From Frustration to Registration: Ohh Look
Streamlining onboarding to boost provider activation while aligning UX and branding.
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Switching to UX Design: De-Cluttering a Confusing Onboarding
HITTING PAUSE ON UI
OhhLook is a Southern California-based service directory that helps users discover and connect with local providers — from electricians to estheticians. While the site was getting a visual design refresh by yours truly (see here), we found out that Ohh Look's provider onboarding was cluttered and confusing, leading to low activation.
I redesigned the sign-up flow to streamline registration, lower friction, and boost provider onboarding rates.
OHH LOOK'S TWO MAIN PATHWAYS
OhhLook serves two users: customers who browse and book services, and providers who create paid profiles. While customer sign-up was simple, provider sign-up — the platform’s revenue driver — was confusing and difficult to complete.
Customer
Provider
THE PROBLEM: OVERWHELMING SIGNUP
Steps to Signing Up as a Provider
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Overwhelming Provider Profile
Digging Deeper: Research
& Analysis
HOW DO COMPETITORS OFFER AN EASY SIGNUP?
OHH LOOK'S MAJOR USABILITY PROBLEMS
Visibility of System Status:
Users weren't told what step they were on, what came next or what to expect.
Recognition Over Recall:
Language and labelling weren't intuitive.
Aesthetic & Minimalist Design:
Too many fields, no visual hierarchy, making it overwhelming for users.
Help & Documentation:
No tooltips, examples, time estimations or support for users along the way.
The Solution: Remedy Framework
& Feedback
My goal wasn’t just to “clean things up.” I wanted to create momentum in the onboarding process — to help new providers get started with confidence.
Sketches for the Remedy Framework
CONTENT AND UX REFINEMENTS
Reduced Input Fatigue:
Cut down on redundant questions like "Introduction", "Experience", and "What I do" into one section.
Default Branded Image:
Ensures every profile looks polished, even without uploading business images
Microcopy and Tips:
Help text, example bios, and subtle tips keep users on track and help them create strong content.
Clear "Go Live" CTA:
No more guessing --It's visible and actionable for users to publish their profiles.
Membership Upgrade:
Instead of making this part of the flow (a block to signing up), add it onto the profile page.
REFINING THROUGH FEEDBACK
After presenting the flow, I made three major adjustments based on stakeholder feedback:
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Removed Time Estimates: like “~2 min to complete” after the CEO noted they might deter users from starting.
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Adjusted the "Go Live" Button Styling: my original red CTA was too aggressive for the brand (in an attempt to draw attention), so we landed on a more visible but softer design to ensure it still stood out.
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Removed the Second Signup Box: Instead, we added a clean, direct sign-up CTA in the hero section at the top of the provider landing page, making
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it immediately clear where and how to begin. At the CEO's request, we also added Google and Facebook signup options to streamline account creation and reduce friction for new users
Key UX Improvements: The New
High Fidelity
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Two-Step Flow with Visual Cues & Suggested Search
Preview for User Control & Freedom
Collapsible Profile for Reduced Cognitive Load
From Polish to Purpose: Takeaways & Next Steps
UI POLISH CAN'T FIX BROKEN UX
This redesign didn’t just clean up the UI—it removed friction, clarified value, and set the stage for scalable growth. It:
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Lowers the barrier to entry
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Gives users more control and context
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Builds trust by showing transparency and value early on
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Supports long-term growth by encouraging upgrades
The key takeaway? Polish doesn’t solve for poor UX. By reframing the sign-up flow around progressive disclosure and user psychology, we made it not only look better—but work better.
NEXT STEPS
With stakeholder approval and implementation underway, post-launch analysis will focus on optimizing performance:
Step Completion Rate
Are users dropping off mid-onboarding?
Onboarding time
Are users completing setup more quickly?
