During application onboarding, use empty states—screens or areas with little content—to introduce new users to the platform and help them explore and become familiar with the application.

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Google

Application onboarding is the process of introducing new users to a product and helping them engage with it effectively. While acquiring users is difficult, retaining them is often harder; an application typically loses 77% of its active users within the first three days after sign-up. To prevent this rapid drop-off, applications must implement a well-designed onboarding process to create a positive initial experience and encourage long-term use.

Application Onboarding

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


Celebrate Success with the Users

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

Best Practices for Onboarding (Babich)

Displaying a comprehensive tutorial when a user first opens an application can overwhelm their short-term memory, as 90% of product knowledge is typically gained through hands-on experience. Instead, onboarding should promote learning by doing by providing contextual assistance as the user interacts with the interface. Helpful, specific information should be delivered at the relevant point in the user journey to focus attention on a single primary action. Examples include:
- Using overlay screens to explain unfamiliar interactions.
- Providing hints on first use to guide users step-by-step.
- Implementing user-guided tours where hints appear only when the user reaches the corresponding destination.

Provide Assistance as the User Goes Along

During application onboarding, static or swipe-through tutorials should be avoided because they do not reflect real user interactions. Users generally do not read instructions before use; instead, they prefer to experience the product directly and complete their tasks as quickly as possible.

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