Disclaimer: This post isn’t commercially related, it represents my experience as an end user.

Few days ago my bank relaunched their mobile banking app. Such a good news.

I was curious about the new look and feel, so I started to watch the presentation video to see more details about it. I listed below the steps I have to perform before using the new mobile app.

Step 1. I have to download the new app (not update the current app version, but to download a new one).

Step 2. I have to type in my username and authentication code (generated by your own card reader device).

Step 3. I need to download and install a token app (different than the mobile banking app).

Step 4. I need to request an activation code. I can do this from the internet banking web app, not from the token app itself.

Step 5. I need to check SMS and type in the activation code received.

Step 6. I have to set a PIN for the token app.

Step 7. Now I can login using my username and a code generated by the token app.(although previously I used only a PIN code, so less data to fill in).

I guess that they skipped the articles which describe the importance of an on boarding process for a mobile app. A very helpful article can be found here.

On the other hand, we have more and more fin-tech businesses which invest a lot in the software products available for their customers.

Being able to register you mobile app only from your mobile phone and having to complete a few simple steps is way more user friendly compared to all the steps described above.

I do understand that banks might be constrained by more corporate rules (in terms of security, compliance and so on), but still we are in the 21st century and things can be way simpler.

When designing the on boarding process for your next mobile app do keep in mind that it represents one of the most important succeed or to fail reasons.