User Onboarding

This chapter covers the core aspects of user onboarding and shares best practices for designing it.

Further reading: The DiGA Onboarding Experience Benchmark tests and rates the user-friendliness of various health apps ("DiGAs") in detail. It offers valuable insights and guidelines for effective onboarding strategies.

DiGA Onboarding Experience Benchmark 2022 (German)

1. General Design Principles

1.1 Screen Layout

There are two ways to ask for information during onboarding:

Approach	Advantages	Disadvantages	Best for
One screen with multiple fields	Efficient	Can be overwhelming	Simple or less critical information
Multiple screens with one field each	Reduces cognitive load, better user experience	May feel longer	Detailed or critical data

Rules of thumb:

One topic per screen: Each screen covers exactly one topic. A single title should be able to describe the whole screen. If it can't, split it into several screens.
No scrolling: All content should fit on the screen without scrolling.

1.2 Progress Indicators and Waiting Animations

Progress indicators show users how far they have come. This makes them more willing to wait.
Waiting animations show that something is happening in the background. They help users tell the difference between "still loading" and "something went wrong". This reduces uncertainty and makes waiting easier.

Best practices:

Progress bars: Use them when you know how long something will take. They show the percentage completed.
Spinners: Use them when you don't know how long something will take. They show ongoing activity.
Cool colors: Use cool colors (e.g., blue, green) for loading animations. They have a calming effect. Avoid reddish colors, which can suggest an error.

1.3 Go-back Function

Wherever possible, let users go back to the previous screen to correct their input. This gives them flexibility and control and improves the user experience.

2. Common Onboarding Steps

A typical onboarding includes the following steps:

Welcome / Starting Screen
App Preview
Legal Compliance
Account Setup / Registration
Collecting Personal Data
Push Reminders

2.1 Welcome / Starting Screen

Goal: Make a positive first impression.

Best practice: Keep the first screen clean, visually appealing and easy to navigate. Don't overload it with information.

The first screen should contain:

the name of the app
the app logo, a picture of the avatar, or an appealing image related to the app's content
a short description of the app (one sentence at most!)
a button to continue with the onboarding, registration or sign-up

The first screen may also contain:

a button to select the language (if the app is multilingual)
regulatory notes (if required)

2.2 App Preview

Goal: Present the app attractively to encourage users to register.

Best practice: Show the app's main features and benefits in an engaging way.

Context matters:

Informed users: If users already know the app, a preview is often unnecessary. It adds extra steps and can even lower the conversion rate.
New users: If users find the app in the app store or know little about it, a preview helps set expectations and spark interest.

2.3 Legal Compliance

Goal: Meet all legal requirements and reassure users that their data is secure and handled according to legal standards.

Best practices:

Explain the terms of service and the privacy policy clearly.
Get explicit user consent before collecting sensitive data.

Start early! Clarify legal requirements and prepare the necessary documents as early as possible. It always takes longer than expected.

2.4 Account Setup / Registration

Goal: Make registration simple and keep user data secure.

Best practices:

Keep it short: Reduce the number of steps and the effort needed to register.
Avoid media breaks (if possible): Make sure registration works smoothly and consistently across platforms and devices.
Privacy: Explain your privacy policy if users might have privacy concerns.
Data security: Point out that an account lets users save and recover their data (e.g., if they lose their phone).
Help: Provide contact details and/or FAQs in case users need support.

Registration Methods Compared

Option 1: Email and password

Pros	Cons
Familiar: Most users know this method.	Extra effort: Users have to remember another set of login details.
Independent: Works without any additional tools.	Privacy concerns: Users may hesitate to share their email address.
Secure: Allows password recovery.	Spam fears: Users may worry about unwanted emails.
Email contact: Allows follow-up communication (make sure you get the required opt-ins).

Option 2: QR code

Pros	Cons
Simple: Quick and easy to scan and register.	Dependency: Users need a QR code scanner (usually a smartphone).
Fewer errors: Reduces input mistakes.	Limited use: Less practical for remote or independent registration.
Convenient: Ideal for supervised settings (e.g., study teams).	Logistics: QR codes must be distributed and managed by providers or supervisors.

Mandatory Registration: Yes or No?

	Mandatory registration	No mandatory registration
Pros	Allows data recovery. Encourages stronger commitment to the app.	Users can experience the app's value before registering. Lower entry barrier, which increases initial engagement and retention.
Cons	Can raise concerns about data privacy and misuse. Users may drop off if registration feels like a burden.	Data can't be secured from the start.
Choose this if…	the app handles personal or sensitive data, or laws or regulations require user identification.	the app doesn't handle sensitive or personalized data at first, or users are new and still exploring the app without being committed yet.

2.5 Collecting Personal Data

Goal: Collect necessary personal data (e.g., sex, age, medical conditions) to personalize the experience and/or gain data insights. Make this step effortless and transparent for users.

Best practices:

Only ask for what you need: Collect only essential data that should be available from the start and/or for as many users as possible.
Explain why: Briefly say why you need the data and how you will use it, especially if privacy concerns could arise (e.g., when a health insurance provides the app). If users are already informed (e.g., in a study), a detailed explanation may not be necessary.

Pros	Cons
Personalization: Enables tailored content and features.	Privacy concerns: Users may hesitate to share personal data before they have even started using the app.
Data insights: Enables better analytics and understanding of user behavior. This early data is especially valuable for analyzing retention and engagement, because it is available for almost all users before many drop off.	More effort: Adds extra steps to the onboarding.

2.6 Push Reminders

Goal: Get users' consent to send push reminders, so they stay engaged.

Best practice: Clearly explain the benefits (and how often reminders will be sent). For example: "Research has shown that users who are reminded are more likely to stick with the coaching."

3. Common Pitfalls

3.1 Too Long

The most common mistake is an onboarding that takes too long. Brevity is the key quality criterion. Include only essential screens and guide users to their first action in the app as quickly as possible.

Rule of thumb: The onboarding should not have more than 10 screens.

3.2 Too Much

Another common mistake is putting too much information on one screen. Break information into small chunks and spread it across several screens if needed.

Rule of thumb: One topic per screen. Scrolling should not be necessary.

3.3 Too Fast, Too Private

Think of onboarding like getting to know someone new. If a person you just met immediately asked for your age, date of birth and health conditions, you would probably hesitate. But if they first introduce themselves and explain why they need this information, you are much more likely to share it. The same applies to your app.