MANTIUM
Optimizing Mantium's New User Onboarding for a Seamless and Engaging User Experience
MY ROLE
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Collaborated with the product team to identify and address usability issues in the current onboarding process.
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Designed a user-friendly interface and interactive prototypes.
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Conducted usability testing, leveraging insights to iteratively refine the design for optimal functionality and user engagement.
Platform: Web-app
Year: 2022
Industry Sector: Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Collaboration Tools: Figma, Gitlab, Notion.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
BACKGROUND
Mantium is a global cloud platform that simplifies the development and management of AI applications at scale. With a mission to democratize AI, Mantium aims to make AI accessible to both technical and non-technical teams, allowing them to design, test, deploy, and share AI prototypes quickly and efficiently using features like the One-Click Deploy tool.
THE PROBLEM:
Working with AI can be challenging, particularly for new users unfamiliar with the platform. Our main objective was to minimize the learning curve by integrating a guided setup that allows users to quickly grasp the platform's capabilities. Also, we aimed to improve in-app feature documentation accessibility, enabling users to understand specific functionalities better. Lastly, we sought to introduce predefined templates during onboarding to make the application more user-friendly, allowing for easy exploration from the start.
THE SOLUTION:
To simplify the complexities of working with AI and improve the user experience, we integrated a step-by-step guided setup during onboarding, helping to minimize the learning curve for new users. Also, we enhanced the accessibility of in-app feature documentation by adding direct links to relevant resources, allowing users to better understand the platform's functionalities. To further improve user-friendliness, we introduced predefined templates directly into the onboarding screen, offering ready-to-use examples that showcase the application's capabilities.
RESEARCH
UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM FRAMEWORK
Before initiating user research and ideation for solutions, I adopted a structured approach to define the problem using the 5 Ws framework. This method allowed me to establish a clear scope and purpose for the feature. Here’s a breakdown:
What is the feature?
The user onboarding process guides new users, helping them navigate the application’s key functionalities and enhancing their overall understanding of the platform.
What does it need to do?
It must be interactive and engaging, using dynamic elements and gamification to maintain user attention and encourage completion of the onboarding process.
Who is it for?
It targets new users, ranging from complete beginners to those with some technical experience, requiring tailored guidance based on their varying backgrounds.
When will it be used?
The onboarding occurs immediately after sign-up, establishing a crucial initial interaction that influences user retention and satisfaction with the application.
Why does it need to be created?
Effective onboarding reduces the learning curve, enabling users to explore the platform’s features with confidence and minimizing confusion for a more positive experience.
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
I conducted a competitive analysis of both direct and indirect competitors’ onboarding processes to gain insights into user adoption and retention strategies. This involved examining each platform's strengths and weaknesses, focusing on essential features such as template exploration, documentation access, and an in-app interactive tutorial guide to inform the redesign of our onboarding screen.
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SYNTHESIS AND CONSIDERATIONS
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Implement a guided exploration feature for Mantium templates to enable users to create seamless workflows.
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Incorporate personalization and contextual tour guides to enhance hands-on learning experiences for new users.
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Strengthen the onboarding process by integrating elements that encourage users to explore templates and documentation effectively.
USER INTERVIEWS & FINDINGS
To enhance the onboarding experience, I interviewed five users who highlighted the lack of in-app guidance, making it difficult to explore functionalities. Many expressed frustration with needing external documentation and requested in-app links for quick access. Also, concerns about the AI learning curve underscored the necessity for a more intuitive onboarding process and clearer instructions for utilizing predefined templates.
DEFINING THE PROBLEM
PROBLEM STATEMENT & GOALS
Given the challenges identified in the current onboarding process, my primary objective is to create a seamless and intuitive experience for new users. The following "How Might We" statements will guide the design process:
How might we make the new user onboarding experience more seamless so that they can set up their workflow easier and faster.
PRODUCT GOALS
The primary goal is to enhance feature discovery by implementing several key features that help users discover and understand the application’s advanced functionalities, ensuring they fully utilize the application's capabilities.
IDEATION
IMAGINING A BETTER SOLUTION
To create an improved onboarding experience, I designed a user flow that outlines the core interactions for new users. This flow emphasizes essential features on the onboarding screen, including starting a tutorial session, accessing documentation, and exploring templates. By defining the entry and exit points for each interaction, the user flow ensures a seamless and intuitive onboarding process.
LOW-FIDELITY WIREFRAMES
In an effort to enhance the Mantium Onboarding experience, I created low-fidelity wireframes to visualize and evaluate potential solutions. The primary objective was to conduct preliminary testing with real users, obtain initial feedback, and refine the design before moving forward with high-fidelity prototypes.
HIGH-FIDELITY PROTOTYPES
The primary objective for redesigning the new user onboarding process is to enhance user learning and exploration of the app's functionalities, ensuring they derive immediate value from the application.
Primary Features on the Welcome Page
Added primary features, such as "Explore Template" and "Read Documentation," directly to the welcome page. This strategic placement enables new users to learn and explore the application's functionalities while gaining immediate value.
Contextual Tour Guide with Tooltips
Implemented a contextual tour guide on the welcome screen, accompanied by tooltips for each feature. This enhancement aims to provide users with interactive guidance on how to navigate and interact with the application.
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Milestone Check-list for Task Guidance
Introduced a wizard checklist on the screen to guide users through completing specific tasks. This checklist is designed to break down complex processes into manageable steps, enhancing user understanding and engagement.
Option to Leave and Resume Tutorial
Incorporated the ability for users to leave tutorials and resume from where they left off. This feature recognizes the importance of flexibility in the onboarding process, allowing users to progress at their own pace.
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DESIGN SYSTEM
DEVELOPER HAND-OFF
To foster a seamless collaboration between design and development, I worked closely with developers to ensure the feasibility of design concepts and their successful implementation. I shared the components created for the design with the development team, facilitating a streamlined hand-off process. Regular interactions, including weekly stand-ups and demos, provided opportunities to discuss progress and compare the implementation plans with the final designs. This collaborative approach promoted transparency, resolved potential discrepancies, and ensured a smoother transition between the design and development phases.
USABILITY TESTING
CONCEPT VALIDATION AND FEEDBACKS
To assess the effectiveness of the new onboarding flow, I conducted usability testing with five users, focusing on functionality, layout, visual design, and interactivity. Key objectives included evaluating navigation ease, understanding user engagement with the interactive tour guide, identifying pain points, and uncovering opportunities for improvement.
The feedback reinforced the value of the changes made:
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Validation of Design Concept: Users confirmed the design's effectiveness and provided insights for future iterations.
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Intuitiveness: Participants found the new onboarding flow significantly more intuitive than the previous version.
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Interactive Guide Impact: Users appreciated the interactive setup guide, stating it made replicating samples into their workflow easier.
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Learning Opportunities: The inclusion of a documentation link and explore templates was noted as beneficial for enhancing user knowledge of the application.
CONCLUSION
TAKE AWAY
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Reduced Learning Curve:: The introduction of an interactive tutorial guide and in-app support has significantly eased the onboarding process for new users.
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Enhanced User Engagement: Direct access to predefined templates during onboarding has improved user engagement by providing a hands-on understanding of Mantium’s features.
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Continuous Feedback Loops: Maintaining iterative feedback with users and the team throughout the design process ensures that enhancements align with user needs.
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Efficient Design Practices: Utilizing the design system streamlined implementation and improved visual consistency across the platform.
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Early Engineering Collaboration: Involving engineering early minimizes rework and effectively leverages technical insights to shape design strategy.
NEXT STEPS
If it were to continue, I would explore the following:
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Continue refining and designing better experiences by adhering to design principles and the product roadmap.
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Conduct usability testing to confirm the resolution of users' frustrations and assess the efficiency of the implemented changes.
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Explore new features to further enhance the platform's capabilities, aligning with user needs and advancing the product's value proposition.
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