Context
A leading SaaS company, faced a critical challenge in their account creation process. The existing system was complex, time-consuming, and relied heavily on a single specialised employee. This bottleneck was hindering the company's growth and ability to efficiently onboard new customers.
The Challenge
The primary issues identified were:
- Dependency on one highly specialised person for complete account setup
- A complex multi-step process spanning four different tools
- Time-consuming procedure taking at least 30 minutes per account
- Limited scalability and inefficiency in resource allocation
Project Goals
1. Democratise the account creation process
2. Simplify and accelerate new account setup
3. Consolidate tools and reduce complexity
4. Prepare for scaling with new account managers
Success Metrics
- Reduce time on task
- Consolidate the process into a single tool
- Improve user understanding and confidence in the process
Discovery Phase
Our research revealed:
- Only one employee could create fully-featured accounts
- Others could create basic accounts but required extensive documentation
- The process involved at least 30 minutes and four different software tools
Current process in numbers
Design Process
We developed two prototypes:
- A continuous form
- A multi-screen form
User validation sessions were conducted with current users, who expressed a preference for the continuous form. Their feedback was incorporated into the final design.
Testing and Results
Prototype testing showed significant improvements:
- Account creation time reduced from 31 minutes to 5-8 minutes
- Users reported better understanding of required inputs
- Process consolidated into a single tool, down from four
Key Features of the New Design
- Intuitive, continuous form layout
- Streamlined input fields
- Clear instructions and guidance
- Single-tool integration
Impact and Benefits
1. Increased efficiency: 74-84% reduction in account creation time
2. Improved scalability: Multiple team members can now create accounts
3. Enhanced user experience: Simplified process with clearer instructions
4. Resource optimisation: Reduced dependency on specialised personnel
Mentorship Component
This project also served as a mentoring opportunity for a visual designer interested in UX design. The collaborative approach fostered skill development and knowledge transfer within the team.
Conclusion
By reimagining the account creation process, we successfully addressed the initial challenges, creating a more efficient, user-friendly, and scalable solution. This improvement not only enhances internal operations but also positions the company for future growth as they expand their account management team.
Next Steps
1. Full implementation of the new system
2. Training for current and incoming account managers
3. Continuous monitoring and iteration based on user feedback
4. Exploration of further automation opportunities