Redesigned Slice's onboarding experience to meet RBI KYC requirements while removing the friction that was causing over half of users to abandon before activation.
I looked at the existing onboarding and found a clear pattern: over half of people who started never finished. The leaks weren't scattered — they clustered at three steps.
Old onboarding flow — drop-off points
Three steps accounted for majority of abandonment: PAN image upload, address upload, 24–48hr wait.
Replace manual document uploads with automated data fetches, show credit limit at end to remove uncertainty of waiting.
I grounded the redesign in two user types we kept seeing in interviews — first-timers who needed reassurance, and experienced users who refused to re-enter data Slice already had.
Works in IT, shops online, uses finance apps
“If I'm approved, tell me now — then I'll finish the rest.”
Manager in a Tier-2 city, already owns a card
“Don't make me enter what you already have from my PAN.”
I combined funnel analytics, user interviews, and competitor review. Three insights shaped every decision that followed.
Analytics confirmed biggest exits at PAN image upload, proof of address upload, and 24–48hr activation wait. These became the primary targets.
Every interview participant said being asked for documents before any approval signal felt unfair. Validated showing credit score early as a motivation anchor.
CRED and Paytm both deferred some KYC steps until after provisional approval. I used this as evidence to bring to the legal team.
I explored four directions. Three I rejected. One I took to legal and shipped.
Compliance-safe, no post-approval work
High drop-offs at doc uploads, long time to value
Doesn't solve the problem, maintains status quo
Easier start, no backend change
Still front-loads address proof, core friction remains
Addresses symptoms not root cause
Faster total time
Tech/API complexity; if either fails, user leaves with nothing
Failure mode is worse than current state
Early win for user, less early friction, RBI-compliant before card issue
Needs backend sequencing and compliance sign-off
Removes the three highest drop-off steps while staying fully compliant
I redesigned the sequence around motivation: show eligibility early, automate the document steps, and end with something usable — not a wait screen.
The redesign moved the completion rate from 45% to 82%. Document-step drop-off fell 20%. Forty percent of users finished sign-up in under two minutes.
What I'd carry forward
