From One-Time Use to Habit
As Design Lead at Future Maps, I improved user retention by refining onboarding, introducing habit-forming nudges, and implementing a targeted email strategy. Collaborating with management and engineering, I aligned UX improvements with business goals, driving both engagement and sustainable revenue growth.
Company
Future Maps
Role
Design Lead
Year
2024
Prototyping
Analytics
Product Design
AI Collaboration
Challenge
User data revealed that the app had a low retention rate. Many users opened it once or twice but didn’t return. At the same time, qualitative feedback showed that people loved the app, recommended it to others, and found it genuinely useful. This led to a key question:
How might we keep Future Maps top of mind and encourage long-term engagement?
Process
Aligning Business & Design Goals
I identified key areas for improvement and worked with the product owner and developer to define an implementation roadmap that balanced quick wins and long-term strategic improvements.
Short-term: Improve user retention and engagement to build a habit around the app
Mid-term: Convert engaged users into collaborators, sharing feedback and data
Long-term: Convert collaborators into cooperative members, ensuring recurring revenue
Note: During the beta phase, the focus was explicitly on product improvements rather than marketing efforts.
Collaborating with AI
I actively integrate ChatGPT and Figma AI into my design process to challenge assumptions and identify gaps. While initial outputs often require refinement, the iterative dialogue helps sharpen my thinking. Key use cases include:
Research and inspiration
Improving copy
Double-checking and refinement
App Onboaring Redesign
To reduce drop-off rates and improve accessibility, I redesigned the onboarding experience:
Removed screens 3 and 4 due to fast skip rates
Replaced illustrations with real-world photos for a stronger emotional connection
Improved color contrast and typography for better readability
Adjusted pagination placement to follow screen-reader best practices
Additionally, mandatory account creation was introduced as a key touchpoint to maintain user engagement and communication.
App Onboarding Screens before Update
App Onboarding + Account creation after Update
Check out the Figma Prototype that I used for user testing:
Email Onboarding
User feedback showed that people were drawn to the project because of its mission and cooperative model. The email onboarding series was designed to:
Educate users on the cooperative model and how they could contribute
Encourage early engagement (e.g., suggesting locations, favoriting places)
Highlight the benefits of becoming a cooperative member
Feature Nudge
Users who marked locations as favorites were significantly more likely to return to the app. To reinforce this behavior:
Subtly promoted the “Favorite” feature at key interaction points
Planned contextual reminders to encourage users to revisit saved locations
Results
Although the measures were recently implemented, early results indicate a strong positive trend:
Monthly active users doubled compared to the previous month
The email series achieved an exceptional open rate of 65–85%
User interaction (feedback, place suggestions, place updates) increased by 80%
Next Steps
With promising early signals, I continue to refine the retention strategy through:
Integrate push notifications + in app communications
Integrate reminders to visit “favorite” places
User feedback loops to fine-tune onboarding flows
Team
Simon (Founder & Product Owner)
Mimi (Community & Communications)
Janosch (Developement)