Four bets on what should replace the Get Started dashboard.
The current 6-step checklist is failing. 53.5% of new Americas signups never click it, and the users who do activate (24% create a client) mostly do so by bypassing the checklist entirely. Each prototype below tests a different hypothesis about what should sit at post-signup instead. Open each, walk through the flow (around 30 to 60 seconds), then read the side-by-side at the bottom.
Action-first
No dashboard. Post-signup lands on "Create your first client." Each action unlocks the next contextual nudge: client, then appointment, then Stripe. Setup tasks (location, branding, team) defer to a slide-in "Practice setup" drawer that tracks against the old 6-task list, so the legacy pattern stays preserved without competing.
Open prototypeSwitcher vs greenfield
One question at the door: "Switching, or starting fresh?" Switcher path leads with CSV import and tool-specific migration tips for SimplePractice, TherapyNotes, and Jane. Greenfield path leads with create-first-client. Both converge on a shared "you're ready" state, but the velocity differs. Scale-first vs depth-first.
Open prototypeAva-conversational
Ava is the onboarding. Full-screen chat where Ava asks questions and renders inline forms inside the conversation. Client name leads to appointment leads to Stripe through dialogue. The dashboard only reveals itself after the chat collapses to a corner bubble. Completion feels like Ava built the practice for you.
Open prototypeValue preview
Lands on a fully populated demo: 3 clients, a real calendar, draft and paid invoices, two SOAP notes. All 5 nav tabs are lived-in. "Make it yours" in the nav opens a claim flow. Demo data fades, the user's first real client takes its place, Stripe toast follows. Show, don't tell.
Open prototypeSide by side
How each prototype handles the same problem.
| 01 Action-first | 02 Switcher / greenfield | 03 Ava-conversational | 04 Value preview | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mental model | "Just do the thing" | "What's your job?" | "Let me guide you" | "Here's the value" |
| Activation goal | First client created | First client or import done | First client and first appt | "Claim" the workspace |
| Best for | Greenfield therapists | Switchers especially | Low-confidence new users | Tire-kickers and evaluators |
| Weakness | Switchers feel ignored | Misroute equals wrong path | Power users may chafe | "Demo data" objection |
| Reversible | Yes, A/B test | Yes, A/B test | Partial, Intercom config | Harder, new product surface |
| Eng cost | Low, around 2 weeks | Medium, around 3 to 4 weeks | Medium, around 3 weeks | High, around 6 to 8 weeks |