Google X SCAD pro
Google • 2023 • UX Designer
Google Assistant is a virtual assistant developed by Google that helps users complete tasks through voice interaction.
Overview
Designing a Habit-Forming
Onboarding Experience
The early Google Assistant onboarding was unclear and overwhelming, leading many users to drop off before building a habit.
Users didn’t discover valuable features and struggled to integrate the Assistant into daily routines. To address this, I redesigned the onboarding to guide users through small, practical actions aligned with their daily needs, turning first-time use into a consistent habit.
Impact
Redesigned Onboarding Boosted Engagement by 25%
I reduced onboarding time by 40%, doubled user interaction during gamified flows, and boosted task exploration by 25%—making Google Assistant easier to adopt and more engaging from day one.
↗40%
Onboarding Time
Reduced
2X
Time Spent in Gamified
Onboarding
+25%
More Tasks Explored with Gamified Flow
Insights
Users Want Engaging & Useful Assistants
After conducting research with 74 users, I found:
82% owned assistants for 1+ year but rarely used advanced features (poor discoverability).
67% used assistants for productivity but found interactions dull.
50%+ wanted richer, more expressive experiences.
These insights revealed an opportunity: make advanced features easier to discover while delivering engaging, expressive interactions aligned with daily routines.
Users Seek Expressive
Useful Voice Assistants
for Daily Tasks
Ease ≠ engagement: Over 50% find Google Assistant easy to use, but want more interactive and expressive experiences.
Afternoon usage dominates: 67% use voice assistants after 12 PM, aligning with productivity-driven routines.
Advanced feature gap: 82% have used voice assistants for over a year, but underuse advanced capabilities due to discoverability issues.
Utility-driven expectations: Many users rely on assistants for task scheduling and time management
Strategy
Mapping the Path to Daily Use: From Awareness to Habit Formation
To address the challenges identified in our research, I created a habit-building journey:
Reduced first-use overwhelm.
Surface relevant features when needed.
Encourage repeat use with small, rewarding actions.
This structure turned a passive onboarding flow into an active, habit-building experience.
Onboarding
Habits
Before using
Learning
Exploring
1
Awareness:
Learning about
devices
2
Intro:
What Google
Assistant can do
Setting up
3
Onboarding:
Step-by-step
setup
4
First Week:
Trying basic
features
5
Daily Use:
Building
routines
6
Tasks:
Trying different
features
7
Contexts:
Using in new
situations
8
Recommendations:
Discovering
advanced tools
Execution
Turning Strategy
into Action
We translated our strategy into 5 clear features that lower learning barriers and encourage consistent use.These features helped Google Assistant feel more personal, practical, and part of users’ daily lives.
Feature 01
Guided Onboarding：Core Features First
Users struggled with onboarding due to a lack of engagement, making the learning curve steep and discouraging early adoption.
I designed a personalized onboarding experience that allows users to choose custom names and hotwords, making the interaction with Google Assistant more welcoming and user-friendly.
Feature 02
Interactive Tutorials: Step-by-Step Learning
Users didn’t discover advanced features because they were hidden or irrelevant when surfaced.
I created an interactive onboarding experience that guides users step-by-step through key features using quick tasks and personalized suggestions, making it easier to explore Google Assistant's capabilities.
Feature 03
Hands-on Learning：
Try As You On
I designed scenario-based guides that use real-life situations to help users explore Google Assistant's features naturally, making the learning process more relatable and engaging.
Feature 04
Flexible Scheduling
Users found scheduling rigid and not tailored to their needs, leading to poor adoption.
I designed a smart suggestion system that proactively recommends actions based on user habits, such as muting notifications during focus times or suggesting relevant places and tasks, making the experience more seamless and personalized.
Feature 05
Smart Recommendations
I designed a personalized scheduling system that allows users to add, edit, and manage deadlines effortlessly through natural language input, making task management more intuitive and efficient.
What‘s next？
We’re exploring personalized goal suggestions and richer contextual prompts to help users build consistent routines with Google Assistant, making daily interactions more proactive and rewarding.
Up Next
Sulfur Studio—Redefining Identity and Driving User Activation.
E-commerce / B2C / Informational Architecture
Interested in how I navigated the challenge?
Hit me up for a deep dive into the project.