Tempo Softwares
Tempo Softwares
Tempo Softwares
2024 - 2025
Reversing 2 Years of Decline: 67.7% Activation Through Role-Based Onboarding
Reversing 2 Years of Decline: 67.7% Activation Through Role-Based Onboarding
Reversing 2 Years of Decline: 67.7% Activation Through Role-Based Onboarding
MY ROLE
Sr. Growth Designer
Collaboration
Growth PM, Engineering, Analytics
TIMELINE
2 Weeks from launch
PRODUCT
Strategic Roadmaps
TOOLS
Figma, Jira, Amplitude
Inheriting a Problem
Inheriting a Problem
When I joined Strategic Roadmaps, the product had been losing money for two years. The previous Growth Director and PM had tried two experiments to improve onboarding conversion, but both failed. They redesigned the template page and copied ideas from Miro and Notion, but nothing worked.
After a reorganization that led to both leaders leaving, I took on the challenge with a new Growth PM. We had Fortune 500 customers depending on the old code, a six-month gap since the last experiment, and increasing pressure to fix the situation. The data showed users were dropping off at the template selection stage, but the reason was unclear.
When I joined Strategic Roadmaps, the product had been losing money for two years. The previous Growth Director and PM had tried two experiments to improve onboarding conversion, but both failed. They redesigned the template page and copied ideas from Miro and Notion, but nothing worked.
After a reorganization that led to both leaders leaving, I took on the challenge with a new Growth PM. We had Fortune 500 customers depending on the old code, a six-month gap since the last experiment, and increasing pressure to fix the situation. The data showed users were dropping off at the template selection stage, but the reason was unclear.
Impact metrics
Impact metrics
67.7%
Roadmap creation rate (up from 48.4%)
30%
increase in users inviting collaborators
25%
Reduction in onboarding drop-off
$90K
ARR from earlier template removal experiment
The Insight: It's Not How, It's How Many
The Insight: It's Not How, It's How Many
In earlier experiments, we thought the issue was how we displayed templates, like using grids or tabs. However, I realized the real problem was overwhelming users with over 100 templates to choose from, leading to decision paralysis.
We had a form to capture user roles, like Product Manager, Designer, or Engineer, but we weren't using that information effectively. Instead of helping users, we just dumped them into a template library with vague categories like "Business" or "Technology," forcing a Product Manager to sift through many options to find something useful.
I suggested a big change: show users only 5-12 templates tailored to their role. This would create a personalized starting point instead of a generic template center.
In earlier experiments, we thought the issue was how we displayed templates, like using grids or tabs. However, I realized the real problem was overwhelming users with over 100 templates to choose from, leading to decision paralysis.
We had a form to capture user roles, like Product Manager, Designer, or Engineer, but we weren't using that information effectively. Instead of helping users, we just dumped them into a template library with vague categories like "Business" or "Technology," forcing a Product Manager to sift through many options to find something useful.
I suggested a big change: show users only 5-12 templates tailored to their role. This would create a personalized starting point instead of a generic template center.
The original "Choose a template" page .
The original "Choose a template" page .
One of the failed redesign attempts showing horizontal tab navigation.
One of the failed redesign attempts showing horizontal tab navigation.
Designing for Roles, Not Categories
Designing for Roles, Not Categories
I worked with the new Growth PM to simplify the onboarding process using the role data we already had. After users fill out the "Help us customize your experience" form, they see the "Let's get building!" page with "Recommended Roadmaps for You", ive templates tailored to their role and an option to "Import or Integrate."
For a Growth Designer, the options include: Feature Roadmap, Portfolio Roadmap, Product Development Roadmap, Product Roadmap, and Product Launch Roadmap. Each option has a brief description and an icon, with a live preview on the right showing how the template works. The message emphasizes flexibility: "You can change at any time."
When users pick a template, they are asked, "How would you like to start?" with choices for "Use Sample Items" or "Start from Scratch." Then they name the roadmap and create it, all in just three clicks.
I worked with the new Growth PM to simplify the onboarding process using the role data we already had. After users fill out the "Help us customize your experience" form, they see the "Let's get building!" page with "Recommended Roadmaps for You", ive templates tailored to their role and an option to "Import or Integrate."
For a Growth Designer, the options include: Feature Roadmap, Portfolio Roadmap, Product Development Roadmap, Product Roadmap, and Product Launch Roadmap. Each option has a brief description and an icon, with a live preview on the right showing how the template works. The message emphasizes flexibility: "You can change at any time."
When users pick a template, they are asked, "How would you like to start?" with choices for "Use Sample Items" or "Start from Scratch." Then they name the roadmap and create it, all in just three clicks.
The breakthrough personalized onboarding screen.
The breakthrough personalized onboarding screen.
Special onboarding path for invited users
Special onboarding path for invited users
The Risk: Fortune 500 Customers and Legacy Code
The Risk: Fortune 500 Customers and Legacy Code
We couldn't send this to everyone right away. Since Fortune 500 companies depend on our product and we had past failures, we needed to test it carefully. We introduced personalized onboarding for half of the new trial users while keeping the old process for the other half and all existing customers.
The templates were already sorted in the old system, we just filtered what users saw based on their roles. This made it easier to implement despite some coding limitations.
We couldn't send this to everyone right away. Since Fortune 500 companies depend on our product and we had past failures, we needed to test it carefully. We introduced personalized onboarding for half of the new trial users while keeping the old process for the other half and all existing customers.
The templates were already sorted in the old system, we just filtered what users saw based on their roles. This made it easier to implement despite some coding limitations.
19.3% Activation Lift in 2 Weeks
19.3% Activation Lift in 2 Weeks
Within two weeks, the data validated the hypothesis:
Key results:
Key results:
Old onboarding conversion
48.4% Reached roadmap creation
21.5% Created items
5.08% Created fields
New personalized onboarding
67.7% Reached roadmap creation (+19.3% points)
21.2% Created items (maintained)
6.26% Created fields (+1.18% points)
The gap between entering information and creating a roadmap decreased by 25%. Importantly, 30% more users invited others to join their accounts, which is a good sign for product growth. When we removed the template page, users had to start from scratch, leading to $90K in expected annual revenue, but it hurt activation. Personalization helped us achieve better activation and revenue.
The engagement data showed steady improvement over several months, not just a one-time spike. Users were finding useful starting points faster, reaching value sooner, and involving their teammates.
The gap between entering information and creating a roadmap decreased by 25%. Importantly, 30% more users invited others to join their accounts, which is a good sign for product growth. When we removed the template page, users had to start from scratch, leading to $90K in expected annual revenue, but it hurt activation. Personalization helped us achieve better activation and revenue.
The engagement data showed steady improvement over several months, not just a one-time spike. Users were finding useful starting points faster, reaching value sooner, and involving their teammates.
What Failure Taught Me
What Failure Taught Me
The two experiments before I joined were not wasted, they helped us discard wrong ideas. Changes to layout and borrowing patterns failed because they only treated symptoms, not the real problem. Often, we learn the most from failures.
This project showed that growth design isn't just about optimizing aggressively; it's about easing the process at key moments. We had the necessary data (user role) and categorized templates. The key was linking them to remove a cognitive hurdle that was costing us millions.
The two experiments before I joined were not wasted, they helped us discard wrong ideas. Changes to layout and borrowing patterns failed because they only treated symptoms, not the real problem. Often, we learn the most from failures.
This project showed that growth design isn't just about optimizing aggressively; it's about easing the process at key moments. We had the necessary data (user role) and categorized templates. The key was linking them to remove a cognitive hurdle that was costing us millions.