Onboarding takes ~42 days and requires multiple handoffs  (BD → Onboarding → Partner Success → Support). 

Clients can’t progress on their own; tasks like XML mapping are locked until onboarding is done.

Users don’t see where their uploaded data goes, which creates confusion from the very first step.

Average time before a client can use the platform independently.

XML mapping attempts include mistakes and require manual correction.

Every new client must go through onboarding calls before they can use the product.

Tutorials and chat are only available after sign-in.

Interviews and flow review showed that onboarding feels slow and unclear. Clients aren’t sure where to start, data isn’t visible right away, and important actions are hidden. This creates friction and increases reliance on support.

First steps aren’t obvious (e.g., choose a data source → create a job list). Users need clearer guidance and a visible sense of progress.

After uploading XML, users can’t see where it ends up or how it connects to later steps. Showing this immediately would reduce questions and confusion.

Right now, filters and actions are scattered. Let people edit items in place and use clear filters directly in the job list to make management faster.

Field mapping is complex and error-prone. A visual, guided mapping flow would cut mistakes and reduce support load.

Looking at competitors, it was clear that:

1.  Most allow a trial sign-up rather than gating everything behind sales.
2. Many surface help (docs, academies, chat) before sign-in.
3. Several guide users through setup steps directly in the product, instead of relying only on calls.

with 10 participants showed that unmatched profiles were easier to update after reworking the mechanics, a new hint guided users to choose a data source first, and export became easier to find.

with 20 participants helped standardize labels, filter text, and action buttons, making the interface clearer.

with 5 participants led to a better step order, the addition of “Assign Language,” and gating save until all fields were complete.

Average time from sign-up to creating a first job list decreased from 42 days to 14 days. The new Job Library and progress cues helped users move forward much faster.

Error rates during XML mapping dropped from 80% of attempts to 25%. The guided in-product flow with validation reduced mistakes and the need for manual corrections.

Successful exports from the assets flow increased by +20% after adding clearer entry points. This shows that export is easier to find and complete within the new design.

After we delivered the validated concept and specs, the team planned to ship the Job Library, in-product XML mapping , and the Assets Library improvements first.

We outlined post-launch KPIs for the product team to track: time-to-first job list, XML mapping completion rate/time, the share of self-serve vs assisted onboarding, and export discovery/usage.

For the longer term, we recommended exploring direct XML export to job boards to reduce manual work and deliver earlier value.

Key lessons I’ll carry into future work to make projects faster, clearer, and more effective for both users and my team.

The best solution is often the smallest. Start with the clearest path to value and ship the tiniest change that proves it.

It’s easy for projects to grow once you start. Setting clear boundaries early helps keep things focused and avoids delays.

If people don’t know what to do first, nothing else matters. Make the initial action obvious and low-effort.

Agree on a few KPIs before you design. Use them to guide decisions, validate changes, and know when to move on.