Increase conversion

UX Lead | Usability Analyst | UX writer

I’ve been contracted to understand why users do not convert after their trial period for a mobile device management platform product for Schools.

What is mobile device management?

• Schools provide students with devices where the teacher, teach classes online.

• Schools sign up on this platform to link their devices in order to manage them.

• Devices will then only allow access to specific content, apps, and sites.

Business focused problem

Onboarding shows a high drop-off after the 14 day trial period for IT administrators at schools. There are also cases that these users could be teachers and not IT admins.

How does onboarding look like at the moment?

Of course some users convert, as a starting point I would like to understand what motivates them to convert and what insights can learn from them. I’ve developed an experience map to show the entire onboarding journey before a user can use the platform.

Key focus areas of the map:

1. Phases — Describing user expectations at each step.

2. Emotional Experience — User feelings at every step.

3. Pain Points — Challenges or blockers to achieving the task.

4. Opportunities — Recommendations to improve usability.

What main issues came out of the experience map?

1. Skippable onboarding option on vital screen — without adding devices you can’t use the platform

2. There was no clear “completion” to the onboarding process — even if you do add a device there is no clear indication of what to do next

3. This onboarding shows that we don’t know the user's goals.

Working with more unknowns than knowns

• Who is the user?

• What do they need to do?

• What’re their expectations?

Developing a survey gave us an opportunity to learn more about our users. I’ve divided them into two groups.

Trial Users & Existing Users.

From the Trial users, I could gain insight into their expectations.

Example questions:

• What is your role? (IT Administrator/Teacher or fill in)

• What made you decide to try {company name} for schools?

• What did you expect once you signed up?

• What were your first steps once you signed up?

• How easy or difficult was it to get started? (1–5)

• What challenges did you experience during your trial period?

• What memorable moments did you experience during your trial period?

• Why did you enrol on a device? and what device did you enrol?

• How easy or difficult was it to enrol the device? (1–5)

• Any suggestions and feedback?

From the Existing users, we could understand their goals and when did they achieve their goals.

Example questions:

• What is your role? (IT Administrator/Teacher or fill in)

• Did you first trial Mobile Guardian before you purchased the product?

• What made you decide to purchase this product for schools?

• Describe your setup process? (include your end goal)

• What was your first step in the setup process?

• What was your last step in the setup process?

• How easy or difficult was the setup process? (1–5)

• What challenges did you experience during your trial period?

• What memorable moments did you experience during your trial period?

• Any suggestions on the setup process?

• Would you recommend the product? Give reason

In the end, we received only 6 responses (apparently that was a lot in terms of their customer responsiveness overall) but this gave us a better understanding of our audience.

The IT administrators and the Teachers

IT Administrator goals:

• Quickly start with the setup process.

• Easy navigation through the setup process sees where I am in the process.

• Easily push apps and set up restrictions and rules.

• Getting teachers set up and using the software for their students.

• Upgrade licenses and manage devices.

Teacher goals:

• Setup correctly the first time. (Devices, students, tags, profiles)

• Create restrictions like blocking sites on devices etc.

• Remove apps from multiple devices via Tags.

• Easily update apps on devices remotely.

Highlighting their goals it is clear that that there are three parts to this.

1. Pure onboarding. (Phase 1)

2. Setup of devices. (Phase 2)

3. Exploring features.

After these results, we were now able to focus on improving purely the onboarding phase.

Implementing an onboarding that converts

To quote Steve Krug we need to make this onboarding quick and painless.

“The main thing you need to know about instructions is that no one is going to read them — at least not until after repeated attempts at ‘muddling through’ have failed.”

Keeping it quick and easy we have adopted only two screens

1. Minim personal information required to sign up

2. Basic school information and product needs — this helps us to tailor their journey in setting up a specific operating system.

New Flow: Product selection> Register > School information > Dashboard.

Old Flow: Product Selection> Register > Confirmation > Personal information > Location > *Device selection > *Device enrolment steps > Dashboard - *Ability to skip these steps

Additional improvements identified

• The side panel in the old design was hard to read showing testimonials. This now showcases the school product features adding value to the user.

• Updated terminology consistency — Sign Up and log in instead of (Create account/ register)

• Simplified the content below the sign-up button.