The following case study was adapted from a real product. Visuals and pricing are modified, but the original issue remains the same: the sign-up process had more steps than it needed.
The goal was to shorten the path, support the task, and remove screens that were not necessary.
Role
UX Lead on Sign-Up Flow Redesign
Product Type
B2B SaaS Platform
Scope
Redesigned multi-step sign-up process to reduce friction and improve completion
Outcome
Reduced flow from 11 → 6 screens; average completion time from 2:05 → 1:30
01 - The Problem
Based on mapped walkthroughs, user feedback, and timed user sessions, 4 friction points appeared.
Issue
Operational Consequence
The sign-up flow was not clearly separated for free vs professional users.
Increased cognitive load during onboarding.
App purchase and app management were tightly coupled with sign-up.
Higher risk of drop-off due to steps in the process that can be put off for later
Users had to configure account tiers and runs before understanding what they were buying.
Users paid without confidence in what they had signed up for
After payments, there was no clear path to access newly subscribed apps.
Users were unsure of next steps after purchase
02 - Before/After
Before - 11 steps
After - 6 steps
Plan Ambiguity
Problem: Users don’t clearly choose a plan before entering the flow.
Premature Configuration & Branching
Configuration and management screens appear before user understands entitlement.
Post-Purchase Loops & No Closure
Payment and entitlement lack a clear completion state.
Stage 1 - Choose Plan
Choose a plan before creating an account
Stage 2 - Create Account
Stage 3 - Confirmation & Next Steps
03 - Decision points
Before
Entry
Sign up
(Implicit free default)
Where do i go?
Manage app quotas
Upgrade?
Enter company name
Payment
See plan features
How do I access my app?
After
Entry
Choose plan
Create account
Payment (if needed)
Confirmation & next step
04 - My Key Decisions and Tradeoffs
Decision
Alternatives I considered
Why I chose this
Tradeoffs
Introduce explicit plan selection before users enter account details.
Keep default free sign-up and allow upgrade later.
Users need pricing clarity before committing time and information.
Adds a visible pricing decision early in the flow.
Remove subscription configuration and quota adjustment from the onboarding path.
Allow users to configure runs during sign-up.
Configuration before context increased cognitive load and confusion.
Advanced customization deferred until after onboarding.
Unify free and professional sign-up into a single adaptive flow.
Maintain separate branching flow for professional users.
Gives users clarity on what plan to sign up for.
Increased complexity in form logic.
Introduce a final end process screen with clear next actions.
Auto-redirect to app selection or dashboard.
Users lacked closure and did not know what to do next.
Adds one screen but reduces ambiguity.
05 - Metrics
Based on timed walkthroughs of the proposed prototype.
Screens reduced by 45%
From 11 to 6 screens
~28% faster sign up times
From 2m 5s to 1m 30s
06 - What I'd Test in Production
Plan selection clarity
Measure % of users who switch plans mid-flow or abandon after viewing pricing.
Conversion by tier
Compare free vs professional conversion rates before and after restructuring.
Post-purchase activation
Track % of users who launch an app within first session.
07 - Reflections
Mapping the full 11-step journey showed how small, reasonable steps can create confusion when combined.
Moving plan selection earlier and separating configuration from sign-up simplified the flow without removing essential steps.
The redesign wasn’t implemented due to roadmap priorities, but the process changed how I evaluate onboarding — I now focus first on decision timing and branching.
Ron Ang | 2025 | Crafted with
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