IBM Case Study
Onboarding pattern to increase retention
I led the creation of IBM's new onboarding pattern for Hybrid Cloud Mesh that increased onboarding retention by 50%. I collaborated with visual design, PMs, and content to deliver a scalable onboarding system.
Retention rate
Completion rate
Overview
Redesigning IBM onboarding to help users start when ready, stay oriented, and finish with confidence.
Evolved legacy elements and pitched new design components
Secured design leadership approval from IBM after presenting to 10+ senior designers and stakeholders.
Role
UX Design Intern
Responsibilities
Product Strategy, Design Systems
Collaborators
UX Design Team, Product Manager, Visual Designer, Content Designer
Timeline
May - Aug 2024
The Problem
IBM's intrusive onboarding caused immediate abandonment
IBM's old onboarding lost users at the very first step. New users were greeted with a pop-up which most most skipped immediately. This onboarding felt like an interruption and didn't appear when users actually needed guidance.
Business Need
Reduce early drop-offs to improve product adoption and retention. Cut costs from onboarding support and help customers find value faster.
User Need
Comparative Analysis
We studied precedents
Our research into software onboarding revealed key principles:
Successful onboarding follows consistent patterns across products, building familiarity with users.
Progressive disclosure introduces features gradually rather than overwhelming users upfront, allowing for guided exploration.
Contextual guidance embedded in workflows is more effective than lengthy standalone tutorials that interrupt the user journey.
Core design goals emerged
The research also helped us define our focus areas for the redesign.
Visibility
Users can see all steps, their progress, and what comes next at a glance.
Flexibility
Users choose their learning path and pace. They can revisit tutorials as needed.
Guidance
Provide help at the right moment without overwhelming users with information.
Solution
The final onboarding pattern
From our research and testing, we created a pattern consisting of three parts: nudges, progress tracker, and flashing beacons.
Nudges
Design Goal: Flexibility
User scenario
A user explores independently but occasionally needs help with unfamiliar features.
Solution
When users explore new parts of the interface, an onboarding suggestion appears.
Progress tracker
Design Goal: Visibility
User scenario
A user completes one onboarding step but feels uncertain about what comes next and how much more they need to learn. They want to see their progress and understand how each step connects together.
Solution
A progress tracker on the homepage shows total progress and remaining steps. Users can launch the next step by clicking the highlighted item.
Beacon tips
Design Goal: Guidance
User scenario
A user can't find where to go next in the interface.
Solution
A flashing beacon appears beside the next step. Users can click it for details before launching the next lesson.
Results
Retention rate
Completion rate
After presenting the design solution to 10+ senior designers and stakeholders, the pattern secured approval for use in IBM's Hybrid Cloud Mesh. The design's effectiveness position it for potential adoption across multiple IBM products.