Product Onboarding
How I designed a 'Getting Started' launcher to boost feature discovery & user satisfaction by 40%.
UX Design • UI Design
Role
Lead designer and researcher
Toolbox
Miro, Chameleon.io, Survey Monkey, ClipChamp
Project Details
The Problem and Opportunity
In the TechInsights web Platform, there was a significant opportunity to improve user onboarding. Previously, users who created trial accounts or subscribed to the Platform received minimal guidance about new and key features. This lack of direction was especially problematic given the platform's substantial UI overhaul from its legacy interface to the new interface.
In general, users often begin using a product without prior knowledge of its functionalities. At that point, it is a responsibility to ensure users can easily discover the features they need, see the value in your product, and enjoy a seamless learning experience. Incorporating effective UI elements such as tooltips and setup instructions can significantly enhance product onboarding throughout the customer lifecycle, benefiting both users and businesses.
Goal
Enhance the first-run platform experience to increase visibility and usage of key features, aiding in product adoption, long-term subscriptions, and demonstrating the platform's value to users.
Design Outcome
I created TechInsight's first product onboarding experience The Getting Started Launcher which went live in June 2023. This delivers a seamless first-run experience, guiding users to discover the platform's value, achieve success, and explore its top seven key features and functions to get started.
Watch a Product Tour
Product Tour
Guided by the design system, I crafted various intuitive tooltips for the web platform and developed engaging copy for product tours, enhancing user experience and product clarity.
Problem
The lack of user onboarding had several negative impacts
On the Business:
-
Revenue and User Retention: Subscription sign-ons for new users were declining.
-
High Abandonment Rate: Users were creating trial accounts but most were not adopting the product or subscribing longterm. Potential new users might be discouraged from using the platform if they find it difficult to understand or if they aren't shown the value.
On Users and Customers (trial and subscription Users):
-
Inefficient Feature Utilization: Users were missing out on important features that could enhance their platform experience, leading to underutilization of the platform's capabilities.
-
Poor User Engagement: Without proper guidance, users may not have been discovering or understanding key functionalities and value resulting in reduced interaction and engagement.
Solution
The Getting Started Launcher in the Web Platform
Getting Started launcher: Reverse Engineering Search Tour
Benefits of an Onboarding Checklist
Structured guidance
Provides a clear and structured path for users, helping them understand what steps they need to take to get started effectively.
Progress Indictor
Makes it easier for users to follow along without feeling overwhelmed and receiving those quick wins when an item was completed
Their own pace
Users can proceed through the checklist at their own pace, which can accommodate different learning speeds and styles.
Results
40% of users rated the launcher satisfactory. 10% were dissatisfied with the launcher.
Registered users +56%, Active users +177%, Self sign ups +34%.
User data from September 2023 - June 2024
Onboarding Results: Top 5
What Insights Did the Feedback Survey Uncover?
I revised a previous survey to eliminate leading questions and include more meaningful ones. As discussed with stakeholders, the goal of this survey was to understand their overall experience, not just their interaction with the Getting Started Launcher.
Here are some of the results...
Opportunities and Questions:
Quick Win
Several users highlighted a UI issue, which we were able to resolve promptly
"The document viewer is very frustrating. There is a permanent document preview on the left hand side that I cannot minimize or decrease in size. It is using up precious monitor real estate. Why can't I minimize the left hand side panel?"
Pain point
The left panel in the PDF report viewer (PDF Tron in an iframe) was causing frustration since it was not collapsable in normal and full screen mode. The inability to hide these thumbnails in the left panel was taking up screen real estate.
Solution
Add a button to collapse the thumbnail preview, allowing users to read the content without obstructing their view.
Past vs. Present
Previously, the customer support chat handled various types of inquiries reducing users autonomy and satisfaction and overwhelmed the support team.
Now, users can utilize an onboarding checklist where they can receive guidance about new and key features in a centralized place that would be accessible and discoverable.
Vision for the future
Creating a personalized onboarding experience
While the current version aims to be general, future iterations could provide targeted guidance tailored to different user stages, such as trial users and subscription customers within specific user personas. This level of personalization could capture attention and maintains engagement by delivering relevant, customized content.
Usability testing
The survey revealed several pain points regarding the platform, particularly in navigation. A path forward would involve conducting usability testing, which would ultimately guide future product onboarding for both novice and expert users. This approach ensures that improvements are user-centric, enhancing the overall user experience.
Questions?
If you're interested in learning more about this project, please feel free to get in touch with me.