The Challenge

Our design team was presented with an opportunity. Our developers informed us that sign up needed a complete rewrite and that they could copy the exact sign up that was currently live or they could implement something new. We had been discussing a complete overhaul of sign up and onboarding so we seized the opportunity to test improvements to the sign-up experience.

We identified key issues:

• Fragmented UX between desktop and mobile
• Excessive form fields led to drop-off
• Outdated UI that misaligned with our brand
• Split codebases which complicated maintenance and consistency

While we couldn't yet deliver the full vision of a seamless, stepped, sign-up integrated with onboarding, this interim redesign allowed us to validate improvements and collect valuable data.

The Goal

Design an improved sign-up flow that increases completion rates and reduces user frustration—without disrupting backend architecture.

We aimed to:

• Increase sign-up completions
• Unify the experience across platforms
• Test usability patterns to inform the future onboarding experience

Research

With limited quantitative data, we turned to qualitative methods:

• Heuristic analysis revealed major usability gaps in form design and error handling
• Competitive analysis surfaced best practices from modern sign-up flows
• Internal interviews with Sales and Support highlighted real-world friction points

Key Findings:

• The form lacked auto-complete, helpful hints, and smart validation
• Error messages were vague and unhelpful
• Username selection lacked suggestions or availability feedback
• Some fields had no clear initial use or business value

These insights guided our decision to streamline the experience with targeted, high-impact updates.

Solution

Form Field Optimization

• Reduced required fields - From 8 down to 6 to shorten the form
• Deferred non-essential inputs - Moved to onboarding instead of sign-up
• Added real-time validation - Username availability checks and smart suggestions as users type
• Introduced auto-complete - For location fields to reduce typing

Cross-Platform Consistency

• Unified responsive design - Maintained visual and functional consistency across all devices
• Consolidated codebases - Merged separate desktop and mobile implementations into one
• Standardized validation - Consistent rules and error messaging across the form
• Optimized auto-complete - Tuned behavior for both desktop and mobile contexts

Design System Implementation

• Applied design system components - Used throughout the form for a consistent look and feel
• Reused established patterns - For input fields, validation states, button styles, and typography
• Enhanced accessibility - Focus states, error handling, and ARIA support
• Added field-level feedback - Real-time hints and validation messaging as users type

Implementation

We collaborated closely with the engineering team to embed design improvements into their ongoing rewrite. Steps included:

• Design Collaboration - Worked in lockstep with engineers to identify integration points
• Prototyping & Testing - Created lightweight prototypes and conducted usability testing with internal stakeholders
• Developer Handoff - Delivered detailed specs for new form behaviors and edge cases
• Incremental Integration - Implemented features in sync with backend updates
• QA Focus - Prioritized testing for validation, auto-complete, and responsiveness

Results

The redesigned sign-up flow immediately improved usability. Users found it faster and more intuitive, while support teams reported fewer registration issues and less confusion.

A unified sign-up experience and streamlined form reduced friction across platforms. Internally, teams gained confidence in the flow, validating key improvements ahead of the full onboarding revamp.

Lessons Learned

This interim sign-up redesign reinforced several key principles:

• Small improvements matter - Focused, meaningful updates to error handling, auto-complete, and username suggestions can significantly enhance user experience
• Consistency builds trust - Cross-platform alignment created a smoother, more predictable experience
• Design systems accelerate delivery - Pre-built components enabled rapid prototyping and development
• Developer collaboration is essential - Aligning our design changes with planned code rewrites created efficiency and adoption

Next Steps

With the interim solution in place, we started preparing an integrated sign-up and onboarding process:

• Use insights from this project to inform the future seamless sign-up experience
• Preparing design system components specifically for multi-step processes

Additional Screens