Activation & Onboarding
Engineer the first 'aha' moment and repeat success path.
Explanation
Activation is the moment when new users first experience the core value of your product. Users who reach this 'aha moment' quickly are much more likely to become long-term customers. The challenge is identifying what specific action or experience creates this moment, then designing your onboarding to get users there as quickly as possible.
Real-World Example
Slack's activation: Team sends 2000 messages. Until then, it's just another app. After, they're hooked. They redesigned onboarding to reach 2000 messages faster. Retention increased 30%. They measure time to 2000, not just signups.
How to Apply
Find your aha: What do retained users do that churned users don't? Design fastest path there. Remove everything else. Measure: Time to aha, % who reach it. Tactics: Progress bar, checklists, smart defaults, sample data, guided tour. Keep iterating until >60% activate.