est. 3-5 min read
Design handed off
Onboarding Flow Redesign for Social Dining App Boost Initial Engagement
Dave redesigned user onboarding flow for Dynery app, which allows users to sign-up faster and setting up their dining taste profile easier. An overall more intuitive and welcoming experience.
My Role
Product Designer
collaborators
Product Manager
Frontend & Backend Developer
tIME
Initial Design - 6 Weeks
Followed by rounds of continuous iteration
Overview
TL;DR
Dynery is Trofimo's customer-facing digital dining app for foodies to explore, dine-in, socialize, and coordinate group dining events.
I joined the team after the MVP released for several months and user feedback were were collected by the team.
New user onboarding flow being long, unintuitive causing new user dropping off in the process is a major problem identified by me via the user feedback and analytics data collected.
By turning data & feedback to insight & actionable items, I define the problem and the team agreed on a flawed onboarding flow would be catastrophic for product's user traction.
Previous onboarding flow in the MVP release was
📜
Complex and lengthy (12 mandatory screens)
🕵️♂️
Too much commitment before engage with the product
❓
Requesting device's permissions with no context given
📉
Analytics showed significant dropped off in this process
In 6 weeks, I redesigned of the new user onboarding flow with
🕊️
A simplified modularized flow brings user clarity, efficiency
🗂️
Clearer information hierarchy to reduce user cognitive load
🤝
Meet users where they are & show values before asking
🎯
Tailored flow for invited users better serve users' intent
What I did
Ideate solution based on insights
Create UX Artifacts to facilitate internal communication clarity
Iterate design from sketch, wireframes, to high-fidelity prototype
Apply Dynery Design System to new UI
Conduct user testings, collecting feedback, and iterate on them
Compose design doc, feature spec sheet to guarantee a smooth design handover to Devs
The Impact
The optimized new flow not only achieved a 100% completion rate, and over 2X operation time reduction*, but also seamlessly guided new users towards the new group dining planning tools.
*Data measured in a controlled testing environment
solution quick glance
What Does the Solution Looks Like
Insights
What Are Current Design's Problems
🧩
Insight #1
Too soon, too much
Asking for too much too soon creates friction. Users want to understand the value of the app before sharing personal details or giving device permissions.
🌀
Insight #2
Visually Clustered
Even motivated users drop off when the UI feels messy. A lack of structure made it too hard to find relevant tags—so they skipped personalization altogether.
📩
Insight #3
Tailor the Experience Based on Users' Intent
Invited users arrive with context and intent. Supporting their social tasks early in onboarding can drive faster activation and stronger emotional connection.
previous design
What Could be Done Better
Align on the issues
How Did I Approach the Problem
Problem Statement
The current onboarding process is lengthy, confusing, and failed to guide users effectively sometimes. This poor user experience led to significant drop-off and thus losing new users; the improved onboarding flow needs to be more concise, provides clearer navigation, and leading users to achieve their desired goal more effortlessly.
Design Question
How might we streamline the process to allow users to finish sign-up process and building user profile as fast & intuitive as possible; for invited users, taking them to where they should be to complete their desired tasks without friction.
design goal
What Should A Success Solution Achieve
01
Reduce Completion Time
Optimize the onboarding flow in a more effective way and allow users get to the core experience of product faster.
02
Improve Clarity in Communication
Reducing user hesitation and building trust during onboarding. Help users understand what’s happening and what’s expected next.
03
Easier to Navigate through
Simplify the layout and interaction flow so users can proceed smoothly, provide essential guidance if necessary.
04
Support Users Needs Based on Their Context & Intent
Help users act on what matters most to them in the moment, based on how and why they joined the app.
Ideation process
How Did I Came up with the Solution
Interaction Flows
Information Architecture
Sketches
Rapid Mid-fidelity Prototypes
High-fidelity Prototypes
INTERACTION FLOW
How Did We Make the Process Intuitive, Effective & Seamless?
To break free from conventional patterns for user onboarding, I utilized First Principles. Instead of asking 'How can we improve the current process?', I asked,
"What is the absolute minimum information and interaction needed for a user to understand and start using this product effectively?"
This method helped me strip away assumptions and led directly to the most intuitive solution for new users.
An example of interaction flows, please contact Dave for more detail
🎯
Focusing on the Real Goal,
Not Just Tasks
💡
Brainstorming the Solution Non-Digitally
iNFORMATION ARCHITECTURE (ia)
How Did I Inform Other Stakeholders About the Upcoming Design?
I use Information Architecture during ideation to establish a clear, logical structure for presenting information and tasks, ensuring the user's path to understanding and activation is efficient and intuitive from the solution, and also align with collaborators in the team to ensure a smoother design turnover.
An example of IA, please contact Dave for more detail
sketching & protoryping
How Did I Turn Artifacts into Screens
Interactive Mobile App Prototype
I started with hand sketches, then wireframes, mid-fidelity prototypes for devs to evaluate, and then high-fidelity prototype for design validation, and wrote design docs to hand off designs to Developers.
Early stage sketches
Solution
How Does the Improved Solution Work
01
How Might We Simplify Onboarding to Quickly Showcase Product's Value and Boost Engagement?
I initiated the solution by breaking the original 1 long, undismissible onboarding process into 3 modules:
ONB 1: Account sign-up
ONB 2: Invited users exclusive flow & quick actions
ONB 3: Building dining profile & engage
Users can immediately engage with the app's key features after their account created (ONB 1).
This approach enables users to effortlessly grasp the benefits upfront, fostering deeper engagement and allowing them to decide when they're ready to commit further to community-building activities.
Before
Complete account sign-up, basic info, app introduction, and setting up dining profile all-at-once.
Asking users to do too much causing users drop-off at this stage.
After
Users only need to do the bare-minimum to start exploring the app.
Providing guidance visuals for new users to walk through the optional steps seamlessly.
02
How Might We Make Everything Clear？
I redesigned experience ensures the sign-up process feels simple and approachable with
intuitive interactions
clear visual feedback
proper color-coding
appropriate guidance
a well-defined information hierarchy
This clarity in design helps users effortlessly navigate the interface, reducing feelings of overwhelm and creating a smoother, more engaging first interaction.
03
How Might We Make Permission Requests Comfortable for Users?
In improved onboarding flow, I acted on both the timing & presentation of the permission request messages.
By pairing friendly, jargon‑free prompts with clear explanations of the benefit each permission unlocks, we request access only when it’s contextually relevant.
This just‑in‑time, need‑based approach keeps the flow almost invisible, building trust while letting users experience the feature value before committing.
Before
A series of device permission requests pops-up at the end of on boarding process without additional context, leading a bad first impression of the product
After
Keeping permission asks contextual, benefit-oriented, and visually calm
04
How Might Invited Users Feels Personal to Sparks Instant Engagement?
I incorporated a specific onboarding experience built exclusively for invited users.
The tailor‑made flow gives invited users a sense of exclusivity and belonging while letting them complete high‑value tasks in seconds—building momentum and engagement from the moment they enter Dynery.
Before
❌ No tailored experience available for invited users
After
design validation
How Did I Make Sure the Solution is Effective
Designing a Usability Test that Helps Us Identify Room of Improvement
Before finalizing the new onboarding solution and handing to development, we conducted
Heuristic usability testing with 10 Participants
Validate both the logical and visual adjustments
The participants stated that they like:
An immediate access to the app’s main experience
Tailored quick action options for invited users
Clear progress indicators, allowing them to easily understand their goals & next steps.
The tests confirmed that the redesigned onboarding flows significantly improves user clarity and reduces friction.
Feedback collected & followup iteration
🔍
iterated solution via testing
Providing More Context Before Users Making Action
Context
One invited users scenario participant expressed her hesitation when going through the contextual quick actions (invited to a group chat).
The tested prototype didn’t allow users to view more details about the group, causing hesitation since users felt they needed additional context before joining.
Solution
I iterated the design by introducing a bottom-sheet modal providing quick access to more detailed information about the group chat, helping users make more informed and confident decisions at this step.
Before
🚫 No additional info for group invite
After
✅ A pop-up added to provide more context
✨
iterated solution via testing
Streamlining the Repetitive Steps
Context
During "Taste Profile" building , the tested flow required users to select their top 3 favorite restaurants individually.
Users need to tap "add" for each new entry, repeated screens were showed and many additional clicks were required.
Solution
In the revised design, users can continuously add multiple items in one go.
Revised design reduced at least 3 clicks this step alone and reduce the cognitive load for users by eliminating page jumps.
🌀 Jump between search & result screens
✨Continuous adding flow without interruption
Final outcome & impact
Does the Solution Work?
In Feb 2025, the improved new onboarding flows' design has been handed over to developers, and expected to be launched by summer. We are expect to iterate the design continuously over the long run.
⏱️
faster
Increased Efficiency
Significant reduced task completion time
24 Sec
100% of native sign-up test participants (not using third-party log-in) completed the basic onboarding (ONB-1) within 24 seconds and entered home page
70% Time Reduced
Over 70% time reduced compared to previous solution, which is expected leading a significant lower user drop off rate during onboarding.
50% Less Clicks
Number of clicks for users to enter the app experience (display homepage) reduced from 15-20 clicks to 4-10 clicks based on user's sign-up method.
🧭
easier
Improved New User Journey Expect to Boost More Engagement
Optimized flows are easier to follow
0 Hesitancy or Confusion
9 out of 10 test participants reports 0 issue, hesitancy, or confusion when interacting with the new onboarding process & user dining profile creation.
Efficiency ↑
3 of 10 participants offered feedback during design validation, and I made corresponding adjustment to address the user feedbacks, which further increased screen real estate efficiency & reduced cognitive load.
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