Mobile design is an important aspect of mobile app development. When interacting with your app, users should have a seamless experience. The initial interactions the user has with your app need to be smooth and positive. If not, the user can immediately decide to exit and uninstall your app. To keep the users engaged and ensure that they continue using your app, a positive user experience is needed in the first interaction itself.

This is where onboarding comes into play. The onboarding process focuses on providing new users with all the information they need about your app. It is a way to introduce users to your app’s interface and help them navigate. Users should be able to use yours easily without it being too complex. With onboarding you can make it simple for them to interact with your app. In this article, we will look at what is onboarding and why it is so important for mobile design.  

What is Onboarding?

Onboarding is a process that includes a set of screens that provide instructions to the users about your app. This is a process that helps users get started with your app and makes navigation easy for them.

Different apps can have different types of onboarding. It depends on what type of product you have and what problems it solves. The onboarding process will be relevant to your target audience. It is the first impression your users have about your app; hence it contributes to the user experience.  

Types of Onboarding

Here are some types of onboarding processes commonly used:

Benefits-oriented onboarding

This onboarding process highlights the value your app provides. It focuses on what your app does and how it solves the user’s problem. This onboarding often consists of screens that ask for permissions related to accessing location, push notifications and more.

Function-oriented onboarding

This process focuses on your app functionality and showing users how to use your app. The user will get a demo with instructions on how to use your app and how to perform certain actions.

Progressive onboarding

Progressive onboarding process provides users with new information that helps them gradually navigate the app. This enables users to explore your app and learn how to use it. This type of onboarding is useful for apps that have complex navigation and functionalities, or gesture-driven interactions.

Why is Onboarding Important for User Experience?

As discussed above, onboarding plays a key role in introducing your app to new users. According to statistics, 25% of users stop using an app just after one use. If the app is slow or the navigation is too complex, users may be discouraged from engaging with your app. Hence, the first time a user interacts with your app, they need to have a positive user experience. An onboarding process can make this first interaction easy and seamless.

Here is how onboarding process contributes to user experience:

Highlights the value of your app 

The onboarding process highlights your app’s value to a new user. When users interact with your app, they need to know how it can help solve their problem. This process can show users what your app is about and how it can be useful to them. Users are interested in the value that your app provides. This can encourage them to continue using your app after their initial interaction.

In the onboarding process you can also introduce various features and functionalities that your app provides. Showing the users how your app’s features can be useful in solving their problem, is a great way to keep them engaged.

It is interactive

With app onboarding you can provide users with interactive experience that can help them easily navigate your app. Certain apps can have intricate navigation or features that can confuse the users. However, with onboarding you can use interactive ways of showing users how to use your app. You can use demos in which the user can be guided to perform certain gestures that help them navigate your app.

You can also leverage interactives like polls or quizzes that can make this process more fun and engaging. This can be a great way to create an interesting and engaging user experience.

Seamless transition

An onboarding process can improve the user experience by making your app more familiar to the users. If the user finds your app difficult to use the first time, they may not want to continue using it. However, the onboarding process can help users become familiar with your app. This creates a smooth transition from being a new user to an expert one.

Onboarding can make users more confident about using your app. You can introduce various features in your onboarding that they can use seamlessly when using the app. This familiarity encourages users to keep using your app every day.

Customization

Onboarding process if often customized as per the target users. There are endless ways in which an onboarding process can be customized keeping in mind the user’s journey. Moreover, every user is different, and each customization can help each user find value in your app. Customizing your onboarding process enables you to understand your user’s goals, motivations, problems and more.

Customizing your app’s onboarding process can help you focus on your user journey. You can introduce the users to your app in a way that is relevant to them. This can ensure that your users keep engaging with your app.

While creating an onboarding process for your app, you will understand your users better. This process is all about focusing on the user’s journey, that helps them reach their goals. Implementing an onboarding process can help enhance the overall user experience of your app. Creating a seamless first interaction with your app contributes to a great user experience.

When users can navigate your app smoothly and confidently use all features to reach their goals, it improves the user experience of your app. The goal of your onboarding process should be to create a positive experience for your users that helps you retain them. These positive interactions are an important part of building a successful app.