Streamlining Account Creation & Subscription Flow for Conversion and Clarity
Role: Lead Product Designer
Duration: 3 Weeks
Team: Myself, Design Director
Project Overview
The goal was to create a seamless and intuitive subscription experience that increased conversion to membership. This meant rethinking the entire user journey, from sign in and account creation to checkout - to reduce friction, build trust, and align with Forbes’ broader digital strategy.
Problem
Users faced a confusing and inconsistent experience when trying to subscribe. They were bounced between multiple screens for signing in, creating an account, and completing checkout with each feeling disconnected from the last. This lack of cohesion led to frustration, drop-offs, and a sense of mistrust in the process. On the backend, limited flexibility made it hard to improve the experience or respond quickly to user needs, ultimately stalling growth.
Solution
Over several months, we launched a fully custom, end-to-end subscription flow - redesigning sign in, account creation, and checkout to optimize UX and drive higher conversion. The new experience removed unnecessary steps, strengthened trust signals, and created a smoother, more cohesive path to membership.
Deliverables
Customer Journey
Ideation Workshops
Brainstorming
Feature Prioritization
Competitive Analysis
Stakeholder Management
Iterative Product Design
Visual Design
User Testing
Impact
82%
Increase in conversion rate to paid memberships.
111%
Increase in completion rates after user enters purchase flow
45%
Increase in new account registrations
The Process
Our previous subscription flow - spanning sign in, account creation, and checkout was constrained by a rigid third-party system. Users encountered a fragmented, modal-based experience with unclear steps and little purchase context.
We brought the entire journey in-house to improve usability, better communicate value, and empower the business with greater flexibility.
The redesign followed a 4-phase process that balanced stakeholder goals, UX best practices, and user testing insights to create a smoother, more trustworthy experience.
Discovery
We began by conducting workshops with key stakeholders to define business goals and identify performance targets for the new flow. Understanding priorities, such as increasing conversion and upselling flexibility, helped inform the direction of the redesign.
Investigate
Through interviews with internal staff and end users we analyzed user feedback and we pinpointed the major pain points in the existing flow. Competitive analysis across leading eCommerce and publisher checkouts provided valuable benchmarks for UX standards.
Ideate
We explored various flow structures that emphasized simplification, user empowerment, and clear navigation. The focus was on creating a seamless experience by improving contextual information and reducing unnecessary steps.
Refine
Tested variations through A/B testing and moderated sessions. Refined copy, layout, and logic based on real-time feedback and user hesitation points. Final design improved clarity, increased benefit communication, and enabled better future testing.
1
Discovery
Benchmarking
We conducted competitive research across industry leaders like The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Athletic. This helped us identify best practices in subscription flows, pricing presentation, and trust-building elements.
Existing Product Analysis
We started with a heuristic evaluation, followed by unmoderated user testing through an online platform. This helped us validate friction points and uncover insights based on real user behavior.
In parallel, we analyzed tracking data from the existing flow, which revealed that 34% of users dropped off at the account creation step, and an additional 22% exited during the payment screen. These insights helped us prioritize usability and clarity improvements across the checkout journey.
Heuristic Evaluation
Existing Userflow
View All Flows
Brainstorming
View
User Testing & Tracking Data Findings
High Drop-Off at Checkout Modal
Nearly 32% of users abandon the flow after reaching the checkout modal, indicating friction or uncertainty at a critical conversion point.
Frustration with Sign-In Prompt
Users feel unsupported when asked to sign in mid-checkout, often unsure why it's required or how it affects their progress.
Difficulty Changing Plans
Once in the payment flow, users struggle to modify their plan, creating frustration and limiting flexibility.
Inconsistent Visual Design
The UI does not align with Forbes’ branding or design system, weakening user trust and diminishing perceived credibility.
Lack of Plan Benefit Clarity
Users look for clear, concise details about what each plan offers to feel confident in their subscription choice.
Analyzing Findings & Stakeholder Alignment
Based on the findings, we created a plan to improve the experience, introduce key features, and streamline the overall experience. We then aligned with stakeholders across product and engineering to refine the approach and gain buy-in before moving into implementation.
Prioritization Matrix & Stakeholder Alignment
2
Design Solution
Our solution focuses on streamlining the checkout experience through a simplified, single-page flow that seamlessly integrates account creation. We emphasized clarity in pricing, surfaced key product benefits early in the journey, and ensured users have a clear understanding of what they’re purchasing. These updates aim to improve user trust, reduce friction, and drive higher conversion rates while supporting long-term retention goals.
Single Page Checkout
Key Features
Sign In & Account Creation
3
Learnings
In reimagining core user flows like sign in, account creation, and checkout, this project reinforced the value of cross-functional collaboration, iterative design, and keeping both user experience and business impact at the forefront. By balancing strategic input with real user feedback, we created scalable, future-ready solutions that can adapt with the business and continue delivering value.
Design for Systems, Not Just Screens
This project wasn’t just about individual flows. It was about creating a consistent, end-to-end user journey. Working across sign in, account creation, and checkout emphasized the importance of cohesive design systems and how micro-interactions contribute to a seamless experience.
Prioritize with Purpose
Through research and workshops, we learned to distinguish between high-impact features and nice-to-haves. This helped align cross-team efforts and allowed us to focus on what mattered most to users - clarity, ease, and trust, while still meeting business goals.
Iterate Early, Test Often
Regular testing helped us validate assumptions quickly and adjust before investing too much in the wrong direction. From mobile layout tweaks to trust messaging, real feedback shaped many of our final decisions and led to stronger outcomes.
Collaborate Closely to Ship Confidently
Working within an ambitious timeline meant tight coordination with product and engineering was essential. Early alignment on scope, feasibility, and technical constraints helped us prioritize smartly, avoid rework, and ensure that what we designed could be built efficiently, without compromising on user experience.
Impact
82%
Increase in conversion rate to paid memberships.
111%
Increase in completion rates after user enters purchase flow
45%
Increase in new account registrations