Context

Voluum Tracker has been developed for many years, resulting in a powerful yet complex product. Features and flows were tailored for experienced media buyers with deep knowledge of tracking flows.

As the product matured, we noticed that novice users — especially those without prior tracker experience — struggled with key onboarding tasks. Even though we provided educational resources and videos, most people defaulted to trial and error when setting up their first campaign.

We saw this as an opportunity to reduce friction in the onboarding journey and help new users succeed faster.

Problem

As soon as I stepped into product design, I investigated a long-standing issue: our onboarding was too complex. Discovery revealed:

• The flow was built for experienced users, leaving beginners behind
• First-time setup required too much prior knowledge
• Removing onboarding calls from basic plans directly increased churn
• Documentation wasn’t flexible enough to support diverse use cases

We confirmed this using Hotjar recordings, support ticket patterns, chat logs, and detailed YouTrack reports.

Solution

I aimed to shorten time-to-value for new users. With technical insight and internal alignment, we delivered a practical solution.

• Audited system requests data to define all key components of campaign creation
• Collaborated with CS/AM teams to filter for real-world usage patterns
• Introduced a guided quick-start feature that mimics the actual setup process and utilizes the learning-by-doing principle
• Used progressive disclosure — defaults up front, complexity later
• Provided inline explanations to reduce confusion at each step
• Covered 80%+ of first-use scenarios in the initial flow design

Results

I owned the core design and early development of the quick start experience. For final rollout and enhancements, ownership was transitioned to our maintenance team.

• Achieved an 8% reduction in early (1st month) churn
• 21% of newcomers used the feature within their first 10 sessions
• Onboarding sessions became shorter and more efficient
• Feedback from users and internal teams was highly positive

This feature helped transform onboarding from a blocker to a launchpad — removing friction, building trust, and supporting product-led growth.