How I helped increase activation by 13.4% and drive $11M in revenue
When I joined this project, the problem seemed simple: Admins were signing up but not activating their accounts. But it quickly became clear that the issue wasn’t just friction in the UI — it was a deeper strategic challenge. This case study illustrates how UX thinking — grounded in data and business context — can reshape product direction and unlock scalable growth.
Revamping Kayak for Business Admin Onboarding
Timeline
Q2 -Q3 2022
Platform:
Web
Role
Research, User Journey, Prototyping, Testing, IA, Metrics Analysis
Client
PWC
The challenge
Can you onboard your company in a travel platform in a 30 days?
Reports indicated a low number of activated users adding and completing company details, primarily due to usability issues. There is also a need to increase the conversion rate of new users. Although employees managed to sign up, there were defects in the information displayed about companies on K4B or admins return back to the tool after sign up with always need SME guidance.
Defects in Information Display: There were defects in the information displayed about companies on K4B.
Need to Increase Conversion Rate: The conversion rate of new users needed improvement.
The Objective
Restructure the information architecture for a more intuitive, user-friendly experience, making content easier to find and navigate.
I began by aligning with stakeholders across Product, Data, Legal, and Customer Success. Together, we reframed the purpose of onboarding—from a simple checklist to a strategic opportunity to unlock product value in the first interaction.
The process
with how it started in mind I worked in defining the problem of why and how users can signup for first time
Conduct qualitative and quantitative research methods
To fully understand user pain points, I conducted qualitative and quantitative research. We deployed a screener survey followed by over 14 one-on-one interviews and a series of moderated user tests. We also collected over 300 survey responses. This approach revealed the disconnect between different admin roles and their goals. Admin responsibilities were often blended—many users were not full-time “travel admins” but rather finance or operations staff handling travel among other responsibilities. This insight prompted a rethink: onboarding needed to adapt based on company size, user role, and perceived urgency.
We discovered from user testing that only 1 out of 13 users could successfully locate the travel policy feature. Average task completion times exceeded 1 minute 32 seconds. Crucially, only 9% of users accessed the “approval flow” feature, despite it being one of the core differentiators for KAYAK for Business. When we asked users to describe what they valued most, terms like “competitive rates,” “compliance,” “easy setup,” and “everything’s for free” consistently appeared. We used this language to shape value-driven messaging throughout the onboarding.
Outcome of tree testing and interviews was defining product fit
Through competitor analysis, we focused on identifying KAYAK’s unique selling points, which include:
1- Competitive rates (leveraging its strength as a meta tool in the leisure space).
2- Scalability and compliance
3- Free to use
To do so, we needed to understand existing user behaviour patterns — but when we asked, we found that no supporting data was available.
Worked on the data metrics:
interaction can vary a lot, e.g. one company took ~51Hrs between the first search and the first setting interaction, the other one ~1 min
To fully understand pain points, I ran a detailed audit of the onboarding funnel. Using product analytics, I identified significant drop-offs early in the flow. A survey with over 300 respondents confirmed confusion around task prioritization and a lack of perceived value in the process. Many admins felt overwhelmed or unsure of what came next. From funnel tracking, we discovered that over 70% of admins failed to complete the setup flow. Admins who completed at least three onboarding steps were 2.8 times more likely to activate and invite team members.
Additionally, I analyzed user interaction timing and behavior. The time between a company’s first product search and their first onboarding interaction varied greatly — one team took 51 hours while another only one minute. This insight highlighted the need to support a broad spectrum of admin engagement styles. I also reviewed micro-conversion data from the onboarding checklist. For example, 46% of users clicked “Unlock corporate rates” (mainly founders), while only 31% clicked “Setting policies.” These disparities pointed to the features that users perceived as high-value and helped us prioritize task presentation accordingly.
I redefine Admin Persona:
Addressing Gaps for Medium-Tier Admins:
The survey and interviews revealed the presence of third persona beside the two primary admin personas. Persona B—representing 69.7% of our admin base—had little experience with travel tools or approval flows, and often valued a simple, scalable setup with minimal configuration. These users were often new to their role or inherited the platform setup. In contrast, Persona C—representing 30.3%—were more advanced users who had used corporate travel tools before and expected tighter control over policies and spend. While not all admins required approval workflows, the majority needed clarity on policies. Understanding this split allowed us to tailor the onboarding journey.
We discovered from usability testing that only 1 out of 13 users could successfully locate the travel policy feature. Average task completion times exceeded 1 minute 32 seconds. Crucially, only 9% of users accessed the “approval flow” feature, despite it being one of the core differentiators for KAYAK for Business. When we asked users to describe what they valued most, terms like “competitive rates,” “compliance,” “easy setup,” and “everything’s for free” consistently appeared. We used this language to shape value-driven messaging throughout the onboarding.
Not all admins needs approval however most of them in needs for policies
Put ideas to high fid wireframes
The testing offered insights into user behaviour, pointing out areas for navigation improvement. such as leaking value and needs personalisation.
Restructure information architecture
The testing offered insights into user behaviour.
I added all USP in 4 steps
One set of wireframes focused on communicating KAYAK’s four core USPs—simplicity, cost savings, scalability, and smart rate access—through a structured visual stepper. This allowed admins to grasp the benefits of the tool before taking action.
Personalisation
nother wireframe addressed personalization, surfacing prioritized actions based on user intent (e.g., booking on behalf of others, setting policies). These designs reduced complexity by grouping optional steps,
The final iteration applied the McFly design language in collaboration with our design systems team. We introduced a new color palette, illustrations, and layout to align the experience with our enterprise tone—more business-focused and trustworthy. The new “KAYAK for Business” logo was added to reinforce brand identity and context.
To support flexible completion and reduce pressure during the initial setup, I introduced a persistent Admin Hub. Instead of relying on a one-time onboarding checklist, the Admin Hub acted as an always-available center where admins could return to configure settings at their own pace. This structure reduced cognitive load, allowed for asynchronous setup, and provided clear grouping of tasks like travel policies, approval rules, and group management. It also supported optional depth for more advanced admins while still guiding less experienced users through essentials.
01
USP and
personalisation
Make the "value" in the signup, and personalise onboarding
Reduces drop-off during onboarding
02
Home
Make the "Get Started" solution simpler for users.
Ensuring users have a clear understanding of the basics steps needed
03
Admin hub
Make the "Get Started" solution simpler for users.
To help new admins activate their KAYAK for Business account with clarity and confidence. It breaks down essential setup tasks into simple, actionable steps—ensuring no critical configuration is missed.
Final Design
Final Design
Admins can onboard their company and finish mandatory steps in minutes
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Feel free to hit me up, I am looking forward to hearing from you
Let's Connect
Let's Grow Together
Feel free to hit me up, I am looking
forward to hearing from you
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