Smartsheet - Collaborator Onboarding
Gone {before} 60 seconds.
Impatience in onboarding, and what to do when new users bypass the already brief introduction video.
Role
UX Designer & Project Manager
Time Frame
April - May 2016
Responsibilities
Axure Prototyping & Design
UX Research
User Interviews
Usability Tests
Domain Research
Project Management
How do you make a complex tool more approachable and usable to a first-time user, while also revealing it's unique capabilities?
Good question
If you’re not already aware, Smartsheet is a Project Management SaaS (Software as a Service) Application used by over 6 million people across 74 thousand businesses. While Smartsheet doesn't have a "freemium" model, they do allow paid users to invite unlimited "collaborators" to interact with their customized spreadsheet.
The conversion rate for first-time collaborators however, was rather low. My team was contracted to improve the existing flow that new collaborators go through when they first accept the invitation to collaborate.
Key Data Points
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6 + Million Users
At the time of this project, Smartsheet boasted over 6 million users used across over 74,000 businesses
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80% Bypass Rate
Our research showed that only 2 out of every 10 users would watch more than 30 seconds of the 2.5 minute introduction video that was overlayed on top of the Smartsheet that new collaborators had been invited to.
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9.6 SUS Score Increase
Our team’s solutions resulted in a notable increase on the System Usability Scale when tested with newly prototyped features and enhancements.
Research:
User Interviews & Testing
Many did not perceive enough value in the application to start their own trial after using it
The application was more complex than they initially thought when they skipped the intro video
The UI wasn’t particularly compelling or clear
Onboarding felt like a heavy task and users weren’t sure where to start
Interestingly, after many of the testing sessions were completed, participants had more questions about Smartsheet.
As we explained more of the functionality and capabilities of the software, their interest increased exponentially.
INSIGHT
NEEDS
Users were far more compelled by firsthand explanations of Smartsheet
Incorporate the personalized aspect into Collaborator Onboarding
Reduce cognitive load/overwhelm
Solution:
Spotlight Overlay and List
The “inviting” User could highlight certain cells, tools, and areas in the sheet and add notes for the benefit of the Collaborator
Spotlight Overlay could be toggled on/off at any time
Spotlight List was available to stay open in a side panel while Collaborator accomplished requested tasks
Redesigned Email & Welcome Screen
Invitation email to Collaborator was personalized
Welcome screen gave context and instruction for Spotlight function
Consolidated/Nested Toolbar Design
Grouped tools into dropdown menus reduced cognitive load
Reduced ambiguity on potentially vague iconography
“A good excuse doesn’t fix a problem”
— Brent Frei, CEO & Founder of Smartsheet