Simpl Linking Screen: Adding Friction for Better Activation
Reframed checkout conversion around informed intent and introduced positive friction.
- Activation Design
- Risk-Aware Growth
- Checkout Experience
- Positive Friction
Vidyadhar Sharma
Head of Product at profound.me
From their time as
Product Manager
Simpl • 2023 - 2024
Overview
Vidyadhar reframed a checkout conversion brief as a quality-of-acquisition problem. A two-step linking flow delivered double-digit activation growth and six-figure annual delinquency savings.
The Story
Vidyadhar took on Simpl's new-user linking screen with a mandate to improve checkout conversion. The flow acquired some users without enough understanding of what activating a Simpl account meant, creating avoidable confusion and delinquency.
He reframed the objective around informed intent. The proposed solution added positive friction, changing a one-page OTP flow into two steps with clearer education about account activation and repayment.
The extra step helped users decide whether Simpl was the right product before proceeding. It also meant the team spent less effort persuading poorly matched users after acquisition.
The redesigned flow delivered double-digit activation growth and six-figure annual delinquency savings. It aligned conversion, risk, and user trust around the same onboarding decision.
Ownership Snapshot
Broad role
Owned an early consumer acquisition and activation funnel at Simpl.
Goal
Improve activation quality while reducing avoidable delinquency.
Direct ownership
Reframed the problem, proposed the flow, and led the experience redesign.
Team execution
Worked with product partners to ship and evaluate the two-step linking flow.