Case Study: Analyzing Discrepancies Between App Downloads and Account Creation to Drive User Growth
Project overview
Role: Product Designer
Team: 1 PM, 2 Engineers
Timeline: 6 month
Tools: Lucidchart, Jira, Confluence, Figma, Adobe Illustrator, After Effects
Summary
We identified friction points between app downloads and account creation, revealing barriers to user activation. My goal was to optimize onboarding to streamline conversions, boosting active users and supporting business growth.
Problem Statement & Context
The Problem
A large percentage of users downloaded the app but failed to complete account creation, limiting active user growth. Without a clear understanding of where and why users were dropping off, opportunities to optimize the onboarding experience remained untapped. The challenge was to identify these friction points and design solutions to improve conversion rates.
Why It Matters
Opinion data is collected from in-app surveys, and measured to support market research.
High churn equals wasted marketing spend, leading to a loss of revenue.
Research & Insights
User Research
Data Analysis – Mapped user journeys from download to activation, identifying drop-off points.
User Research – Conducted interviews and usability tests to uncover pain points in the onboarding process.
A/B Testing – Experimented with different UI, messaging, and signup flows to optimize conversion.
Iterative Design Improvements – Simplified the account creation process, improved clarity, and reduced friction.
Key Insights
Simplifying signup while maintaining clarity boosts user activation.
Identifying and addressing friction points early improves engagement.
A data-driven approach ensures scalable, impactful design solutions.
Ideation & Exploration
Brainstorming & Solutions
User Journey Mapping – We analyzed heatmaps, click patterns, and session recordings to visualize user behavior.
User Interviews – Conducted usability tests with first-time users to identify pain points in the signup flow.
Competitive Analysis – Studied industry best practices and high-performing onboarding flows.
Hypothesis Development – Generated potential reasons for drop-offs, such as unclear CTAs, long form fields, and trust concerns.
From our research, key friction points emerged:
Unclear Value Proposition – Users weren’t convinced they needed an account to proceed.
Overly Complex Signup Form – Required too many fields, causing abandonment.
Lack of Progress Indicators – Users felt stuck and uncertain about next steps.
Solution & Final Design
Design & Testing
Streamlined Signup Flow
Reduced the number of required fields.
Allowed users to sign up with social logins for faster access.
Improved Clarity & Guidance
Added microcopy to explain the value of account creation.
Introduced a progress indicator to show steps remaining.
Visual & Interaction Enhancements
Optimized button hierarchy and CTA placement.
Reduced cognitive load with a step-by-step approach.
Reflection & Learnings
The app refresh (iOS) was implemented on 09.03.2020. The implemented refresh consisted of the following; updated brand identity, sign-up flow, login flow, reset password flow and Apple & Facebook authorizations. Within the first week iOS sign-ups increased by +163%. The app jumped into the top 100 ranked lifestyle apps in the App Store after the first 30 days of implementation (previously ranked 167th).
What worked well
+25% more users completed account setup.
40% faster sign-up process.
15% increase in first-week retention.
What could be improved
Personalization in Onboarding – Customizing the experience based on user intent
(e.g., first-time vs. returning users) could improve engagement.Progressive Disclosure – Gradually introducing account setup instead of requiring all details upfront could further reduce drop-offs.
Deeper Behavior Analytics – Implementing session recording and event tracking for ongoing optimization.
Conclusion and next steps
This project highlighted the impact of user-centered design, improving activation, reducing churn, and enhancing onboarding through data-driven iterations.