The problem

New users hit a ten-step setup wizard before they saw the product. Over half of them left in the first session.

Constraints

The setup steps were real requirements, not fluff, and the API they depended on couldn’t change this quarter.

Design decisions

Let people use the product first and set it up as they go. Every step became a moment inside a real first project.

What I built

Five onboarding concepts prototyped in code and tested with twelve developers, then the winner built in React with Motion transitions and inline hints.

Trade-offs

Deferring setup meant some users hit errors later. We added gentle, contextual prompts instead of blocking them up front.

The result

First-session drop-off fell 38% and the median time to a first project is now four minutes. Setup tickets halved the next quarter.

What I’d do differently

I’d instrument the old wizard properly before redesigning it. We had to guess where people dropped off for the first two weeks.