Context
Clients have diverse and complex needs—but we didn't know what any of those were
The original client onboarding flow consisted of four questions: location, reason for visit, meeting method, and insurance. While this minimal setup worked with a small provider pool, they weren’t enough to result in accurate matches as we scaled.
The original onboarding questions
As a result—
Clients received poor or irrelevant matches due to a lack of key information to best understand their needs
The existing onboarding experience offered little support for clients who were unfamiliar with or new to therapy and/or psychiatry, leading to confusion and drop-offs
Users lost confidence early, unsure whether we could meet their needs, even though we had providers who could
The business missed out on potential clients and struggled to triage clients to the right level of care
Revamped onboarding questions
Expanded questionnaire for more personalized and accurate matches
New questions were introduced to personalize results and support better filtering. This allowed clients to receive matches based on specific needs, treatment goals, and care type.
Tailored flows for diverse care needs
New separate paths for users were created based on what type of care they were seeking.
Integrating reliable and valid screening tools to provide recommendations for those unsure
For clients who weren’t sure what type of care they needed, a new flow was introduced that used industry-standard assessments (PHQ-2 and GAD-2) to help guide their decision. Clients could follow the recommendation or choose another path forward.
New filters
Filtering with empathy through inclusive copy
Many clients had non-negotiables for therapy, not just preferences.
We strayed from the word “preferences” and redesigned filters to reflect what matters most to clients without overwhelming or misleading them.
Design and plan now, so it’s easier to expand later
I prioritized filters we could support today while laying the groundwork for future filters. I wanted to ensure we didn’t over-promise results or introduce filters that couldn’t be supported by provider data.
Spoken languages is an important filter for the client, but our provider pool lacked sufficient data to justify adding it at this time. I documented its placement and design to ensure future-proofing for easy implementation later
Reflection
This project was a turning point in how I thought about onboarding. Instead of treating it as a form to complete, it’s a critical product experience that helps clients feel seen, guided, and confident in taking the first step toward care.
