Onboarding Flow
Capturing early listening preferences to deliver a better first experience
Due to confidentiality agreements and non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) with SoundCloud, I am unable to share all of my projects in detail. The case studies and insights available here highlight key aspects of my approach and methodology.
They represent a portion of my comprehensive experience in user research. If you have any questions or would like to learn more about my professional journey, please feel free to reach out.
[Overview]
The onboarding experience was redesigned to capture early preference signals from new users, enabling better algorithmic recommendations and a more personalized first listening experience. The key element was the Artist Picker — a new feature allowing users to select up to 3 artists they like during onboarding, so the platform can immediately tailor music suggestions to their taste.
[Objectives]
- Evaluate usability and comprehension of the new Artist Picker
- Assess whether users understand the purpose of selecting artists
- Evaluate flow length and perceived friction
- Assess intrusiveness of profile prompts
- Identify friction points in the onboarding experience
[Impact]
- Streamlined onboarding flow with reduced cognitive load
- Reduced friction and perceived intrusiveness
- Artist picker clarity directly influenced trust in recommendations
- Increased user satisfaction during initial experience
Onboarding Flow & Artist Picker
The goal was to receive early signals from users so the platform could deliver better recommended artists and a stronger early listening experience right from the start. To achieve this, we introduced the Artist Picker — a step in the onboarding flow where new users select up to 3 artists they enjoy, feeding the algorithm with initial taste data for personalized recommendations.
The research involved moderated usability testing, flow walkthrough evaluations, concept and prototype testing, qualitative feedback analysis, and thematic synthesis and prioritization. We evaluated whether users understood the purpose of the Artist Picker, how intuitive the selection process felt, and whether the overall onboarding flow created unnecessary friction or cognitive load.
Early signals for better recommendations
Users valued the idea of personalization but were sensitive to cognitive load during onboarding. Streamlining prompts and reducing the number of steps increased completion confidence. The clarity of the Artist Picker — understanding why they were selecting artists and how it would improve their experience — directly influenced trust in the platform's recommendations.
These findings led to a streamlined onboarding flow with reduced friction and perceived intrusiveness, stronger user trust in algorithmic recommendations, and increased satisfaction during the initial product experience.