The pandemic has been a catalyst for change in the way things work, and education tops the list. It has completely transformed the way of learning and teaching. Everything changed rapidly, and EdTech companies rose to prominence in no time.
The first impression is crucial. It can make or break the user experience. As humans, we tend to make perceptions based on initial interactions. And onboarding is an opportunity to make a great first impression and get your users hooked!
This article will focus on why EdTech product onboarding is important to improve user experience.
Why is Onboarding Important?
Often we install an application expecting it to fulfill some of our needs. But, when the first interaction with the application is frictionless, it immediately sparks an interest, and we tend to stick to it to explore further. But what is this first interaction, and why is it important?
The first interaction is called product onboarding; it is essential for any product or service as it is the first step to creating a seamless user experience. It sets the tone for your product and how your users perceive it. The key is simplifying the process by giving the right information at the right time, making the subsequent steps clear to the users, and guiding them to finish these steps effortlessly.
If you have a great product but a poor onboarding experience, the users will leave your product dissatisfied, which will lead to low product adoption rates and user dissatisfaction.
EdTech products focus on two cohorts: Instructors and Students.
Instructors need to thoroughly understand the product’s features and functionality before introducing it to the classroom. Instructors also need to familiarise themselves with the student version of the product to solve any questions related to the product.
For students, the onboarding process needs to be simple. Students will reach out to the instructor if they get stuck in the process.
How to create an excellent EdTech Onboarding Experience
Onboarding starts before a user downloads or uses the product for the first time, during sales and marketing interactions with the instructors and administrators. Although, students first interact with the product itself. But, here are some best practices to make your EdTech products intuitive and easy to use.
#1 Identify the Friction Points in the Existing Onboarding Process
Ensure the onboarding workflows have clear instructions from all the touchpoints. Start from the point when a user signs up and looks for the elements causing friction in the workflow. Observe the user’s end-to-end experience and identify where they are facing trouble in the onboarding process.
Tracking existing user analytics will help demonstrate where the user is dropping off in the process and reduce the friction points for a seamless onboarding workflow.
It is essential to capture your user’s opinions and feedback from existing users through micro surveys and optimise the onboarding process accordingly. This will help you address the pain points in the onboarding process along the user’s journey and create a better experience for the next set of users.
#2 Product Walkthroughs and Feature Updates
When users set up their account and get started, use tooltips and tutorials to ease their process. Do not overwhelm them with all the steps and updates at once. Break the process down into smaller and simpler steps to reduce the complexity.
While introducing or giving updates about new features, ensure that the features you offer are relevant and add value, helping them reach their ‘aha’ moment.
Rather than swamping them with features and updates, help them complete one step at a time!
#3 Keep it Simple but Make it Engaging
The key is to keep the onboarding process simple but not make it boring. Add game elements like leaderboards, progress bars, and badges to help the students stay engaged. These fun elements will also help the instructors motivate the students to finish the desired tasks and reach their goals.
Adding gamification allows students to stay motivated and feel competitive to complete tasks and achieve their academic goals, increase their attention span, and retain their knowledge, leading to better engagement.
The EdTech Products that got it right!
Kahoot!
Kahoot! Onboarding Screen
Kahoot is an interactive platform that transforms traditional hand-raising into a game the whole class can enjoy. It’s ideal for jazzing up an in-person activity, and recently, the site has been expanded to include pre-made content and tools for group work, assessment, and more.
FlibGrid
FlipGrid Screen
FlipGrid allows students and teachers to record video responses and other content in the classroom. It is an excellent platform for virtual face time and a secure way to share student work with parents and different audiences.
How Upshot.ai can help create an excellent Onboarding Experience
Tutorials
Configurable tutorials help increase retention and better engagement of users by providing an overview of how students or instructors can use the app the first time and, from then on, providing contextual help. Students can also watch the video tutorials for a better and clear understanding.
Screen tips
Make onboarding informative and fun with screen tips. Display a set of interesting tips or facts that can increase the knowledge adoption of the user.
Splashscreen
Dynamically change your app’s splash screens to match the context of events.
Wrapping up
Onboarding is an ongoing progressive process. Be strategic about the user’s flow and keep it simple and consistent. Having a comprehensive onboarding workflow is essential to give your users a delightful experience from the start.
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Originally published at https://www.upshot.ai on June 9, 2022.
