The recognition of user contributions (especially early success) is associated with higher levels of participation

User success and participation

If a user has a positive first experience with the interface then they are more likely to return. The platform must create an emotional connection to the user


University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Convincing people to sign up for a product is hard but keeping them after the first use is harder. 
An "app" loses 77% of its active users within the first three days after signing up for the app. 
To prevent this, an "app" needs to have a great on-boarding process

Best Practices for On-boarding Article from UX Planet

Onboarding aims to introduce the what the app does to the user or  teaches them how to use the app by explaining the most used functions.

Some tutorials are swipe-through (click-through) screens
- Swipe through screens don't represent real user interactions. Users want to experience the product not read about experience
- People don't read instructions first before use, they want to complete a task in as a short amount of time as possible

Avoid Static Tutorials

Having a tutorial shown when a user first opens the app forces the user to remember a lot of information in a short period of time. This is not effective because of short term memory
- 90% of knowledge users obtained is from experiencing the product. Therefore learning by doing is the best way to learn.

Provide helpful information at the point of user interaction and make sure that information is specific to the user's point in the journey

Provide focused tips that direct user's attention on a single primary action. 
- Can be an overlay screen to explain an unfamiliar interaction.
- Use hints that will appear on first use to guide users one-step- at a time to their destinations.

Implement a user-guided tour where hints are only provided when the user reaches the appropriate destination.

Provide Assistance as the User goes Along

Empty states are places that have limited content where it is easy to introduce incoming users to the platform.
- Will help them explore and familiarize themselves with the app

Incorporate Empty States

Celebrate Success with the Users

Babich, Nick. “Best Practices for Onboarding.” Medium, UX Planet, 23 July 2020, uxplanet.org/best-practices-for-onboarding-92f3a9f0b21a.

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