive load and prevents user error.
I used color coding to differentiate personal and business profiles throughout the platform, creating immediate visual context that reduces cognitive load and prevents user error.
This consistent visual distinction is applied across buttons, icons helps users immediately recognize which mode they're in without reading labels, reducing cognitive load and preventing accidental actions in the wrong account.
This consistent visual distinction is applied across buttons, icons helps users immediately recognize which mode they're in without reading labels, reducing cognitive load and preventing accidental actions in the wrong account.
Multiple entry points
Customers can easily add business functionality directly from any business profile they're viewing, reducing friction for potential business sign ups.
Outcome
Post-Onboarding Feature Tour
10+ businesses expressed interest and completed onboarding.
Established foundation for scalable business growth.
Early users responded positively to the improved experience.
Early feedback from internal teams was positive.
10+ businesses expressed interest and completed onboarding.
Established foundation for scalable business growth.
Early users responded positively to the improved experience.
Early feedback from internal teams was positive.
" I liked being able to see how customers interact before signing up. It gave me a good feel for the platform, and it seems like a great way to manage my business and talk with customers "
" I liked being able to see how customers interact before signing up. It gave me a good feel for the platform, and it seems like a great way to manage my business and talk with customers "
" I liked being able to see how customers interact before signing up. It gave me a good feel for the platform, and it seems like a great way to manage my business and talk with customers "
Feedback from one of the potential businesses
Feedback from one of the potential businesses
" I liked that customers could comment and react.
It helps build that sense of community, which matters for small businesses, setting up hardly took anytime "
" I liked that customers could comment and react.
It helps build that sense of community, which matters for small businesses, setting up hardly took anytime "
" I liked that customers could comment and react.
It helps build that sense of community, which matters for small businesses, setting up hardly took anytime "
Feedback from one of the potential businesses
Feedback from one of the potential businesses
Challenges
Working in a fast-paced startup with no analytics, changing priorities, and tight timelines required strategic collaboration. I navigated these constraints by
Building the design system while designing features in parallel
Designing comprehensive validation upfront (no QA team available)
Making decisions through close engineering collaboration.
Challenges
Working in a fast-paced startup with no analytics, changing priorities, and tight timelines required strategic collaboration. I navigated these constraints by
Building the design system while designing features in parallel
Designing comprehensive validation upfront (no QA team available)
Making decisions through close engineering collaboration.