Onboarding Cro

What the source does

• FilesystemNone observedNo reads or writes in the source
• NetworkNone observedNo outbound calls in the source
• ShellNone observedNo commands run in the source
• DependenciesPinnedNothing floats
• SecretsNone foundNo keys in source

Five audit layers

Gates applied: no behavioural pass.

.codex/skills/a11y-audit

.codex/skills/ab-test-setup

.codex/skills/account-executive

.codex/skills/ad-creative

.codex/skills/aeo

Audit 0.4.1 · source sha 6e3fcbdbb5cf · 19 Oct 2026Report an issue or request a re-scan

• Publisherborghei GitHub userOwner of the repository this skill is read from
• Source folderborghei/Claude-Skills/business-growth/onboarding-croThe exact folder we audited
• LicenceNOASSERTIONAs the repository states it
• Commit pinned for this verdict6e3fcbdbb5cfA new audit runs when the source changes
• Repository statusNot archivedLast push 12 days ago
• Sandboxed runNot runSkills are read, not executed; layer L4 is skipped

Its description: Post-signup user onboarding optimization covering activation metrics, time-to-value reduction, onboarding flow design, empty state optimization, multi-channel coordination, and stalled user recovery.

---
name: onboarding-cro
description: >
  Post-signup user onboarding optimization covering activation metrics,
  time-to-value reduction, onboarding flow design, empty state optimization,
  multi-channel coordination, and stalled user recovery.
license: MIT + Commons Clause
metadata:
  version: 1.0.0
  author: borghei
  category: business-growth
  updated: 2026-03-31
  tags:
    - cro
    - onboarding
    - activation
    - user-experience
    - retention
    - time-to-value
---
# Onboarding CRO

Production-grade user onboarding optimization framework covering activation definition, time-to-value engineering, flow architecture, empty state design, multi-channel coordination, stalled user recovery, and experiment design. Focused on the critical window between signup and habitual product usage.

---

## Table of Contents

- [Initial Assessment](#initial-assessment)
- [Activation Definition Framework](#activation-definition-framework)
- [Onboarding Flow Architecture](#onboarding-flow-architecture)
- [Time-to-Value Engineering](#time-to-value-engineering)
- [Empty State Design](#empty-state-design)
- [Onboarding Patterns by Product Type](#onboarding-patterns-by-product-type)
- [Multi-Channel Coordination](#multi-channel-coordination)
- [Stalled User Recovery](#stalled-user-recovery)
- [Onboarding Checklist Design](#onboarding-checklist-design)
- [Tooltip and Tour Design](#tooltip-and-tour-design)
- [Metrics and Measurement](#metrics-and-measurement)
- [Experiment Framework](#experiment-framework)
- [Output Artifacts](#output-artifacts)
- [Related Skills](#related-skills)

---

## Clarify First

Before designing the onboarding, confirm these inputs. If any is unknown or vague, ASK — do not assume:

- [ ] **Product type** — B2B SaaS, B2C app, marketplace, or content platform (selects the onboarding pattern)
- [ ] **Activation event (aha moment)** — the action correlated with 30-day retention (defines what the whole flow drives toward)
- [ ] **Current activation rate + where users drop off** — baseline and the biggest funnel bottleneck to fix
- [ ] **Day-1/7/30 retention** — sets urgency and whether the problem is onboarding vs product-market fit

Stop rule: ask only the 2-3 that most change the output. If the user says "just draft it," proceed and list your assumptions at the top of the deliverable.

## Initial Assessment

### Required Context

| Question | Why It Matters |
|----------|---------------|
| What is the product type? (B2B SaaS, B2C app, marketplace, content platform) | Determines the onboarding pattern |
| What is the core value proposition? | Defines what the aha moment should demonstrate |
| What happens immediately after signup? | Identifies the current first-run experience |
| What action correlates most with 30-day retention? | Defines the activation event |
| Where do users drop off? (funnel data if available) | Pinpoints the biggest bottleneck |
| What is the current activation rate? | Baseline for improvement |
| What is Day-1 / Day-7 / Day-30 retention? | Context for urgency |

---

## Activation Definition Framework

### Finding the Aha Moment

The aha moment is the specific action that, once completed, makes a user significantly more likely to retain. It is NOT a feature -- it is the moment the user experiences the core value.

**Method to identify it:**

1. **Cohort comparison:** Compare 90-day retained users vs churned users. What actions did retained users do in the first 7 days that churned users did not?
2. **Correlation analysis:** For each candidate action, calculate the correlation between completing that action in week 1 and being retained at day 30.
3. **Timing analysis:** When do retained users complete this action? (Day 1? Day 3? Day 7?)

### Activation Event Examples

| Product Type | Activation Event | Why This Works |
|-------------|-----------------|----------------|
| Project management | Create project + invite 1 team member | Collaboration creates switching costs |
| Analytics tool | Install tracking + view first report | Seeing their own data is the value |
| Design tool | Create first design + export or share | Output = value realized |
| CRM | Import contacts + log first activity | Data investment creates lock-in |
| Marketplace | Complete first transaction | Transaction = value delivered |
| Content platform | Follow 3+ sources + consume 5+ items | Personalization drives habit |
| Communication tool | Send first message + get a reply | Two-sided value activation |

### Activation Metric Structure

```
Activation Rate = Users who reach activation event / Total signups
                  (within first N days)

Target: 40-60% activation within 7 days for B2C
        25-40% activation within 14 days for B2B
```

---

## Onboarding Flow Architecture

### Flow Type Selection

| Approach | Best For | Risk | Mitigation |
|----------|----------|------|------------|
| Product-first (drop into product) | Simple products, B2C, mobile apps | Blank slate overwhelm | Pre-populated sample data |
| Guided setup (wizard) | Products needing configuration | Adds friction before value | Keep to 3-5 steps max |
| Value-first (show results immediately) | Products with demo data | May not feel personalized | Use their data if possible |
| Template-first | Creative/productivity tools | Choice paralysis | Curate 3-5 starter templates |
| Video walkthrough | Complex B2B products | Users skip videos | Keep under 90 seconds |

### The First 30-Second Rule

Whatever flow type you choose, within 30 seconds of landing in the product, the user must:

1. See a clear single next action (not 5 options)
2. Understand what the product will do for them
3. Have a visible path forward (no dead ends)

### Flow Design Principles

| Principle | Implementation |
|-----------|---------------|
| One goal per session | First session focuses ONLY on reaching the aha moment |
| Do, don't show | User performs the action, not watches a tutorial about it |
| Progress creates motivation | Show advanc

Excerpt, first 6,000 characters of SKILL.md, verbatim from the audited commit. It is text from someone else’s repository, quoted so you can judge it before your agent reads it.

git clone https://github.com/borghei/Claude-Skills
git -C Claude-Skills checkout 6e3fcbdbb5cf

Works in

1. 2026-10-19
   !CAUTION B 89 / 100

   first audit · source 6e3fcbdbb5cf

Questions about Onboarding Cro

• github.com/borghei/Claude-Skills/tree/main/business-growth/onboa — the audited source at commit 6e3fcbdbb5cf and every finding aboveObserved · 19 Oct 2026

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