Freelance project · Mobile apps
A travel app first run that shows value before it asks for anything
The onboarding flow for a mobile travel app, from first launch to a saved trip and an account. I redesigned what the app asks, when it asks, and how quickly it shows something useful.
01The problem
Travel apps tend to ask for a lot up front: an account, preferences, a home city, location and notifications. Ask too much and people leave before they see anything; ask too little and the first screen feels generic.
Who it’s for
First-time users
To see what the app does before creating an account.
Trip planners
Ideas that fit an upcoming trip, without filling in forms.
Frequent travellers
A quick setup with saved trips and useful alerts.
Privacy-conscious users
A clear reason before granting location or notifications.
02The main flow
01
Opens the app
02
Picks travel interests
03
Sees tailored trip ideas
04
Saves a first trip
05
Creates an account
03Structure
Welcome
Personalise
First value
Account
Permissions
04Key decisions
Decision 01
A sign-up wall on launch asks for commitment before people know what the app does.
Considered
Mandatory sign-up before the first screen.
Chosen
People explore and save a trip as a guest. The app asks them to create an account at the moment they save, so the trip isn’t lost.
Why it works
The request comes with an obvious reason. The cost is keeping guest data and merging it at sign-up, which I designed for and flagged to the team early.
Decision 02
Preference forms with dropdowns feel like admin and give weak signals.
Considered
A profile form for budget, dates and travel preferences.
Chosen
A single screen of tappable picture tiles for travel style, such as beaches, cities, food and outdoors, with budget left until later.
Why it works
It’s quick and enjoyable, and enough to make the first screen feel personal. Finer preferences are learned from what people save.
Decision 03
Asking for location and notifications on launch gets them denied, and system prompts are hard to show again.
Considered
One onboarding screen that requests every permission together.
Chosen
Location is requested when someone taps nearby, and notifications when they save a trip, each with a short pre-prompt explaining the benefit.
Why it works
A reason tied to an action makes the request make sense. People who say no still have a full app.
05What’s inside
The whole app is open to browse before any account is needed.
Picture tiles that personalise the first screen in a few taps.
A first screen shaped by the interests picked a moment earlier.
Short explanations shown before each system request, at the right moment.
Creating an account carries over everything saved as a guest.
06Outcome
Delivered
What I learned
Every onboarding question has to pay for itself on the very next screen.
Moving sign-up later moved work from design to data handling, so it needed the team’s input early.
Next step
Pick a time that suits you. You'll leave the call with a clear next step, whether we work together or not.
