Salu Health
Helping users better understand digital healthcare services and improving conversion through a clearer onboarding experience
The challenge
Salu Health is a digital healthcare provider that combines online and in-person medical services. After launching its new Health Coverage product, the company noticed declining conversion rates and an increasing number of customer support enquiries. Research suggested that many users struggled to understand the product offering, differentiate between available plans, and navigate the onboarding process confidently.
The challenge was to identify where users dropped out, understand why they hesitated, and redesign the mobile onboarding experience to better communicate the product’s value and improve conversion.
Methods
User Journey Mapping, Cognitive Walkthrough, Usability Testing, Semi-Structured Interviews, Think-Aloud Protocol, Thematic Analysis, Persona Development, Competitor Analysis, Copywriting, Low-Fi Prototyping, Hi-Fi Prototyping, Iterative Usability Testing
Team
Emmah Nembaware, Britta Kari, Hadiya Sarfraz, Mohamed Gamal
Duration
3 Months
Research
The research focused on understanding why users struggled throughout the onboarding journey and what prevented them from confidently subscribing to Health Coverage. By combining existing customer data, moderated usability testing, and interviews, the team identified where users became confused, what information was missing, and how clearer communication and a more structured user journey could improve the overall onboarding experience.
→ User journey mapping
Existing customer insights were analysed before conducting additional user research. Customer support enquiries, previous interviews, survey responses, social media discussions, and cognitive walkthroughs were synthesised into a user journey map. This revealed where users dropped out of the onboarding process, which stages caused the most friction, and where further research would provide the greatest value.
→ Usability testing & interviews
Moderated usability testing and semi-structured interviews explored how first-time users understood and used the Health Coverage website. The study included locals, expats, freelancers and digitally native users to understand their different needs, expectations and decisions.
→ Persona development
The research showed that the main differences were between local and international users rather than between demographic groups. Based on these findings, two personas were created to represent their different needs, expectations and behaviours.
→ Competitor analysis
A competitor analysis explored how other digital healthcare providers present their plans, explain key benefits and guide users through the subscription process. The findings helped improve the information hierarchy, content structure and onboarding.
Key Insights
→ Users struggle to understand the value proposition
Many participants could not clearly distinguish between Primary Care and Health Coverage, making it difficult to understand which product matched their needs.
→ Information architecture matter more than missing features
The biggest barriers were not functionality but scattered information, inconsistent terminology, and unclear navigation that made important information difficult to find.
→ Clear communication builds trust
Participants wanted to clearly understand what the service includes, how it works and what they are paying for. Unclear terms and missing information made it harder to feel confident about subscribing.
→ Local and international users have different expectations
International users often saw the value of the service, while local users compared it with existing healthcare options and needed more reasons to subscribe.
→ Users want answers before making a commitment
Users often hesitated before subscribing because important information about pricing, coverage, subscription length and eligibility was difficult to find or appeared too late.
Design Solutions
The research revealed that the main barriers were not caused by a lack of functionality, but by unclear communication, fragmented information, and uncertainty throughout the subscription journey. These findings guided the redesign towards improving information hierarchy, simplifying the onboarding flow, standardising terminology, and helping users understand the value of Health Coverage before making a commitment.
→ Simplified onboarding journey
Problem – Users struggle to understand where to begin and how the subscription process worked.
Solution – The onboarding flow was reorganised into a clearer step-by-step journey that reduced uncertainty from the first interaction.
→ Improved information hierarchy
Problem – Important information is spread across different pages and hidden in FAQ sections.
Solution – Content was reorganised so users received the right information at the right stage of the decision-making process.
→ Clearer product communication
Problem – Users were unclear about the difference between Primary Care and Health Coverage.
Solution – The redesigned pages introduced clearer explanations, simplified copywriting, and stronger visual comparisons between products.
→ Consistent terminology
Problem – Different names were used for the same actions and products, which caused confusion.
Solution – Terminology was standardised to improve clarity and reduce cognitive load.
→ Better subscription guidance
Problem – Users hesitate to subscribe because they do not fully understand the payment terms and service limitations.
Solution – Better explanations and a clearer information structure helped users feel more confident about subscribing.
Usability Testing
Moderated usability testing was used to evaluate the redesigned prototype with Salu Health’s target users. The testing focused on whether users could better understand Health Coverage, navigate the onboarding process and make informed decisions about subscribing.
The results showed that clearer information and improved content structure reduced confusion and made important information easier to find. User feedback also showed where subscription details, eligibility and payment information could be made clearer in the final design.
Outcome
The project demonstrated how user research and iterative design can improve the communication of complex digital healthcare services without changing the product itself. By simplifying the information architecture, refining the onboarding journey, and improving content clarity, the redesign addressed key pain points identified during the research and made the subscription process easier to understand.
The final outcome was a validated high-fidelity prototype supported by research-based recommendations for improving onboarding, UX writing, information architecture, and the overall user experience of Salu Health’s mobile website.