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What do I call it when users drop off during onboarding?
When users sign up, click around, and leave before first value, the useful language is not just 'make onboarding better.' It is activation, mental model, and product mechanics.
Use these terms
Activation moment
The first point where the user experiences concrete value.
User mental model
The user's expectation of how the product should work.
Information architecture
Groups screens, objects, and actions so the path makes sense.
Progressive disclosure
Shows complexity only when it becomes relevant.
Affordance
Makes the possible action obvious without needing explanatory text.
Empty state
Turns a blank first-run moment into a useful next action.
Prompt pattern
Weak ask
Users drop off during onboarding. Make it better.
Exact Terms ask
Audit this onboarding for activation moment, user mental model mismatch, information architecture, progressive disclosure, affordance, and empty state quality. Return the shortest path to first value.
Common questions
What should I measure?
Measure whether users reach the activation moment, how many steps it takes, and where the mental model breaks.
What should an AI critique focus on?
Ask it to identify first value, blocked actions, confusing object names, empty states, and unnecessary early complexity.