Case Study

Discord Onboarding

An exploration of how Discord could improve the server introduction experience

Discord features thousands of servers, big and small, that invite new users in every day. Each server has unique channels, rules, roles—and, crucially, different onboarding flows built with third-party tools and clever use of the UI. What if joining servers started the same way, every time?

Table of Contents

Part 1

Understanding the Problem

The landscape

We like talking to people. A lot. Before COVID, chatting and social media embedded itself in everything we did. However, in the midst of a global pandemic, we learned that we needed other ways to connect with others, may they be friends, family, or entire communities. People carved new spaces to talk, watch movies, play games, and share memes that were too difficult to share on Instagram and no fun to do in direct messages between 2 people. Thankfully, Discord offered an existing place to carve that space — or specifically, a server — and find new spaces, too, where anyone could make new friends.

Are you practicing your drawing skills? Maybe you’re a big fan of the vapor genre of music. Do you want to learn more about a game you just discovered? Wouldn’t it be nice to learn more and meet people who love what you do? One google search later and you might stumble into a Discord server for people like you…

And it’s huge.

Wait, are there rules? What are roles, anyway? I don’t know what the hell the channel called “#henrys-beach-party” is for… I thought this was a Final Fantasy server! You wander into a channel labeled #general-chat and drop a message:

Me
Hey guys, I’m new here! Nice to meet you!

KingTitania20
this isn’t the introduction channel… try posting in hi-new-friends instead. oh yeah don’t forget to pick a game server role before jumping into looking-for-group chat and also pick whether you’re tank, dps, heals, craft, gathering, fashion or other, TY

Well, this is embarrassing. You didn’t see that channel, but there’s at least 30 of them crowding the left side of the screen… Again with the roles, too. What is even happening? Is there a better way to get to know a server?

Zeroing in

It feels bad when you feel like you missed something when you join a new Discord server. You’re excited to see all of the cool things people have shared, talk about your favorite plot beats in a TV show, and make new friends, but you’re overwhelmed by how much stuff is there and confused by how you’re supposed to engage with it. Discord has tried to implement solutions, but they’re scarcely used and some of them can only be used in gigantic servers. I couldn’t help but wonder: how can Discord improve the onboarding process for users joining a server for the first time?

With the tools and resources I’d gathered in the Maryland Institute College of Art’s Masters of UX Design program, I collected data on Discord through research, interviews, and an analysis combining those results. Today, I’m going to show you how that data turned into a prototype and how users responded to that prototype.

Part 2

Finding Solutions

Speaking to the users

I started by identifying two user types that defined the primary people involved in the problem:

  • New/Existing Users, or people who join and interact with large servers (100+ users).

  • Moderators, or people who maintain, update, and/or own a large server.

I interviewed a selection of participants — 50% new/existing user, 50% moderators — to gather insight on how current users think and feel about joining or maintaining a large server.

New and existing users enjoyed how Discord looks and feels but consistently described how large servers were intimidating and difficult to get started in, considering most servers used a unique selection of third-party bots to manage all sorts of content. Likewise, moderators expressed frustration over trying to acclimate people joining the first time, knowing that every server does it a little differently. They talked about the struggle of managing the wants, needs, and expectations of people joining for the first time and felt like they didn’t have a good way to introduce them to the server without holding their hands. Every interviewee said the same thing in the end: I am overwhelmed by the server onboarding experience — or more accurately, the lack thereof.

I looked back at my problem statement. I was on the right track, but after completing my user research analysis, I chose a more specific direction that defined the rest of my process:

How might we make the onboarding user experience more consistent among servers so users can quickly find introductory channels?

Sketches

I considered several approaches, looking both at Discord’s competitors and popular apps. I landed on designing a introduction sequence, which guides users through the basics of the server. Based on my interviews and new problem statement, I generated two sprint maps.

New/Existing Users sprint map

Moderators sprint map

I realized that I didn’t have time to prototype both sides of the experience, so I opted for what most users will see and started on lightning demos to explore possible features. Additionally, I did a crazy eights exercise to see how I could approach the first screen a user may see when joining a server, while considering some of the solutions I saw during my research.

Lightning demo for “Drop In ‘N Out,” inspired by Slack

Lightning demo for “Visible Secrets,” inspired by Reddit

Crazy Eights sketch for first screen

Part 3

Prototyping & Usability Testing

Lo-fi sketches to hi-fi prototype

After reviewing my crazy eights, I decided to break the experience down into simpler screens. I began by doing a few waves of whiteboard wireframes, then translated those into Figma for quick revisions. I identified a few core features to include that reflect my research:

  • An introduction screen which describes what the server is and who it’s for

  • A way to present rules that flows with the introduction

  • Integrated role selection without the use of bots, which could then be a core part of the introduction experience (as well as the server)

  • The ability to require user interaction with rules and/or roles before joining the server

  • A channel at the end of the intro that presents some easy places to get started

Welcome screen whiteboard wireframes

Welcome screen lo-fi wireframes

I reviewed the wireframes and made some minor tweaks to the flow, then gathered assets in Figma to create a functional prototype based on Discord’s 2021 UI/UX in dark mode (preferred by over 90% of Discord users). I used a server for the video game Final Fantasy XIV as the example, but this format could be used on any server, regardless of content.

Discord onboarding (version 1) hi-fi screens

The usability test

I recruited new and previous participants for usability testing and a short, related interview, with each session lasting about 20 minutes in a Discord voice/video chat. Each participant received different questions based on their user type but saw the same prototype. I wanted to know how approachable, intuitive, and helpful the proposed introduction sequence felt. The prototype was short, so I chose a single, straightforward task that borrowed language from the server I demoed that could get them from the beginning to the end:

You play the video game Final Fantasy 14, and you are a part of the server Zalera on Crystal data center. You have been invited to join a new server. Please show me how you would navigate through this Discord server introduction and explain what you are thinking and doing while you go through it.

Each participant received a few follow-up questions after completing the demo to explore what they liked, what didn’t work for them, and what else they’d like to see.

The results & new iteration

I had set out to create a better onboarding experience, but how did the participants respond to my approach? Overall, the response was positive, but some points stood out.

Things to Keep

  • Role Select: All participants cited the role selection as a big plus, noting that choosing roles on servers can be a hassle.

  • About Us: Most participants felt that the inclusion of an intro screen helped a lot with getting to know the server and its expectations.

  • Rules: Several participants liked how clearly the rules were presented and the simplicity of the checkbox.

  • Getting Started: Several participants loved the directory at the end, since it gave them direction on where to start chatting.

Places to Improve

  • Steps: Several participants noted that they wanted to see the first screen again to look at the steps and see how far they’d gone and what was remaining.

  • Skip: One participant mentioned that, while they didn’t mind it, they know some people that may get frustrated with a locked-down introduction which prevents access to the main server.

  • More Options: Another participant wondered if they could select additional roles during the introduction rather than needing to navigate to a roles channel afterward.

After breaking down the data, I was able to implement some of these changes for version 2 of the prototype, featured in the video below.

Discord onboarding (version 2) hi-fi prototype on YouTube

Part 4

Outcomes & the Future

Key insights

I made several assumptions about the user experience in Discord throughout my research, and overall, they were validated. That didn’t mean there weren’t things to learn:

If It Ain’t Broke: People like Discord as is, and many of them use it every day. Any introduction sequence needs to feel like it’s a part of the experience they already know and love.

Steps and Exits: Users want a more visible step tracker that links to the first page, as well as the ability to skip the introduction with certain conditions attached.

More or Less: Interviewees expressed satisfaction with the amount of content in the introduction, but breaking the flow into additional steps may decrease the time to understanding a screen.

Possible steps

What else could I do with a concept like this? I considered some of the challenges I had faced and would face in further iterations and across the app:

1. Scaling Up

All told, I spoke to 8 people across 11 interviews, which suited my needs at the time but felt like too small a sample to get the data I’d like to have.

2. Updates

I’d need to check to see what features Discord have implemented since May 2021. Discord updates frequently and my work may overlap.

3. Contrast

Could Discord’s default dark mode have better contrast or more options to adjust brightness/contrast?

The future

It was quite challenging to research and design a new feature for Discord in 16 short weeks, especially solo and working full-time. There are a few things I’d pursue if I had more time and hands on deck, including additional prototyping and interviews, more features focused on the moderator side, and more ideas on how the introduction could connect to the server channels. Still, Discord offers a unique way to connect with friends, family, and acquaintances that no other service fully competes with, and I’ve been happy to see parts of features like these get implemented as of 2024.

Citations

This case study, my work, and I am not affiliated with Discord Inc.

This case study was generated by me—Taylor B. Dallas—in the Summer 2021 classes of the Master in UX Design program at the Maryland Institute College of Art. The research and design for this case study was performed by Taylor B. Dallas, unless otherwise cited.

The images and text were originally posted on Medium and has been adapted and updated for my personal site. You can view the original case study here!