DISCOVER PROJECT
Uber
Making Sign-Up Simple
Usability research that drove real product change
2026
The Ask: Uber redesigned their Uber Drive website but needed to know if it worked for real drivers before rolling it out. They needed honest feedback from the people who'd actually use it, not design validation from people defending the work.
SERVICES
UX Research, User Interviews, Usability Testing, Research Synthesis
The Solution
UX Research User Interviews Usability Testing Research Synthesis Findings Presentation
A research engagement that surfaced what real drivers actually experienced, presented as objective third-party data.
Independent research, not design validation Usability issues surfaced before launch A comprehensive research report with recommendations Uber acted on the findings to improve the live site
Independence Was the Point
Our role on this project was deliberately objective. We weren't the designers defending the work, we were the independent researchers listening to real drivers and reporting back what we found. Uber needed honest feedback, not validation. We ran user interviews with actual Uber Drive users, walked them through the new website designs, and observed where they got confused, what they missed, and what they wished they had.
Patterns That Were Bigger Than Polish
The interviews surfaced consistent usability issues. Terminology and placement of key items confused new users. Critical information drivers needed, like insurance details, wasn't surfaced before sign-up. Hidden navigation patterns like clickable arrows felt invisible. Drivers wanted information visually upfront, with photos of what was being referenced, not just text. Two patterns emerged. Drivers wanted to see the full picture before committing, with step-by-step timeline views and interactive prototypes. And the information architecture from the design team felt scattered to the people actually using it. These weren't polish issues. They were fundamental onboarding problems that could directly impact sign-up rates.
Good research doesn't tell people what they want to hear -- it tells them what their users actually experience. Our value on this project was our objectivity.
Findings Uber Could Act On
Our deliverable was a comprehensive research report presenting all findings, patterns, and recommendations to the Uber team. We presented as a neutral third party, not as designers defending the work. Uber took the feedback and used it to make changes to the site.
Real drivers told us exactly what wasn't working, and we made sure Uber heard it clearly.
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