Reimagining Nuubi’s onboarding process and implementing gamification strategies to promote user engagement.
Tools:
Figma, After Effects
Duration:
03/2024-06/2024
Role:
UI/UX Intern
Introduction
I joined Nuubi in the spring of 2024 as a product design intern. Nuubi is a peer-to-peer (P2P) learning app that features live chats and discussion boards where users can engage in shared learning. Throughout the three months I spent at Nuubi, I reconstructed the onboarding process and implemented gamification features to boost user engagement and retention while working closely with the dev team and the CEO to ship Nuubi’s first product for beta testing.
The problem space we are addressing centers around decreasing the user turnover rate of using the Nuubi app. Many new users struggle to engage with the platform, leading to a lack of commitment and early drop-offs.
Problem
While colleges have expressed interest in adopting Nuubi, there exists a pressing need for a new and innovative approach to motivate students to use and stay with Nuubi.
The solution
We recognize the need for a minimal yet effective onboarding plan to reduce user turnover rate while still allowing individualized user experience and gamification to boost user retention through early-on commitment.
Personalization from the very beginning
By tailoring the experience to individual preferences, such as learning goals or expertise level, users are guided toward the most relevant content and communities, making the platform feel more personalized and valuable.
Breaking down the features
Onboarding tooltips guide users through Nuubi’s key features while breaking them into bite-size pieces that minimize the possibility of informational overload.
Prolong user engagement through healthy competition
Nuubi’s dynamic environment motivates continued learning and interaction while creating a sense of achievement and community.
Heuristic Analysis to Start
Before touching anything related to design, I first conducted a heuristic analysis to better understand the current onboarding process.
I then came to the assumption of: the current onboarding process lacked guidance!
This process allowed me to better position myself for the upcoming interviews with 20 target users.
Usability Tests to Better Understand User Frustration and Areas for Improvement
My team and I interviewed 20 target users to identify usability issues hindering a smooth onboarding experience. We focused on understanding their challenges with the sign-up process and their overall experience with the current interface.
Some reoccurring comments from the interviewees were…
From the interviews, I concluded…
The current onboarding process fails to provide users with clear information about what the app does, causing confusion and frustration. This lack of clarity leads to high user turnover, as many users struggle to see the value and don’t feel motivated to engage with the app.
From the competitive audit, I concluded…
Nuubi uniquely fosters a motivating, community-driven learning environment that is different from its competitors.
The app itself is already feature-rich, we need to introduce Nuubi’s capabilities without increasing users’ mental load.
Unfortunately, the full deck is under NDA:(
In other words…
How might we clearly introduce Nuubi’s unique features and value in an engaging way that motivates users and minimizes confusion?
Before diving into the ideation process, me and my product manager laid out the design requirements to guide us through the process to ensure that the features that we are coming up with align with our design goals.
Keeping the design requirements in mind, my team and I focused on exploration and thinking out of the box by utilizing the SCAMPER ideation method to create an effective onboarding system. Each option was then evaluated against the design principles.
When first opening the app, the user is greeted with a series of slide shows that highlights the key features of Nuubi, giving the user a clear overview of what to expect.
After signing up, users can personalize their experience by providing key information, such as their educational and extra credit goals. This input helps tailor their recommended badges and boost engagement by providing more individualized goals.
Next, the user is guided through a brief tooltip walkthrough that explains how Nuubi works. I focused on providing only the essential information, such as breaking down the gamification system into bite-size pieces. I kept it concise to ensure the user isn’t overwhelmed!
Nuubi’s Onboarding Process Explained!
After the ideation phase, I focused on iterating the onboarding process to include personalized steps after the initial sign-up, along with tooltips that guide users through key features and provide a breakdown of Nuubi's gamification system.
Me and my teammates conducted a total of 10 usability testings via Zoom. The usability testing goal was to identify any usability issues preventing users from onboarding smoothly through the application and understanding areas of opportunity for future development!
The following are some of the changes I made to ensure a more seamless and enjoyable onboarding process.
For a more grounded experience…
I added a progress counter during tooltip onboarding to make the users feel more in control of their experience. It provides a clear sense of how much they've completed and how much is left, reducing frustration and uncertainty.
Providing flexibility and room for changes…
Allowing users to change their answers later provides them with flexibility and control, enabling them to adjust preferences or correct initial mistakes.
For the explorers…
We understand that some users may prefer to explore Nuubi's features on their own. To accommodate this, I added the option to skip the tooltip section and made sure users know where to find them if they eventually need more guidance.
After completing the usability testing, I finalized the screens and handed them off to the development team.
My job did not end here!!
Kat, the founder of Nuubi, has always envisioned incorporating gamification to boost user engagement. Recognizing the need for additional strategies to maintain long-term engagement, I had the opportunity to not only contribute to the onboarding process but also take a key role in refining Nuubi's gamification system!
So… how does the gamification system work?
I was responsible for designing the UI of the daily and weekly task pages. As users engage with these tasks and demonstrate consistent participation, they will unlock corresponding badges, adding an extra layer of recognition to their profile.
I started by mapping out the general flow to guide my design process.
I then started sketching some wireframes to lay down the ground work.
After several iterations, I’ve finalized the design and layout for the Daily Tasks and Weekly Tasks pages. These screens are now mapped out to provide a clear, intuitive experience, making it easy for users to track their progress and engage with their tasks effectively.
Key learnings
This internship has been one of the most impactful experiences I’ve had throughout my design journey. At a startup, nearly everything you create is a huge value-add as you’re often building from nothing. I had the opportunity to wear multiple hats—working as a researcher, designer, and conducting user testing throughout my time there. Additionally, I explored the business side of product development, particularly as Nuubi aims to monetize through gamification. It’s been a dynamic and enriching experience that has broadened my skill set and perspective!
What I would do differently
I really enjoyed working on both the onboarding and gamification teams—it was a fun and rewarding experience. However, I do wish I had the opportunity to conduct usability testing on the task screens I designed for the gamification team. I think testing those designs would have provided valuable insights and helped refine the user experience even further.
Next project: Procter & Gamble↗︎