Simplify Device Setup at Scale

Toast manages a wide hardware ecosystem, including proprietary and third-party devices. As the lineup grew, support channels struggled. Toast sent onboarding consultants and technicians to support setup, costing up to $10M annually. Static guides and dense docs couldn't keep up, leaving teams without clear, step-by-step help for setup or troubleshooting.

Restaurant operators were frequently setting up, configuring, or troubleshooting devices in fast-paced, high-pressure environments—often during a busy service or a tight launch window. Because of this, the setup experience needed to be carefully streamlined, surfacing only the next relevant step at any given moment rather than exposing the full complexity of the underlying architecture.

Instead of cramming all the instructions into one location and leaving users to figure it out, I designed the onboarding flow around real device interactions and installation logic.

The system automatically detected each customer's account setup and hardware orders, then delivered tailored guidance for every stage of the process. By focusing each screen on one clear action, the experience reduced cognitive load, minimized errors, and helped operators move confidently—even under tight time pressure.

Complex hardware interactions were distilled into clear, step-by-step flows that guided users through each stage—from network configuration to device pairing to on-device setup. By breaking intricate technical processes into simple, sequential tasks, the interface removed ambiguity, gave users confidence at every step, and kept the experience lightweight and intuitive.

Since Toast hardware supports a wide range of product configurations, I developed an action-based installation system in collaboration with the Toast Now software team to manage the workflow. This system streamlines development, reduces complexity, and ensures consistency across different hardware combinations.

Level 1: Order by Actions — Covers the fundamental steps of installing a single device: unboxing, starting, connecting, adding accessories, and finishing (i.e., completing the installation and powering on the device).

Level 2: Order by Device — Follows the device sequence when multiple devices are involved within the same color group.

Every setup followed the same sequence:

1. Network Setup
2. Device Setup
3. On-Device Configuration

Installation was equally streamlined for each device:

Open → Connect → Peripherals → Power On → Configure.

The system validated actions automatically wherever possible, minimizing manual confirmation and reducing cognitive load.

I redesigned key areas of the setup flow where users weren't progressing as expected—such as missed steps and skipped devices—to improve the success rate along the happy path. At the same time, we discovered that user habits vary widely across individuals and organizations: some rely on videos, while others prefer paper guides. Throughout, we ensured the design system remained consistent across both hardware and software while still offering all the help options a user might need.