The good bits:
- The app provides a free sample by not forcing a new user to create an account to listen to stories. Existing users are offered the chance to log in from the first screen in the intro tour.
- Umano provides a personal focus via a succinct customization screen after the intro tour. Here, the new user is able to explicitly select topics of interest. The screen doesn’t allow the new user to move past this screen unless she chooses at least one topic, which is forgivable since the screen is kept simple and focused.
- The app provides features like listening, sharing and airplaying without requiring sign in. When sign-in is prompted (such as when the new user tries to recommend a story), the resulting overlay clearly explains the value proposition of creating an account.
- The app goes light on tooltips. The “Tap on a story below to begin listening” nicely fades away after the new user visits her first story.
To be improved:
- The intro tour is extremely lightweight, the photography is abstract, and the features listed may be considered obvious. This can make the “Swipe to learn more” action feel meaningless. The app could consider keeping the Get Started button present throughout, so that the new user could have the option of jumping right into the product or learning more, or even could condense this information into a single screen.
- The congratulations modal obstructs the payoff from the customization step and seems unnecessary since its call to action is to simply close the modal. The app should consider placing this FYI inline with the content on the “Personalized” view.