Onboarding strategies for mobile applications

Abstract

With the profound increase in user acceptance of mobile device usage, the transfer of Web applications to mobile devices has become of paramount importance. There are currently three approaches, which could be followed to this end, namely; native mobile, hybrid and Web applications methods. Whichever method is adopted, the user interface must be adjusted to accommodate specific features of mobile devices, as well as the different interaction styles. The essence is the smooth transition from the Web to the mobile environment, through an effective learning process. The research problem is that users do not automatically adjust from using Web interfaces to successful interaction with those same applications on a mobile platform. The process of onboarding is a potential solution, since it can help them to get started with the application, converting them form first-time visitors to returning customers during the first interaction with the product. A number of strategies exist to this end, but sometimes with contradictory details. The objective of this research was to identify current strategies and analyse their strengths and weaknesses. An empirical study was conducted to investigate these strategies, categorize them, and finally, evaluate them. The results include a categorization of currently used onboarding strategies. Each category is discussed with its advantages and disadvantages, and guidelines on the applications are provided. It is expected that these results will play a positive role in supporting the strong trend towards mobile rather than desk-bound computer and application usage.