EdTech Platform User Onboarding
Reducing Time-to-First-Value for Online Learning
Company
LearnHub Technologies
Location
Edinburgh, UK
Duration
2022 - 2023
Role
Senior UX Researcher
Overview
Optimized onboarding experience for an educational technology platform through iterative user research and testing, reducing time-to-first-value by 65% and improving 30-day retention by 48%.
Challenge
New users were abandoning the platform during setup due to overwhelming feature set and unclear learning paths. The onboarding process took 45 minutes on average, and only 28% of users completed a full course within 30 days.
Solution
Implemented progressive disclosure onboarding with guided tours tailored to user goals, created personalized learning path recommendations, added offline content access for mobile learners, and redesigned social learning interface with peer collaboration features. Reduced onboarding time from 45 minutes to 15 minutes through streamlined setup process.
Research Phase
Onboarding Research & User Testing
Duration: 8 weeks | Participants: 120
Research Methods
Key Findings
Feature Overload
Users abandoned platform during setup due to overwhelming feature set
Impact: Implemented progressive disclosure onboarding with guided tours
Learning Path Confusion
Lack of clear learning path guidance led to confusion and disengagement
Impact: Created personalized learning path recommendations
Mobile Access
Mobile learners needed offline access to course materials
Impact: Added offline content access for mobile users
Social Learning
Social learning features were underutilized despite high demand
Impact: Redesigned social learning interface with peer collaboration features
User Personas
Understanding the diverse needs and motivations of key user segments
Emma Rodriguez
Career Changer
BACKGROUND
Transitioning from marketing to data science
GOALS
- •Complete structured learning path
- •Achieve clear milestones
- •Track progress
PAIN POINTS
- •Overwhelmed by course options
- •Unclear progression
- •Needs guidance
"I need a clear roadmap to get from where I am to where I want to be"
Raj Patel
Busy Professional
BACKGROUND
Full-time developer learning new frameworks
GOALS
- •Learn efficiently in short blocks
- •Access mobile content
- •Maintain consistency
PAIN POINTS
- •Limited time availability
- •Needs offline access
- •Mobile-unfriendly content
"I want to learn during my commute, not just at my desk"
Lisa Chen
Social Learner
BACKGROUND
Student seeking peer support and collaboration
GOALS
- •Connect with peers
- •Get feedback from others
- •Share ideas
PAIN POINTS
- •Feels isolated learning alone
- •Limited collaboration tools
- •No peer community
"Learning is better with others - I want to collaborate and share ideas"
Implementation Approach
Discovery & Analysis
3 weeks
- Conducted 20 user interviews with learners at different stages
- Analyzed onboarding drop-off points using analytics data
- Created user journey maps for different learner types
- Developed onboarding personas based on learning goals
Design & Testing
5 weeks
- Designed progressive onboarding flows for different user types
- Created guided tour interface with contextual help
- Developed personalized learning path recommendation engine
- Conducted 12 rounds of usability testing with 80+ users
Implementation & Optimization
6 weeks
- Implemented progressive onboarding with A/B testing
- Added offline content access for mobile learners
- Launched social learning collaboration features
- Monitored analytics and optimized based on user behavior
Outcomes & Results
Successfully transformed the EdTech platform onboarding experience, reducing friction and significantly improving user retention. The new approach prioritized different learning styles and goals, enabling users to get value from the platform quickly.
-65%
Time-to-First-Value
Reduced from 45 to 15 minutes
+48%
30-Day Retention
Improvement in user retention
+72%
Course Completion
Increase in completed courses
4.6/5
User Satisfaction
Average user rating
Research Visualizations
Key Learnings
Progressive Disclosure Reduces Abandonment
Revealing features progressively based on user progress reduced cognitive overload and abandonment rates. Users appreciated learning features as they needed them rather than being overwhelmed upfront.
Personalization Drives Engagement
Personalized learning path recommendations based on user goals increased engagement by 58%. Users felt the platform understood their needs and provided relevant guidance.
Mobile Learners Have Different Needs
Mobile learners (60% of users) needed offline access and bite-sized content. Designing for mobile constraints improved overall platform usability for all users.
Social Features Increase Retention
Social learning features increased 30-day retention by 48%. Users who connected with peers were significantly more likely to continue learning on the platform.