Preparing QuickBooks for an AI-powered future
Intuit • 2023
Tasks
Research
Strategy
Design leadership
Usability testing
Role
Principal Designer
Mockups of the QuickBooks onboarding flow to show AI and personalization could be used to make understanding the product in the first 30 days much easier.
Project Goal
QuickBooks aimed to support both startups and large enterprises across various industries by offering a more personalized, adaptive accounting experience. My role was to establish key design principles and frameworks to guide multiple teams in integrating AI seamlessly into the user journey.
Challenge
One major hurdle we identified was early user drop-off: new users often felt lost and disengaged shortly after signing up. Our research revealed that an overly lengthy sign-up process and a confusing onboarding experience were significant contributors to this issue.
We had to consider the architecture of widgets on the analytics page to ensure that we could implement personalization in a scalable and consistent way.
Approach
I collaborated closely with a technical director and content manager to develop a set of AI-driven design principles that could be applied across the organization. We built a proof of concept to demonstrate how AI could enhance the onboarding experience by anticipating user needs and providing relevant guidance in real-time. Additionally, I spent time coaching teams on how to incorporate these principles into their workflows to create more human-centered experiences.
Outcome
Our work leveraged AI to streamline the sign-up process, reducing friction for new users. The proof of concept also showcased a system for surfacing helpful videos and resources tailored to users’ current activities. By simplifying onboarding and creating more intuitive support, we laid the foundation for a more engaging, user-focused platform that adapts to each user’s unique journey.
Design principles we created using the broad body of Intuit research used to guide personalization project teams.