# Onboarding Flows

By [Elizabeth Laraki](https://paragraph.com/@lillib) · 2023-09-21

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Onboarding onto new services should be super easy.

But most product teams build long, complicated flows that drop new users.

I regularly coach founders on how to do this better.

Here are 5 tips to create onboarding flows that actually work:

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**1/ Keep it short + set expectations**

Clearly communicate how many steps are in your onboarding flow.

Target no more than 5 steps.

Common ways to show the number of steps in a flow include:

*   Progress bars
    
*   Numbered steps
    
*   Step 1 of N
    

![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/735111fc22c3c11c4788a906dd71c7af5a70a99d20182ac9901a26c92e489269.png)

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**2/ Show progress**

Show people where they are in the flow.

How far have they come/How far do they have to go?

Keep it simple.

These should just orient people and keep them motivated to complete the onboarding.

![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/23430b7b5010eeb67e7bf9df1ec72693caf217b681fdd2a3998810bcf8bd7726.png)

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**3/ Provide one clear way to proceed**

Ask for only one action at a time.

Do not bury steps inside of steps.

Keep the ‘next’ button disabled until the action is complete.

![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/ebcfa6d4d54197b10ed04fef3cc6425a6c217944f1980dad9bbdee02564a5fc6.png)

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**4/ Provide a consistent way to exit**

Nobody wants to feel locked into an onboarding flow.

Front load the most important information.

Build a consistent ‘ejection seat’ for every step of the flow.

Common patterns are an X in the upper right corner or a “Skip” link.

Clearly communicate if onboarding is mandatory to interact with your product.

![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/29a8e2e05c1ef64686823f6596c5627554760c477f425dcee039184ca72768d4.png)

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**5/ Be concise**

Generally it’s easy to cut ~50% of text from the first versions of onboarding flows.

User attention and space are limited. Do not over-explain things like:

*   Usage terms for each setting
    
*   Caveats to selections
    
*   Implications of options
    

You can use things like hover states or “i” icons to help users understand trickier options.

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_Caveat: If you aren’t sure if you need an onboarding flow, skip it._

You only need an onboarding flow if your product:

*   Is complex
    
*   Is a completely new paradigm
    
*   Requires specific selections before a user can meaningfully interact with your product e.g., Setting access controls for your health data, Choosing what language to learn in Duolingo.
    

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Your goal is to quickly set people up to use your app.

These 5 tips will help you design clear, concise onboarding flows that work:

1.  Keep it short + set expectations
    
2.  Show progress
    
3.  Provide one clear way to proceed
    
4.  Provide a consistent way to exit
    
5.  Be concise
    

For more content on design for founders, follow @elizlaraki

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*Originally published on [Elizabeth Laraki](https://paragraph.com/@lillib/onboarding-flows)*