Dev Diary #1: Exploring Our New Onboarding

Welcome to the first instalment of our LawNetConnect Dev Diary, a behind-the-scenes series where we share the progress, thinking, and designs behind the development of our new Member Portal.

At the heart of the project was a dedicated user experience workshop, where we brought together a wide range of members to better understand how they interact with LawNet and what they need from a digital platform. By exploring real-life roles, challenges, and expectations across the network, we were able to identify key themes and priorities that have directly shaped the platform’s development

In this edition, we’re excited to introduce you to a key piece of the user journey: the new onboarding process.

Making First Impressions Count

From the moment a member first logs in, we want them to feel welcomed, supported, and confident in navigating the platform. That’s why we’ve designed an onboarding experience that’s intuitive, informative, and tailored to the individual.

Please note: the visuals shown here are early concept designs and may evolve as development continues. While they offer a good sense of the direction we’re heading in, some elements may change as we refine the user experience and respond to feedback.

Once logged in, users are invited to complete a guided 3-step setup process:

1. Personal Details – A space to update their contact info and upload a profile picture.
2. Job Role – Users can select from a detailed list of legal and business support roles to help shape the content they see.
3. Group Memberships – Members select the specialist groups they belong to, ensuring that content, events, and updates are directly relevant to their areas of interest. 

These selections aren’t just for show, they directly feed into a personalised dashboard experience, ensuring each user gets content that reflects their role, interests, and areas of practice.

Why It Matters

We know that first impressions shape long-term engagement. By offering a smoother, smarter onboarding process, we’re helping members get value from LawNetConnect right from day one, whether they’re fee earners, business support professionals, or firm leaders.

Coming Up Next...

In the next edition of our Dev Diary, we’ll be diving into personalised dashboards, the dynamic home page experience that greets each user after onboarding.