Onboarding checklist

An onboarding checklist is a set of clearly listed steps that helps new users understand what they need to do to get value from your product.

It usually appears in-product and tracks progress toward an activation milestone.

Unlike product tours, checklists let users work at their own pace and in their preferred order (if steps are independent).

Completion effect: Users are motivated to finish what they start—progress bars and checkmarks create momentum.

Clarity: Checklists reduce uncertainty by showing exactly what needs to be done.

Autonomy: Users can choose their own path rather than being forced through a linear tour.

Good onboarding checklists are short, outcome-focused, and tailored to specific roles or use cases.

They avoid vanity steps and focus on actions that strongly correlate with activation and retention.

Aim for 3–7 items. More than 7 feels overwhelming; fewer than 3 may not provide enough structure.

Each item should be a clear action, not a vague goal (e.g., "Connect your GitHub repo" not "Set up integrations").

Items should be achievable in a single session—break complex tasks into smaller steps.

Consider adding estimated time for each item to set expectations.

Track completion rate for each item and the overall checklist.

Measure drop-off between items to identify friction points.

Compare activation rates and retention for users who complete the checklist vs. those who do not.

Skene generates onboarding journeys and can expose them as checklists that stay in sync with your underlying product flows.

Because checklists are tied to milestones and analytics, you can see how completing each step affects activation and time-to-value.