Make your Product Onboarding Better by Trying It Yourself

Make your Product Onboarding Better by Trying It Yourself

The moment someone is trying your product is the MOST ATTENTION you ever get from that user. Take advantage of it. I have learned that longer flows are better than shorter flows. This doesn’t sound right, but trust me, it’s true. You may be surprised that an onboarding flow with a better “flow completion” rate may significantly underperform one that has fewer people complete the flow. The only true end of onboarding is when a user is habitually using your product. The best way to make your onboarding better is to try it. Try it often. Question every step. Act confused. Think about how nervous someone is about doing something wrong with your product. The most important question to ask these users after completing your new onboarding is: “What do you think the product does?” If their description after going through your onboarding is pretty accurate, then it means you are onboarding them well.

Incorporating the insight of trying your own product onboarding with the concept of reflecting on irritations, we can gain a deeper understanding of how to improve the user experience. Kevin Kelly's quote, "A great way to understand yourself is to seriously reflect on everything you find irritating in others," highlights the importance of self-reflection. By experiencing your own onboarding process, you can identify the pain points and frustrations that users may encounter. This reflection allows you to empathize with your users and make necessary improvements to create a smoother onboarding experience.

Furthermore, Ernest Dimnet's quote, "The happiness of most people is not ruined by great catastrophes or fatal errors, but by the repetition of slowly destructive little things," emphasizes the significance of addressing even the smallest issues in the onboarding process. While it's essential to focus on major hurdles, it's equally important to pay attention to the minor details that may irritate users over time. By actively trying your product onboarding, you can identify these little things and work towards eliminating them, ultimately enhancing the overall user experience.

Dan Gilbert's quote, "It doesn’t take much to convince us that we are smart and healthy, but it takes a lot of facts to convince us of the opposite," offers an interesting perspective on the biases we hold when evaluating our own work. When testing your product onboarding, it's crucial to approach it with a critical mindset. Act confused and question every step to ensure that the onboarding process is clear and intuitive. By challenging your own assumptions and biases, you can uncover areas that may require improvement and make necessary adjustments to enhance user comprehension.

Combining the concept of trying your own product onboarding with the idea that insecurity fuels greed, we can gain valuable insights into creating a more user-centric experience. Will Durant's quote, "Insecurity is the mother of greed," highlights the connection between insecurity and self-centeredness. By experiencing your own onboarding process, you can understand the insecurities users may have when using your product and address them proactively. By providing a sense of security and support, you can foster trust and loyalty in your user base.

William Osler's quote, "The greater the ignorance, the greater the dogmatism," further emphasizes the importance of empathy and understanding in the onboarding process. When testing your product onboarding, consider the knowledge and expertise of your users. Avoid assuming that they possess the same level of understanding as you do. By being mindful of the potential knowledge gaps, you can tailor your onboarding process to accommodate users of varying levels of expertise, ensuring that they receive the guidance they need to fully comprehend and utilize your product.

Implementing the idea of trying your own product onboarding with the concept of seeking validation through improvement rather than external affirmation, we can enhance the effectiveness of the onboarding process. Nat Friedman's quote, "Better to get your dopamine from improving your ideas than having them validated," reminds us that true satisfaction comes from personal growth and progress. By actively engaging in your own product onboarding, you can continuously strive for improvement and refinement. Focus on enhancing the user experience rather than seeking external validation, and you will be able to create an onboarding process that genuinely resonates with your users.

Warren Buffett's quote, "It’s good to have people in your life who you don’t want to disappoint," adds another layer of insight to the importance of user-centric onboarding. By trying your own product onboarding, you can empathize with the users who rely on your product. This empathy allows you to create an onboarding process that not only meets their needs but also exceeds their expectations. By striving to provide a seamless and delightful experience, you can cultivate a community of users who genuinely value and appreciate your product.

To further enhance your product onboarding, consider Richard Hamming's advice, "Assuming you rise to the top, please remember: what made you great may not be appropriate for the next generation." This insight reminds us to adapt and evolve our onboarding process as technology and user preferences change. By regularly evaluating and updating your onboarding process, you can ensure that it remains relevant and effective, catering to the needs and expectations of the next generation of users.

Incorporating the concept of trying your own product onboarding with the idea that the core of human motivation lies in personal feelings, we can optimize the user experience. Will Smith's quote, "Nobody gives a shit about anything except how they feel," highlights the importance of emotional connection. When testing your product onboarding, pay attention to the emotions it evokes in you. Consider how nervousness, confusion, or frustration may impact the user experience. By addressing these emotional responses, you can create an onboarding process that not only educates but also engages and resonates with your users on an emotional level.

Tim Hanson's quote, "I believe pretty strongly that your overarching aim in life and work is to always be making yourself obsolete," offers a unique perspective on continuous improvement. Apply this mindset to your product onboarding by constantly seeking ways to make it more intuitive and self-explanatory. Aim to create an onboarding process that empowers users to navigate and utilize your product independently. By striving for self-obsolescence, you can ensure that your onboarding process remains relevant and effective in an ever-changing landscape.

Mark Brooks' quote, "Your capacity for gratitude is inversely proportional to your sense of entitlement," provides a valuable lesson in humility and appreciation. When testing your product onboarding, approach it with gratitude for the opportunity to improve and enhance the user experience. By maintaining a humble mindset, you can remain open to feedback and receptive to suggestions for improvement. Embrace the perspective that your users' feedback is a gift that can guide you towards creating a truly remarkable onboarding process.

Before concluding, here are three actionable pieces of advice to improve your product onboarding:

1. Test your own onboarding process regularly: By experiencing your product onboarding firsthand, you can identify pain points and make necessary improvements to enhance user comprehension and engagement.

2. Challenge your assumptions and biases: Act confused and question every step of the onboarding process to ensure clarity and eliminate any potential confusion for users.

3. Tailor the onboarding process to users' varying levels of expertise: Avoid assuming that all users possess the same level of knowledge as you do. Adapt the onboarding process to accommodate users of varying expertise, providing the necessary guidance for their understanding and utilization of your product.

In conclusion, making your product onboarding better requires active engagement and a user-centric approach. By trying your own onboarding process, reflecting on irritations, and incorporating unique insights, you can create a seamless and engaging experience for your users. Remember to challenge assumptions, address insecurities, and continuously improve to meet the ever-evolving needs and expectations of your user base.