.gif)
Cursor: Streamlining Experience for All Developers
Product Designer
UI Designer
Tiffany Chau
Dovetail
Cursor is an AI powered code editor designed to help developers in writing, debugging, and optimizing code
Declaring that it was made for both novice and experienced developers, we wanted to test how well it actually works for different types of users. In our analysis, we tested getting started with Cursor, how helpful AI suggestions are, and whether it is an intuitive experience.
Problem: Cursor is difficult to onboard and use and assumes the skills of the user.
I streamlined Cursor's onboarding to help developers
Designed Cursor's onboarding experience, shaping interaction and UI decisions to make AI-assisted coding workflows clearer and easier to understand.
Evaluated onboarding usability through research and testing, identifying friction points and translating insights into focused design improvements.
Iterated on onboarding concepts through feedback and testing, improving layout, interactions, and wording to reduce confusion for first-time users.
How developers encounter AI tools today
AI-assisted coding tools are powerful, but difficult to approach for first-time users.
💭 How might we streamline Cursor's onboarding and redesign the first-time experience to feel intuitive and efficient for first-time users?
Design Version 1
Unmoderated Usability Testing
We conducted three unmoderated usability tests using UserTesting and Dovetail. Participants were experienced developers asked to download Cursor, attempt to start a new project, and then evaluate our redesigned prototype. Through unmoderated usability testing, we identified three recurring friction points that disrupted users’ ability to confidently start a new project.
"So I think cursor by default it does not have any option for me to create a project."
"So I think cursor by default it does not have any option for me to create a project."
"And even page for me to create a new project, it’s only allow me to open file open project."
Key Findings From Moderated Testing
To evaluate the clarity, accessibility, and onboarding effectiveness of the redesigned Cursor experience, we conducted moderated usability interviews. These sessions allowed us to observe real-time behavior, probe user expectations, and uncover friction points that would not surface through unmoderated testing alone.
Older and less experienced users struggled with text size and contrast.
Users expected an in-product help hub with documentation, FAQs, and search.
Several participants did not understand what Cursor was before onboarding.
Refined Onboarding Experience
This project taught me how to guide a project from research to outcome
This project taught me how to move beyond just executing screens and start making clear design decisions.
I learned how to prioritize feedback, make tradeoffs, and push the work forward instead of trying to fix everything at once.
Running moderated testing helped me explain and defend design choices with real user behavior. It showed me how research can support conversations, align decisions, and make design feedback more grounded.
This experience taught me the importance of listening, guiding discussions, and considering different experience levels when designing. I learned how thoughtful communication and empathy help teams build better outcomes together.
Check out my other projects
