Natural Capital Exchange
Boosting conversion through Segmented Onboarding
NCX was in growth mode and the main focus was increasing funnel and conversion rates. I set and led the segmentation strategy impacting onboarding and account management. This achieved both an increase in conversion and retention.
Scope of work
Product Design
0->1 Product Market Fit
Startup
AI
Results
3 onboarding flows designed & deployed
Key Callouts
Content focus on how it solves prospect's problems. Emphasized clarity, confidence, and motivation to engage.
Role
Principal Product Designer
Date
March 2025 - June 2025
Team
13 teammates
CEO, CPO, Product Owner, Director of Growth, Director of Forestry, CFO, Partnerships strategist, CX Specialist, Director of Engineering, FE Engineers, Data Scientists
Problem
NCX’s platform introduced a novel, complex offering—unlocking income and conservation opportunities for landowners through data-driven forestry programs. But the value proposition was difficult to grasp. Potential clients often dismissed NCX as irrelevant to their needs, slowing growth and limiting adoption.
To achieve its growth goals, NCX needed to
Clearly articulate NCX’s unique value to diverse landowner segments.
Simplify onboarding and reduce decision fatigue.
Create offerings that deliver both immediate income and long-term stewardship value.
The Approach
Strategic Foundation: Segmentation & Product Focus
01/ To scale adoption, we needed to move from 'one-size-fits-all messaging' → 'tailored onboarding paths' to meet landowners where they were — financially, emotionally, and operationally.
02/ I led a cross-functional AI hacked sprint with product, data science, and growth to identify our top-value landowner segments — Timber Income, Conservation-Minded, and Income Optimizers — balancing potential market size with ease of activation.
Design & Experience Strategy: Flow Redesign + Harnessing AI for Workflow
01/ With tight deadlines — no room to up-level the visual design - we went with the most powerful way to get numbers and direction:
1. re-architecting the flow
2. using the right words and
3. simplifying the experience
02/ Furthering efficiency, I used AI Vibe coding to push concepts and generate new segment concepts to test.
Design & Experience Strategy: Data Layering
01/ We redesigned the onboarding flow around user intent rather than business funnels, guiding each segment through contextually relevant narratives. Because of lack of knowledge and tendency to be overwhelmed by managing land — prospects needed to feel a sense of understanding and hand holding.
02/ We layered behavioral data (parcel size, forest type, tax status) to drive dynamic onboarding content, used Gen AI to synthesize data, replaced jargon with plain language, framing NCX as a solution to their specific anxieties and goals.
Tradeoffs: While a fully personalized experience was ideal, we balanced complexity by starting with 3 high-value flows that covered 80% of traffic.
Speed vs. Quality: Execution Under Constraints
01/ We operated under a tight quarterly OKR deadline to maneuver quickly. To balance speed and quality, we tested critical flows using painted door prototypes, validating the engagement before full build.
02/ This approach allowed the team to move fast without sacrificing learning — gaining CEO confidence in the direction and unlocking investment for further build-out.
03/ By the end of the quarter, three tailored onboarding flows were live — each anchored in the motivations that truly drove landowner participation. The result was stronger resonance, faster activation, and measurable conversion gains.
04/ We were able to focus on one segment that had the most compelling offer and engagement and so began concept and AI concept work to build out vision and continue with UX research testing and feature validation.
Results
3 onboarding flows designed & deployed
Behavioral Science Insight: Decision Fatigue
I applied principles of choice architecture to NCX’s onboarding flow, curating program options to reduce decision fatigue—the cognitive overload that occurs when users face too many choices. By simplifying and guiding decisions, we improved clarity, confidence, and conversion rates.
IMPACT
01/ New onboarding flows reframed NCX’s product by clearly showing how it solves prospects’ problems—creating clarity, confidence, and motivation to engage.
02/ 3 onboarding flows built and launched.
Timber Income: Landowners focused on income generation and predictability.
Conservation-Minded: Landowners focused on long-term stewardship.
Income Optimizers: Landowners balancing profit, tax efficiency, and land costs.
Deep resonance and value
01/ In early calls, prospects often didn’t understand NCX’s value; Segment-driven funnels created stronger resonance, and onboarding flows turned initial interest into action.
02/ Providing curated information and upfront value increased momentum and confidence among prospective landowners to adopt the product. My designs enabled us to prioritize the highest-value segment, validated via a painted-door onboarding test and strong click-through rates.
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