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Onboarding (spotlight)
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unpublishedhanging

@unpublishedhanging

MediumSaaS

Onboarding (spotlight)

Design a spotlight-style onboarding flow for a new user landing in the product for the first time. The pattern should dim the rest of the interface and bring one key feature into focus at a time, with a short title and one-line explanation for each step.

Keep the sequence tight: 3–5 steps max, each tied to a real UI target such as a primary action, sidebar item, or settings control. The user should always know what is being highlighted, why it matters, and what happens next.

Include the core interaction states: first step, later step, skip, back, and complete. Add a clear dismiss path and make sure the spotlight can recover cleanly if the user leaves midway. Copy should be brief and instructional, not promotional.

What to deliver

  • Design a 3–5 step spotlight onboarding flow
  • Highlight one UI target per step with a dimmed backdrop
  • Add next, back, skip, and finish actions
  • Write short helper copy for each spotlight
  • Include dismiss and resume states

Incorporate a 'progress indicator' to give users a sense of accomplishment as they complete onboarding steps.