When a user logs into the system for the first time, it’s important that they don't feel overwhelmed by showing them everything at once. Instead, focus should be be put on introducing the key features that matter most early on, depending on their role or use case. Pointing users towards helpful resources is crucial at this stage. Support should be easy to find when a user needs it and clearly highlighted, whether that’s through the CM Knowledge Base, the Help Widget, Video Tutorials, or access to Live Support.
There is also an opportunity here to explore different user personas, based on client type or role, to understand how different customers engage with the system. For instance, do different types of users follow distinct patterns in how they use the platform? If so, onboarding could be tailored to better reflect these journeys. Rather than relying solely on video content, incorporating a mix of tutorial formats will allow a multitude of learners to engage with the app and it would encourage the "help yourself" element to providing support (including the API nerds who prefer written content!). The technical onboarding process could be enhanced through contextual written/video tutorials, as well as UI enhancements such as checklists, tooltips, or interactive tours.
Some visual examples on onboarding ideas have been included below. Click on each section to expand for further details. Examples for each topic are accessible via links or via the left-hand navigation menu. 💡
Break down various getting started phases into 4 chunks. This could be a part of an interactive guided tour when someone logs in for the first time. Checklist features can be triggered at any time. Further UX research would define what sort of headings and interactive elements would be particularly useful.
Getting Started
Key Features
Customisation
Ongoing Support
Helps new users get started: Shows people around the platform step by step, so they can understand how things work without feeling lost.
Cuts down on support needs: Answers common questions early on, so users don’t need to ask for help as often.
Encourages people to explore: Gets users clicking and trying things out straight away, which helps them get value from the system faster.
Embedded welcome video with a talking head.
Chunk larger videos into smaller bite-sized recordings
Larger videos, include chapters
Add subtitles to videos, for accessibility (or reducing cognitive load for complex instructions/ideas, see University of South Florida study)
FAQs
Written guides to accompany the videos (as everyone learns differently!).
Other stuff:
Gather feedback from existing clients and develop personas to discover further pinch points and insights.