Practical decision guide
5 min read
Updated
Onboarding: show value before asking for an account
Choose a guest trial, a first guided task or mandatory sign-in without losing the work.
Direct answer
Start with the smallest useful result a newcomer can achieve. Ask for an account when private access or cross-device persistence requires it. Separate a demo result from saved personal work, and explain what survives leaving the page before someone invests time.
01
Define the first useful result
For a meal planner, the result could be a sample weekly menu. Opening five introduction slides is an activity, not proof of value. Write one observable outcome before designing the welcome screen.
List its requirements: example data, preferences, access and persistence. Label fictional data and offer a restart. Never fill a new account with a fake history presented as real.
- prepare an onboarding
- try before signing up
For a meal planner, the result could be a sample weekly menu. Opening five introduction slides is an activity, not proof of value. Write one observable outcome before designing the welcome screen. List its requirements: example data, preferences, access and persistence. Label fictional data and offer a restart. Never fill a new account with a fake history presented as real.
02
Choose the account boundary
Use a guest demonstration for disposable public exploration. Require sign-in first to access hosted private data whose authorization depends on identity. Private work kept locally can remain account-free when local protection is sufficient. A guest path must never bypass authorization or expose another workspace.
Explain why sign-in becomes necessary: save across devices, invite someone or access private content. Do not collect unrelated profile fields simply to fill the onboarding journey.
Use a guest demonstration for disposable public exploration. Require sign-in first to access hosted private data whose authorization depends on identity. Private work kept locally can remain account-free when local protection is sufficient. A guest path must never bypass authorization or expose another workspace. Explain why sign-in becomes necessary: save across devices, invite someone or access private content. Do not collect unrelated profile fields simply to fill the onboarding journey.
03
Example: try a menu
Offer “Try a sample menu” and “Open my menus” separately. Let someone replace one meal and inspect its shopping list. Keep the primary action about that result rather than a tour of every feature.
At “Keep this menu”, explain storage. If guest migration exists, transfer exactly the edited version after sign-in and show it again. Otherwise disclose the limitation before editing, without silently discarding work.
Offer “Try a sample menu” and “Open my menus” separately. Let someone replace one meal and inspect its shopping list. Keep the primary action about that result rather than a tour of every feature. At “Keep this menu”, explain storage. If guest migration exists, transfer exactly the edited version after sign-in and show it again. Otherwise disclose the limitation before editing, without silently discarding work.
04
Recover after interruption
A skipped introduction remains available from help. Keep the intended destination through sign-in. After session expiry, distinguish the local draft from what the service has accepted.
When sign-in fails, preserve permitted draft fields and offer a safe return. Never say work is saved to an account before the service confirms it. Explain shared-device and local-only limits.
A skipped introduction remains available from help. Keep the intended destination through sign-in. After session expiry, distinguish the local draft from what the service has accepted. When sign-in fails, preserve permitted draft fields and offer a safe return. Never say work is saved to an account before the service confirms it. Explain shared-device and local-only limits.
05
Verify the promise
Exercise guest use, returning use and failed sign-in. Reopen edited content, follow Back and use the keyboard at narrow width. Verify that the promised data survives rather than checking only a success label.
This guide frames a product decision, not identity security or conversion proof. Scripted completion establishes functionality; adoption and learning need separate evidence.
Exercise guest use, returning use and failed sign-in. Reopen edited content, follow Back and use the keyboard at narrow width. Verify that the promised data survives rather than checking only a success label. This guide frames a product decision, not identity security or conversion proof. Scripted completion establishes functionality; adoption and learning need separate evidence.
Keep this
Verify in your product
- 01Name the first useful result.
- 02Identify sample data.
- 03Explain why an account is needed.
- 04Preserve promised edits.
- 05Do not claim success after failure.
- 06Check skip, back and keyboard.
Primary sources
Technical claims in this guide connect to first-party specifications and documentation.
- Create accounts (opens in a new tab)GOV.UK Design System · Primary reference for the documented mechanism. The worked scenario and decision checklist are original SkillCodex editorial guidance, not a certified implementation.
- Forms tutorial (opens in a new tab)W3C WAI · Primary reference for the documented mechanism. The worked scenario and decision checklist are original SkillCodex editorial guidance, not a certified implementation.
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Implement correctly
Apply “Onboarding: show value before asking for an account” step by step
# Apply the “Onboarding: show value before asking for an account” guide in your agent ## Objective Start with the smallest useful result a newcomer can achieve. Ask for an account when private access or cross-device persistence requires it. Separate a demo result from saved personal work, and explain what survives leaving the page before someone invests time. ## Prerequisites - Inspect the repository, documentation, and existing conventions. - Confirm the need matches the guide scope: Choose a guest trial, a first guided task or mandatory sign-in without losing the work. - Preserve the correct decisions already in place. ## Guide steps - 1. Define the first useful result — For a meal planner, the result could be a sample weekly menu. Opening five introduction slides is an activity, not proof of value. Write one observable outcome before designing the welcome screen. List its requirements: example data, preferences, access and persistence. Label fictional data and offer a restart. Never fill a new account with a fake history presented as real. - 2. Choose the account boundary — Use a guest demonstration for disposable public exploration. Require sign-in first to access hosted private data whose authorization depends on identity. Private work kept locally can remain account-free when local protection is sufficient. A guest path must never bypass authorization or expose another workspace. Explain why sign-in becomes necessary: save across devices, invite someone or access private content. Do not collect unrelated profile fields simply to fill the onboarding journey. - 3. Example: try a menu — Offer “Try a sample menu” and “Open my menus” separately. Let someone replace one meal and inspect its shopping list. Keep the primary action about that result rather than a tour of every feature. At “Keep this menu”, explain storage. If guest migration exists, transfer exactly the edited version after sign-in and show it again. Otherwise disclose the limitation before editing, without silently discarding work. - 4. Recover after interruption — A skipped introduction remains available from help. Keep the intended destination through sign-in. After session expiry, distinguish the local draft from what the service has accepted. When sign-in fails, preserve permitted draft fields and offer a safe return. Never say work is saved to an account before the service confirms it. Explain shared-device and local-only limits. - 5. Verify the promise — Exercise guest use, returning use and failed sign-in. Reopen edited content, follow Back and use the keyboard at narrow width. Verify that the promised data survives rather than checking only a success label. This guide frames a product decision, not identity security or conversion proof. Scripted completion establishes functionality; adoption and learning need separate evidence. ## Acceptance criteria — Verify in your product - Name the first useful result. - Identify sample data. - Explain why an account is needed. - Preserve promised edits. - Do not claim success after failure. - Check skip, back and keyboard. ## Guardrails - Show the proposed changes before any external action. - Do not publish, send, delete, pay for, or change remote state without explicit authorization. - Preserve unrelated changes and stop if the scope becomes ambiguous. ## Output format - Outcome or verdict. - Files or actions involved. - Checks run and observable evidence. - Remaining blockers or limitations.
- Requires · The real project context: repository, documentation, and existing constraints
Why it works
- The steps come from a published, sourced guide, not improvisation.
- The checklist turns advice into verifiable criteria.
- The declared scope keeps the guide within its evidence.
Try next
Anchor the guide in the project
# Anchor the guide in the project ## Objective Turn the applied steps into durable repository conventions. ## Checks - Link each decision made to the guide step that justifies it. - Add the checklist to the relevant reviews. - Record out-of-scope cases for the neighboring guides. ## Guardrails - Show the proposed changes before any external action. - Do not publish, send, delete, pay for, or change remote state without explicit authorization. - Preserve unrelated changes and stop if the scope becomes ambiguous. ## Output format - Outcome or verdict. - Files or actions involved. - Checks run and observable evidence. - Remaining blockers or limitations.
sha256:8ea61c4a8768a5e2374207a67ad0a43ebeb6c54579f28f95e53f6514f919feed
Diagnose a problem
Diagnose a “Onboarding: show value before asking for an account” guide gap
# Diagnose a failed application of the “Onboarding: show value before asking for an account” guide ## Observed symptom [DESCRIBE THE SYMPTOM HERE] ## Observable checks - Replay the steps in order and note the first one that diverges: - 1. Define the first useful result — For a meal planner, the result could be a sample weekly menu. Opening five introduction slides is an activity, not proof of value. Write one observable outcome before designing the welcome screen. List its requirements: example data, preferences, access and persistence. Label fictional data and offer a restart. Never fill a new account with a fake history presented as real. - 2. Choose the account boundary — Use a guest demonstration for disposable public exploration. Require sign-in first to access hosted private data whose authorization depends on identity. Private work kept locally can remain account-free when local protection is sufficient. A guest path must never bypass authorization or expose another workspace. Explain why sign-in becomes necessary: save across devices, invite someone or access private content. Do not collect unrelated profile fields simply to fill the onboarding journey. - 3. Example: try a menu — Offer “Try a sample menu” and “Open my menus” separately. Let someone replace one meal and inspect its shopping list. Keep the primary action about that result rather than a tour of every feature. At “Keep this menu”, explain storage. If guest migration exists, transfer exactly the edited version after sign-in and show it again. Otherwise disclose the limitation before editing, without silently discarding work. - 4. Recover after interruption — A skipped introduction remains available from help. Keep the intended destination through sign-in. After session expiry, distinguish the local draft from what the service has accepted. When sign-in fails, preserve permitted draft fields and offer a safe return. Never say work is saved to an account before the service confirms it. Explain shared-device and local-only limits. - 5. Verify the promise — Exercise guest use, returning use and failed sign-in. Reopen edited content, follow Back and use the keyboard at narrow width. Verify that the promised data survives rather than checking only a success label. This guide frames a product decision, not identity security or conversion proof. Scripted completion establishes functionality; adoption and learning need separate evidence. ## Possible causes - A step was skipped or executed out of order. - The actual need falls outside the guide scope. - A checklist criterion was never verified. ## Bounded fixes - Redo only the diverging step and what depends on it. - Document the gap if the guide scope does not cover the need. ## Final verification — Verify in your product - Name the first useful result. - Identify sample data. - Explain why an account is needed. - Preserve promised edits. - Do not claim success after failure. - Check skip, back and keyboard. ## Guardrails - Show the proposed changes before any external action. - Do not publish, send, delete, pay for, or change remote state without explicit authorization. - Preserve unrelated changes and stop if the scope becomes ambiguous. ## Output format - Outcome or verdict. - Files or actions involved. - Checks run and observable evidence. - Remaining blockers or limitations.
- Requires · The real project context: repository, documentation, and existing constraints
Why it works
- The diagnosis replays ordered steps instead of searching at random.
- Fixes stay bounded to the first real divergence.
- The checklist serves as a reproducible final verification.
Try next
Prevent the next drift
# Prevent the next drift ## Objective Turn the first diverging step into an explicit project check. ## Checks - Add a focused check on the step that diverged. - Verify the checklist on a second real case. - Document the scope limit you hit. ## Guardrails - Show the proposed changes before any external action. - Do not publish, send, delete, pay for, or change remote state without explicit authorization. - Preserve unrelated changes and stop if the scope becomes ambiguous. ## Output format - Outcome or verdict. - Files or actions involved. - Checks run and observable evidence. - Remaining blockers or limitations.
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Pack digest: sha256:ba5ca99e019a7c6ebe16598c259ec7e99d017ca8d76b98d7d6c2aa19e215c18e