System Understanding and Onboarding - Confusion about what systems

## Epic: System Understanding and Onboarding

**8 participants tested, March 2026**

### Summary
User testing shows that business owners are often unsure which system they are
using. They confuse BC Registries, Corporate Online, BC Online, and sometimes
federal services. This confusion lowers confidence before migration even begins.

**Dependency:** This epic should be sequenced before Epic: Navigation and Task
Flow. Orientation gaps here compound navigation friction downstream.

**Outcome:** Users know where they are and what system they are using.

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### User Story: Understand which system I am using
**Confidence:** High | **Support Risk:** Med

As a business owner
I want to know what site I am in
So I feel confident moving forward

#### Notes
- Participants could not clearly distinguish between BC Registries, Corporate
Online, and BC Online — some confused provincial services with federal
- Users built mental models from habit and past use instead of guidance
- One participant described BC Online as an "umbrella" — the only helpful
framing observed across all sessions
- This confusion creates a fragile foundation going into migration

#### Evidence
6 out of 8 participants could not clearly say which government system they were
using or how the different systems related to each other.
*(Research report Slides 6–7)*

#### Actions
- [ ] Add a clear, visible system name on key pages
- [ ] Clarify how this system relates to others users may know
- [ ] Reduce reliance on users inferring system purpose
- [ ] Validate that orientation is obvious within the first few seconds

---

### User Story: Understand account creation
**Confidence:** High | **Support Risk:** High

As a new user
I want to know what an account name means
So I do not guess

#### Notes
- Account creation caused multiple users to pause or fail
- "Account name" was interpreted differently by every participant
- No participant was confident they entered the correct information
- Ambiguity blocked progress and required facilitator assistance

#### Evidence
All 8 participants were confused by the Account name field. No one entered it
with confidence. The research report states directly: "Nobody had a good
understanding of what was required." This is one of the strongest findings
in the entire study.
*(Research report Slide 25; user testing sessions BCR 001, 002, 003, 004, 005 — PPTX "nobody" statement implies all 8)*

#### Actions
- [x] Update the Account name label or helper text
- [x] Add an example or short explanation
- [ ] Validate understanding through testing
- [ ] Ensure users can proceed without second-guessing

---

### User Story: Understand service names
**Confidence:** Med | **Support Risk:** Med

As a business owner
I want simple service names
So I do not confuse systems

#### Notes
- "BC Registries Account" and "My Business Registry" caused hesitation
- Some users thought they were starting a business when they only wanted to log in
- "My Business Registry" description about starting a business stops returning
users from using it
- Align service names with what users can actually do

#### Evidence
Multiple participants ran into this and the research report lists it as a critical
failure. We cannot put an exact number on it without the full session notes.
*(Research report Slide 25)*

#### Actions
- [ ] Review service names from a user perspective
- [ ] Check whether names match intended actions
- [ ] Reduce ambiguity for returning users
- [ ] Test naming clarity with non-expert users