Balancing minimalism with usability and accessibility to strengthen conversion and build user trust.
Fable is a social app for book lovers, designed to facilitate discussion around books and TV shows. When I first tried the app, I immediately noticed several usability and accessibility issues on the sign-up screen. Since onboarding is a critical moment in the initial userflow, I decided to do a quick redesign of the mobile sign-up experience while maintaining Fable’s clean and minimalistic aesthetic.
Original Fable sign in page
Input Fields: Minimal styling made it difficult to distinguish input boundaries. Placeholders disappeared after interaction, leaving users without clear context. Required fields weren’t indicated.
CTA and Links: The primary “Sign Up” button was disabled by default and lacked contrast, making it feel secondary. Links such as Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and Login appeared in muted gray text, blending into body copy.
Error and Success States: Error messages relied solely on color and lacked clarity on which field was incorrect. There were no success states to reassure users when inputs were valid.
Updated fable signup page with UI improvements.
Input Fields:
Introduced clear input boundaries with visible borders.
Added persistent labels above each input field for context, even after typing.
Included a "Confirm Password" field for error reduction.
Display password requirements to guide users.
CTA and Links:
Updated the "Sign Up" button with Fable's primary brand color for better contrast and hierarchy.
Increased the contrast of links and applied link colors, ensuring WCAG compliance.
Error and Success States:
Updated error states to include both color and icon cues for accessibility.
Improved focus indicators to highlight fields with issues or success.
Added positive feedback (success states) for meeting password rules, reducing uncertainty
during sign-up.
These simple changes provide a much smoother sign-up experience. It reduces error rates, lowers user uncertainty, and fixes accessibility issues. First impressions are important, and ensuring the sign-up experience is accessible and frictionless is an important step in the onboarding process.
Results:
✅ Stronger accessibility with WCAG-compliant contrast and multiple feedback modes.
✅ Reduced cognitive load through clearer persistent labels, requirements, and feedback.
✅ Maintained the minimalist aesthetic with Fable's brand and enhanced overall usability.
