Success with product adoption tools isn't just about the technology—it's about having the right processes in place. A tool like Userflow shines by simplifying user onboarding through interactive walkthroughs, enabling rapid implementation with minimal coding, and being cost-effective. At ASSISTments, its seamless integration with existing tools like Hubspot made it the ideal choice. In this post, I'll share how we developed a framework that helped us scale Userflow implementation at ASSISTments while maintaining a great user experience.

Starting Out: The Growing Pains

When implementing Userflow in 2022, the primary goal was straightforward: create a smooth onboarding experience that would help teachers understand the value of our online math platform. We wanted to guide them through three key aspects of the product: how to assign work, what the student experience looks like, and how to interpret the data we provide.

The implementation was successful—maybe too successful. As more teams saw what Userflow could do, requests started pouring in to use it for everything from feature announcements to user research. While it was great to see enthusiasm for the tool, our Senior Product Designer, Kyle Scheuing, and I, the Director of Product and Program Operations, became concerned about the potential impact on our users. We didn't want to become "that annoying site" with pop-ups everywhere.

Building Our Solution

We knew we needed a structured approach to manage these requests while keeping our users' experience at the forefront. Below is the framework we developed to manage Userflow at ASSISTments. Keep reading to learn how you can implement a similar framework in your organization.

1. Define Clear Boundaries

Document exactly what Userflow should and shouldn't be used for. For example:

✅ Good uses:

• Onboarding new users
• Announcing new features
• Collecting targeted feedback from specific user segments
• Tracking specific user interactions

❌ Not appropriate for:

• General marketing communications
• Collecting demographic information
• Continuous promotional messaging
• Non-targeted mass communications

2. Create a Decision-Making Framework

Develop a decision tree that helps stakeholders determine whether Userflow is the right tool for their needs. The key questions include:

• Who are you trying to reach?
• What type of interaction do you need?
• How quickly do you need to implement this?
• What kind of data do you need to collect?

3. Establish Clear Ownership

Adopt the MOCHA framework (Manager, Owner, Consulted, Helper, Approver) to ensure everyone knows their role in the process. In our case:

• The Director of Product and Program Operations owns the day-to-day management of Userflow
• The Product Designer reviews for visual consistency
• The communications team reviews messaging for brand consistency
• The Teacher Experience Product Owner has final approval

4. Implement Request Templates

Create specific templates for different types of requests:

• Surveys
• In-product flows (walkthroughs, banners, beacons)
• Usage tracking

Each template requires stakeholders to think through their objectives, target audience, timeline, and success metrics before submitting a request.

Implementing templates and the MOCHA framework wasn’t without its challenges. Early on, some stakeholders viewed the added structure as a potential bottleneck, concerned it might slow down their requests. To address this, we emphasized how the process would streamline workflows, reduce miscommunication, and keep everyone informed about Userflow implementations. Despite initial skepticism, the benefits became evident quickly. Templates reduced back-and-forth messages, and requests became more focused and thoughtful. These small wins created momentum, reassuring us that the framework was not just functional, but a critical step in enhancing both internal processes and the user experience.

Balancing Tools: Userflow and Mixpanel

One question we often get is how we decide between using Userflow or Mixpanel for tracking. Here's our general approach:

Use Userflow when:

• You need quick implementation (can be done same-day)
• You want to collect immediate user feedback
• You need Hubspot integration
• The tracking period is relatively short

Use Mixpanel when:

• You need very specific element tracking
• You want long-term data collection (beyond 180 days)
• You need detailed behavioral data
• You want to track across multiple events

Results and Lessons Learned

The framework has been in place since May 2024, and we've been pleasantly surprised by the results. Despite initially worrying about pushback (we were essentially adding a process where there wasn't one before), our team has embraced the structure.

Key lessons we've learned:

1. Set time limits: Most of our Userflow implementations have a specific end date, which helps prevent notification fatigue.
2. Start with why: When introducing a process, focus on how it benefits the user experience.
3. Make it collaborative: Include key stakeholders in the development of your framework.
4. Stay flexible: Be ready to adjust your process based on team feedback and changing needs.

Looking Forward

While our framework is still relatively new, it's already helping us maintain a higher quality user experience while making it easier to manage internal requests. We continue to iterate on our process, but the foundation we've built gives us confidence that we can scale our product adoption efforts effectively.

Want to implement a similar framework in your organization? Check out our template below, which you can adapt for your own needs. Remember, the goal isn't to create bureaucracy—it's to ensure that every interaction with your users adds value to their experience.