Simplifying Trust Bank's Onboarding

Simplifying Trust Bank's Onboarding

Reducing drop-offs and making the process flexible for new users

Reducing drop-offs and making the process flexible for new users

ROLE

ROLE

UX Designer

PLATFORM

PLATFORM

iOS/Android

INDUSTRY

INDUSTRY

Finance

DURATION

DURATION

10 weeks

CONTEXT

PROBLEM

SOLUTION

PROCESS

PROTOTYPE

TESTING

Context

Context

When a new user opens Trust Bank’s app, they are required to complete over 15+ long setup tasks like verifying contact details, setting up direct deposits, enrolling in Bill Pay, customizing their dashboard, and activating financial tools like Zelle and credit score tracking.

The Problem

The Problem

This lengthy and complex onboarding process creates friction early in the customer journey and was directly impacting customer retention and conversion. From a business standpoint, each drop-off represented a lost opportunity for the bank to establish long-term relationships, generate revenu and promote additional financial products.

"this is so boring"

"this is so boring"

"this is so boring"

"Why so many tasks?"

"Why so many tasks?"

"Why so many tasks?"

"Why can’t I just deal with this later?"

"Why can’t I just deal with this later?"

"I wish I could choose when to do the less urgent stuff"

"I wish I could choose when to do the less urgent stuff"

"I wish I could choose when to do the less urgent stuff"

"I didn’t know which tasks were important and which ones I could skip"

"I didn’t know which tasks were important and which ones I could skip"

"I didn’t know which tasks were important and which ones I could skip"

Solution & Impact

Solution & Impact

We revamped the onboarding experience by simplifying key tasks and giving users more control over the process. The new flow adapts to user preferences, allowing them to skip non-mandatory tasks anytime and return later, all while maintaining compliance and security standards.

95%

SATISFIED USERS WITH THE NEW PROCESS

SATISFIED USERS WITH THE NEW PROCESS

SATISFIED USERS WITH THE NEW ONBOARDING PROCESS

2x

FASTER COMPLETION OF THE TASKS

FASTER COMPLETION OF THE TASKS

50%

DECREASE IN DROP-OFF RATES

DECREASE IN DROP-OFF RATES

Design Process

We started with understanding user frustrations through stakeholder interviews, then narrowing down the core problems in the existing flow. From there, we brainstormed ideas, built prototypes, and tested them with users. With a few iterations, we refined it into a faster, simpler, and more flexible onboarding process.

Empathizing With The Users
Defining The Problem
Ideation & Critique
Wireframes & Prototyping
Iteration and User Testing

Discovery & Research

After consulting with the stakeholders, we categorized the list of tasks in the order of importance. We reviewed onboarding flows from apps like Robinhood, Chime, Google Pay, and found some common patterns like combining similar tasks, offering skip options to reduce friction, and using progress indicators to guide users.

After consulting with the stakeholders, we categorized the list of tasks in the order of importance. We reviewed onboarding flows from apps like Robinhood, Chime, Google Pay, and found some common patterns like combining similar tasks, offering skip options to reduce friction, and using progress indicators to guide users.

Ideation

We brainstormed 10+ solutions and critiqued them with the team. After critiquing, we finalized the top two ideas that aligned best with our requirements.

We brainstormed 10+ solutions and critiqued them with the team. After critiquing, we finalized the top two ideas that aligned best with our requirements.

1. Give a small task, progressively reveal more

Giving users a quick win helps build early momentum, makes it easier to get started. However, doing just one easy task doesn’t ensure they’ll stay engaged, and they may skip over tasks that are more important or urgent.

Giving users a quick win helps build early momentum, makes it easier to get started. However, doing just one easy task doesn’t ensure they’ll stay engaged, and they may skip over tasks that are more important or urgent.

2. Show all tasks based on number of steps

A more structured and predictable task progression helps standardize and add new tasks. However, the number of steps doesn’t always match the real effort required, which may cause unnecessary friction or drop-off.

A more structured and predictable task progression helps standardize and add new tasks. However, the number of steps doesn’t always match the real effort required, which may cause unnecessary friction or drop-off.

Proposed Flow

To address the individual flaws of both solutions, we decided to combine them so they could complement each other effectively. In the new onboarding flow we present a few small but important tasks first, then present the less important ones with an option to do them later.

To address the individual flaws of both solutions, we decided to combine them so they could complement each other effectively. In the new onboarding flow we present a few small but important tasks first, then present the less important ones with an option to do them later.

Final Prototype

In the new flow, users are shown the mandatory tasks first and then given flexibility to complete other tasks. The one's that are not completed are later reminded to users are through in-app notifications.

In the new flow, users are shown the mandatory tasks first and then given flexibility to complete other tasks. The one's that are not completed are later reminded to users are through in-app notifications.

User Testing & Feedback

We conducted multiple rounds of testing and iteration to refine the onboarding flow. User feedback helped us identify and resolve key usability issues, improving clarity and navigation. In the final iteration, users completed onboarding tasks twice as fast, drop-off rates decreased by 50%, and 95% of participants reported being satisfied with the new experience, thereby validating the effectiveness of our design decisions.

We conducted multiple rounds of testing and iteration to refine the onboarding flow. User feedback helped us identify and resolve key usability issues, improving clarity and navigation. In the final iteration, users completed onboarding tasks twice as fast, drop-off rates decreased by 50%, and 95% of participants reported being satisfied with the new experience, thereby validating the effectiveness of our design decisions.

Takeaways

No design is perfect, and some aspects couldn’t be fully addressed due to time and resource constraints. Since testing was done on a Figma prototype, actions like saving preferences or advancing screens had no real delay, reducing perceived cognitive load.

Future testing could include randomized delays to better simulate real app behavior.Additionally, tasks are still presented sequentially with skip options, resulting in multiple screens before users reach the main app.

A potential improvement would be to introduce dynamic, behavior-based reminders such as suggesting Zelle enrollment for users who frequently transfer money, to make the process more adaptive and context-aware.

No design is perfect, and some aspects couldn’t be fully addressed due to time and resource constraints. Since testing was done on a Figma prototype, actions like saving preferences or advancing screens had no real delay, reducing perceived cognitive load.

Future testing could include randomized delays to better simulate real app behavior.Additionally, tasks are still presented sequentially with skip options, resulting in multiple screens before users reach the main app.

A potential improvement would be to introduce dynamic, behavior-based reminders such as suggesting Zelle enrollment for users who frequently transfer money, to make the process more adaptive and context-aware.