Trainline Sign in & registration

Client: Trainline

My role: Lead Product Designer

Project: Increasing long term customer value & engagement

Summary: To boost registrations and signed-in transactions, key to long-term value, I redesigned the booking funnel flows. Logged‑in users gained easier self-service for exchanges and refunds, vital during COVID. The redesign increased logged‑in transactions by 60% and registrations by 20%.

The outcome

To meet the business goal of increasing registrations and signed‑in transactions (critical drivers of long‑term customer value), I redesigned the sign‑in and registration flows across the booking funnel. Logged‑in customers not only provide greater lifetime value but also benefit from a significantly improved experience, including easier self‑service for exchanges and refunds. This was especially vital during COVID, when flexibility and efficiency were essential. The redesign delivered measurable results, with a 60% increase in logged‑in transactions and a 20% rise in registrations.

Don't just take my word for it

David Willis

Head of Design at Trainline

“Working with Alison has been an absolute pleasure. From the moment she started it was obvious she was going to add value to our team - she supported in forming a successful new squad alongside Product and Engineering counterparts, championed design thinking, had a data informed opinion and put in the effort to get to know everyone and embed herself into the team culture even during remote working times.

Alison brings a wealth of knowledge, an infectious ‘get things done’ attitude and positive vibes, meaning even tackling problems with complex requirements happen in a true customer first way.

Whilst at Trainline she’s run design workshops, helped manage opportunity backlogs, completed rounds of customer testing and shipped so many cool improvements to the product.

We would gladly have her back as part of the team again in the future and she’ll be an asset to any team she joins.

My Role as Lead Product Designer

As the Lead Product Designer for the Engagement Squad, I collaborated with a Product Owner, Business Analyst, and a dedicated development team. Reporting directly to the Head of Design, I ensured our solutions were consistent with Trainline's broader design and product strategies.

Registration before changes

Understanding the Challenges

Despite many users having existing accounts, 80% opted for guest checkout, limiting their ability to manage bookings effectively. This behaviour led to decreased user engagement and higher costs for the Contact Centre.

Strategic objectives

Increase Sign-In and Registration Rates: Encourage users to log in or create accounts to enhance engagement.

Improve Self-Service Capabilities: Enable users to manage their bookings independently, reducing reliance on customer support.

Reduce Contact Centre Costs: Lower the volume of support enquiries through improved self-service options.

Maintain Conversion Rates: Ensure that changes have a positive or neutral impact on overall sales.

Align with New Design System: Update the UI to reflect Trainline's latest design guidelines.

Enhance Accessibility: Make the platform more inclusive for all users.

Design considerations

Recognise that logged-in customers have double the long-term value compared to guest users.
Avoid redirecting users away from their current page during the sign-in process.
Integrate seamlessly with the evolving global header.
Incorporate marketing opt-in opportunities without disrupting user experience.
Prioritise accessibility to cater to a diverse user base.

Exploring Design Options

We considered various approaches, including modals, separate pages, and popover bubbles. The popover bubble was selected for its reusability across the site and its non-intrusive nature, allowing users to continue their tasks without disruption.

Implementing Variant Testing

We deployed multiple tests, such as Google One Tap for returning users, the new popover bubble, refreshed static pages, and social sign-in options during the booking flow. This comprehensive testing ensured that each segment of the site received the most effective solution.

Deliverables

Reusable popover component for sign-in and registration.
Google One Tap sign-in for returning customers.
Mid-booking flow sign-in or registration prompt for UK users.
Refreshed static sign-in and registration pages.
International passenger details registration prompt.
Social sign-in prompt during passenger details entry.

Measurable Outcomes

Our enhancements led to a reduction in customer support tickets, neutral conversion impact and significant increases in logged-in transactions:

+59.2% logged-in transactions on international mobile web
+39.8% logged-in transactions on international desktop web
+50.3% logged-in transactions on UK mobile web
+31.8% logged-in transactions on UK desktop web

International mobile web

International desktop web

UK mobile web

UK Desktop web

These results underscore the effectiveness of our user-centered design approach in enhancing user engagement and driving business growth.

More projects

Research

Service Design

BP Electric Vehicle Charging App

To drive EV adoption, I unified BP's home and public charging services into a seamless app and improved signage and charging machines. This enhanced customer experience addressed pain points and earned the app a 4.5-star rating on the App Store and 4.6-star on Google Play.