I led the redesign of Metabase’s setup flow, focusing on simplifying onboarding and reducing drop-offs. This update improved retention by 8%, enhancing activation and long-term user engagement.
My Role
Lead Designer (User Research, Validation, UI/UX, Animation)
Timeline
4 months - 2022
Setting up a new tool can feel challenging, especially for non-technical users. In Metabase’s case, the setup process revealed a few key obstacles that stop new users from fully activating their accounts. Based on feedback, we identified three main points:
1. Data Connection Issues (50% of cases)
Many users struggled to connect their databases due to unclear error messages and compatibility issues with specific databases. This was especially frustrating for non-technical users.
2. Functionality + Education (25% of cases)
Some of Metabase's features felt complex without clear instructions, making it hard for users to see the platform's value right away.
3. Perception Gaps (25% of cases)
Some users were not prepared to commit to a paid plan, found the setup process time-consuming, or were unclear about what "open-source" means, discouraging them from fully activating their accounts.
Additional Reasons
Users also mentioned bugs, performance issues with large datasets, and a lack of cohesion in the onboarding flow.
Identifying core issues
To understand which areas we should focus on, I reviewed users’ feedback, analyzed data, and mapped out the user journey in the setup flow to get to know which areas had significant drop-offs and opportunities for improvement. I also identified inconsistencies in the copy and proposed ways to make it clearer and more cohesive.
Competitor Analysis
To gain insights, I analyzed our competitors to identify best practices in onboarding and setup experiences, examining various aspects, including tone of voice, usability, interface patterns, and the time it took to set up a database, as this was crucial to the overall user experience.
After reviewing the data, we decided to focus on:
Removing the dead end during the initial setup process
Simplifying the database selection experience
Making database configuration easier and more user-friendly
Providing clear database sync status
After
Instead of leaving users without knowing what's happening with their instance, we added a progress bar and an animation with tips to keep users informed and engaged while they waited. This aimed to reduce frustration by making users feel they were making progress even before fully accessing the platform.
Syncing large databases can take time, often leaving users uncertain about the progress. To make database sync more user-friendly, I created a subtle, non-intrusive snackbar that provides real-time updates on database sync progress, informing users when their data is ready. This feature reduced anxiety and improved transparency, allowing users to explore other parts of the platform without worrying about sync completion.
