Case study
The Objective
The Challenge
A significant number of Slack’s free users drop off during onboarding, leading to a lower activation rate. The challenge was to redesign the onboarding experience to increase user activation while keeping the process intuitive and engaging.
The Big Decision
Instead of forcing users through a rigid step-by-step setup, I designed an adaptive onboarding experience that:
✅ Removes friction in the early steps.
✅ Personalises the flow based on user type.
✅ Uses a checklist-based approach to drive completion.
“What if Slack’s onboarding wasn’t a ‘process’ but an experience users could shape themselves?”
For many first-time users, Slack’s onboarding felt like an obstacle course—a rigid setup flow that didn’t adapt to their needs. Users were asked to name their workspace before they even understood how Slack worked. Many dropped off before reaching the main interface.
To fix this, I redesigned the onboarding experience to be more flexible, intuitive, and user-driven. Instead of forcing users through a step-by-step process, I introduced an interactive checklist approach, allowing them to complete onboarding at their own pace.
Impact (Results)
Removes friction in the early steps.
Prototype link
Personalises the flow based on user type.
Uses a checklist-based approach to drive completion.
Understanding Users
Personas & Pain Points
Through research and user interviews, I identified three key user types:
Small Businesses & Startups
Need fast, hassle-free team setup.
Freelancers & Solo User
Want minimal setup without workspace confusion.
New Team Members
Need a seamless way to join an existing Slack
Key Pain Points & Opportunities
Pain points
❌ Users abandon onboarding on the first page due to confusing workspace setup.
❌ They don’t immediately see Slack’s value, leading to early drop-offs.
❌ The current flow feels long and overwhelming for new users.
Opportunities → We need to:
✅ Make Slack’s value clear upfront.
✅ Reduce unnecessary steps & improve guidance.
✅ Personalize the onboarding experience.
Current User flow
Mapping the Existing Onboarding Flow
Current User flow
How it starts
Signup onboarding
Home page onboarding
Experiences to identify best practices.
Competitor analysis
More detail
Notion app
Discord app
What Was Broken? The Old Onboarding Flow
Current Issues in the Flow
1️. Signup screen – No clear messaging about Slack’s benefits.
2️. Workspace creation – Forces users to name a team before they understand how Slack works.
3️. Teammate invitation – Users hesitate or skip this, unsure about their setup.
4️. Second onboarding process – After entering Slack, users go through another multi-step process.
🔎 Key Insight → The early friction caused users to drop off before activation.
Prioritising the Right Solution
Potential Solutions I Explored
I considered three solutions, balancing impact, feasibility, and user benefit:
Decision:
The checklist-based approach was the best trade-off between impact and feasibility.
The Solution: An Adaptive, Frictionless Onboarding
What Changed?
🔹 No forced team creation – Users explore Slack before naming a team.
🔹 Smart checklist onboarding – Instead of a rigid flow, users complete tasks at their own pace.
🔹 Personalized experience – Users see onboarding steps based on their persona (e.g., freelancers vs. team leads).
Before vs. After
Final MVP
Testing & Measuring Success
Usability Testing Approach
🔹 A/B Testing → Compared old vs. new flow on activation rates & drop-offs.
🔹 User Interviews → Gathered feedback on clarity and ease of use.
Key Metrics & Impact
📈 Activation rate increased from 40% → 65% (+25%)
📉 Drop-off rate reduced from 55% → 35% (-20%)
⏳ Time-to-first-message improved from 12 min → 6 min (50% faster)
💰 Conversion to Pro Plan increased from 7% → 12% (+5%)
Final Takeaways & Lessons Learned
🔹 Personalisation increases engagement. Users respond better when onboarding adapts to their needs rather than forcing them through steps.
🔹 Reducing friction is key. The less effort required, the more likely users activate.
🔹 Checklists > Forced flows. Letting users complete tasks at their own pace improved activation rates.
Next Steps
➡ Test further refinements to improve Slack’s onboarding even more.
➡ Explore AI-driven recommendations to enhance personalization.