OnboardingEmerging Pattern

Adding strategic friction can improve activation by ensuring users understand core value

Q: How many founders have validated "adding strategic friction can improve activation by ensuring users understand core value"?

2 founders have proven this pattern works. Examples include Joseph Lee (Supademo), Ruben Gamez (SignWell).

Insight from Ruben Gamez

When to use

When converting signups into active users

Don't do this

Complicated onboarding that loses users

2 Founders Who Did This

Supademoby Joseph Lee

Required users to create a demo during signup to force them to experience the core value immediately, countering perception that demo creation is time-consuming

Result:Improved activation rates by getting users to the aha moment before they could churn

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SignWellby Ruben Gamez

Added deliberate UI friction to ensure users understood the core product interaction before proceeding, and periodically replaced frictionless signup with survey-based qualification to gather customer data

Result:Increased activation rates by ensuring users who completed onboarding understood and valued the product

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