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Onboarding- Geocaching

Onboarding- Geocaching

Redesigning the onboarding for the Geocaching app.

Type

University project

Tools

Figma

Miro

At a Glance

After researching different applications and websites to analyse user flows, I have selected the Geocaching App to refine the onboarding flow and prototype an improved version.

What is Geocaching?

Geocaching is a real-world treasure hunt happening right now, all around you.
Geocaches are found in parks, urban areas, forests, deserts, on top of mountains, underwater… pretty much anywhere you can imagine.
There are over 3 million geocaches in the world.

Geocaching is a real-world treasure hunt happening right now, all around you.


Geocaches are found in parks, urban areas, forests, deserts, on top of mountains, underwater… pretty much anywhere you can imagine.


There are over 3 million geocaches in the world.

Current onboarding teardown

First page of the app is sign up which can adds friction to the onboarding process.

Straight after signing up, users are shown premium packages without seeing the app.

Explains clearly to users why location services are needed

Get started modal appears for new users with “view goals” lets have a look.

Checkbox list of goals appear with no instruction or sequence on how to finish these.

Checkbox makes you think tapping it, will tick it. Instead, it shows a small body of text, that also gives no guidance for new users.

Good bits:

  • The app uses a freemium approach. It does not require users to subscribe to their service to use the app but will show a popup to the the user that the option is available

  • Explains clearly to users why location services are needed

Not-so-Good bits:

  • New users are forced to sign up on entry before they have a chance to try the app. If new users are not as motivated, this may feel like a barrier to trying out this app. If this was a well-known game it might not be a problem. It is important to consider asking for signup after users have seen the value this app brings.

  • Right after sign up, new users are immediately asked to sign up for premium. These users have yet to even try the app or see it for its value. Premium subscription prompt can show up later, after the user has had more experience.

  • The get started modal takes you to some “goals” but the page does not show you how to finish these goals and expects you to understand and explore yourself.

  • Their attempt at having a “task list” yet, the tasks are quite linear . “Choose a cache”, “navigate to a cache” and “post a log” are vague. There are no connections and no explanations on what steps to take to find a cache. It is not new-user friendly. By the time they have successfully achieved the goal of “finding a cache” by themselves, they may not be considered a “new user” anymore and these onboarding goals popping up randomly could become annoying rather than helpful or encouraging.

Improvement ideas

  • Move the sign up page to later on in the app

  • Remove the premium popup from initial sequence

  • Allow for skipping/maybe later for the introduction slides 

  • Replace the get started goals with a guided tour of the app

Initial concepts

1

1

1

Intro Tutorial

Goal: Introduce the app and give a tutorial simultaneously

  • Located before sign up

  • Carousel format

  • Starts with an explanation

  • Animated demonstration

  • User swipes to the next page which is a “try it out” page that simulates a feature in the app for the user to practice doing.

  • Full carousel of main features shown to user.

  • Can be skipped

2

Guided Tour

Goal : Show user how to find a geocache.

  • Located after signup

  • Step by step what to do

  • Complete each mini task to go to the next step

  • Finish tour by finding their first geocache

  • User needs to be outdoors ready to walk around

  • Can be found later in if skipped.

3

Tooltip Tutorial

Goal : Help familiarise users where to find tools to browse and explore by themselves later on.

  • Located after signup

  • The tutorial is more similar to a carousel “click next” format for the next tip.

  • User can be at home learning about the tools in the app first.

  • Can be skipped

Final concept - combination of all 3

  • Combines aspects of the 3 concepts

  • Introduction at the start (no tutorial here)

  • Guided tour with tasks and tooltips to finding to a geocache.

Consideration:
Users should be prepared to venture outdoors to locate a geocache during the tour.

Combat:
Users are given the option to find/complete the tour at a later time if they wish.

Best Practice Considerations

1

Provide a clear path to success

Goal oriented - Sense of achievement after first interaction.

1

Provide a clear path to success

Goal oriented - Sense of achievement after first interaction.

1

Provide a clear path to success

2

Show benefits early and often

Congratulate user after successfully finding first geocache.

2

Show benefits early and often

Congratulate user after successfully finding first geocache.

2

Show benefits early and often

3

Explain in the context of the interface

Teach through doing, not memorisation.

3

Explain in the context of the interface

Teach through doing, not memorisation.

3

Explain in the context of the interface

4

Consider if, how, & when to ask for information

Moved signup to later, and removed initial premium pop-up.

4

Consider if, how, & when to ask for information

Moved signup to later, and removed initial premium pop-up.

4

Consider if, how, & when to ask for information

5

Gradually expose complexity over time

Guided tour teaches basic set of skills to navigate entire app.

5

Gradually expose complexity over time

Guided tour teaches basic set of skills to navigate entire app.

5

Gradually expose complexity over time

6

Onboarding never stops

Guided tour can be found later on in “more” section aswell.

6

Onboarding never stops

Guided tour can be found later on in “more” section aswell.

6

Onboarding never stops

Lofi wireframes

Usability Testing

Unmoderated usability test

Goals: Determine the user experience of the onboarding sequence of the geocaching app.

Length: Approximately 10-20 minutes

Participants: Three females, two males, between the ages of 20-45

Task: Open up the app, follow the onboarding sequence and try to understand the features as a new user

Findings & Insights

Insight 1

Users value flexible navigation options during the guided tour.

This includes having the option of exiting the tour, different ways to navigate next and being able to move forward and backwards in the tour. This preference arises from user's need for control and autonomy, allowing them to choose how to proceed rather than feeling restricted by the tour's linear structure.

[ F2,F3,F6,F7,F9,F20,F5,F10 ]

“I think it could be nice to have an option to exit the tour during the tour if people want to leave it”

Insight 2

Users appreciate clear and easy directions during the guided tour to keep them informed.

Users prefer having all information readily visible on one page, eliminating the need for scrolling or searching. Furthermore, they find a progress indicator useful for tracking their progress throughout the tour. Because of the nature of a guided tour, users anticipate guidance at every step, without encountering pages inadequate instructions.

[ F4,F5,F11,F12,F13,F15,F17,F18 ]

“Only confusing thing is i was waiting for an action bubble to pop up on the details page”

Heuristics

Exit tour button added

Progress indicator added

Back button added

Relevant guidance indicator

Improved contextual overlay

Exit tour button added

Progress indicator added

Back button added

Relevant guidance indicator

Improved contextual overlay

Use in onboarding:

The progress indicator dots at the bottom of the tooltips. These tell the user exactly which steps of the guide they’ve completed, what stage they are currently on, and what comes next. By visually representing their progress, it helps direct users' attention and keeps them engaged, ultimately reducing abandonment rates.

Use in onboarding:

Incorporating back link and meeting users expectations. Clicking “back” will take them to the previous step in the tour. It also lets them know the system is aware they have steered off track. Exit links easily discoverable. The X, located directly on top of the tooltip, becomes “exit tour” when tapped. This lets users know they can exit the tour anytime they want.

Use in onboarding:

Allowing for the extra tap of X->Exit tour is also a way of error prevention. It prevents the users from clicking the X as an attempt to minimise the tooltip rather than exiting the whole tour. Using an overlay as a constraint to direct users to area of focus, and preventing them from clicking onto other areas and leaving the tour.

Use in onboarding:

A pull revelation is used when the user signs up for the first time, A modal for the guided tour appears. If the user chooses to start the guided tour, the tooltips and contextual overlays appear. Push revelations should be easy to ignore: A “maybe later” option appears on the same modal. Proactive help content should be accessible elsewhere. The tours are located in the “more” section.

Information Architecture & Use Cases

Information Architecture &
Use Cases

Key Learnings

Onboarding isn’t one-size-fits-all

I learned that there is no single formula for onboarding. Each sequence needs to be tailored to the product, with the right practices working together to create a cohesive and engaging experience.

Design is never finished:

This project showed me that even well-established applications can benefit from improvement. It reinforced the importance of iteration, exploring multiple solutions, and weaving in elements like emotional design.

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