Being a technical writer is an exhilarating journey of simplifying complex concepts for the masses. Even though I put a lot of hard work and dedication into creating clear documentation, it is still challenging for new users to fully understand it.
But all that changed when I attended a conference last month, where I discovered the wonders of digital adoption platforms (DAPs). This was the missing piece of the puzzle, I knew I had to dive deep into it, so I picked one of the best, Pendo, and invested my time and energy to master it.
Curious to know why I picked Pendo? Want to find out more about DAPs? Keep reading my blog to find all the answers!
If you’re not familiar with digital adoption platforms (DAPs), you’re missing out on a powerful tool for improving the way your users interact with your product.
What is a DAP?
A digital adoption platform is a software tool that helps companies increase the effectiveness and efficiency of their digital products by providing in-app guidance and training to users. It’s like having a personal assistant inside your product, helping users navigate and understand it better.
How Do Digital Adoption Platforms Work?
Digital adoption platforms typically work by installing a small snippet of code into the product. This code allows the DAP to “watch” how users interact with the product and provide guidance and training as needed.
For example, if a user is struggling to complete a task in the product, the DAP might provide a step-by-step guide or a video tutorial to help them through the process. Or, if a user is about to use a feature for the first time, the DAP might provide a brief overview of what the feature does and how to use it.
In addition to in-app guidance, digital adoption platforms often offer other features as well, such as analytics, surveys, and reports. These features can help companies understand how their users are interacting with the product and identify areas for improvement.
Examples of Digital Adoption Platforms
There are many different digital adoption platforms on the market, each with its own unique set of features and capabilities. Here are a few examples:
- WalkMe: WalkMe is a popular DAP that provides in-app guidance and training through “walkthroughs,” which are step-by-step guides that appear as users work in the product.
- Pendo: Pendo is another popular DAP that offers in-app guidance, as well as analytics and surveys to help companies understand their users.
- Whatfix: Whatfix is a DAP that focuses on providing in-context guidance to users through “flowcharts,” which are visual guides that appear as users work in the product.
My experience with Pendo
My personal experience with Pendo has been positive. As it was already being used in my company, it was a natural choice for me. I found it relatively easy to learn, thanks to its documentation and my own learning abilities.
One of the things that I love about Pendo is that it’s super easy to use. You just install a small snippet of code on your website or app, and then you can start collecting data right away. From there, you can use Pendo’s dashboard to see all sorts of useful information, like how many people are using your product, what features they’re using the most, and where they’re getting stuck.
It also has a bunch of really useful features for guiding and communicating with users. For example, you can use Pendo to create in-app messages and tooltips that help users understand how to use your product. You can also use it to create surveys and polls to gather more in-depth feedback from your users.
After spending nearly one and half month exploring, creating projects with this tool, I can safely say that it is:
- Easy to use: Pendo is designed to be easy to set up and use, so you can start getting valuable insights right away.
- Customizable: Pendo allows you to customize the data you collect and the way you collect it, so you can get the specific insights you need.
- Powerful: In addition to data collection, Pendo also offers a range of features for guiding and communicating with users, including in-app messages, tooltips, surveys, and polls. Wide range of use cases: Pendo is suitable for a wide range of products, from websites to mobile apps to SaaS platforms.
Having said that, the grass is not greener on the other side. Like any tool, Pendo has its limitations, cost and dependencies to name a few.
Conclusion
Digital adoption platforms are a powerful tool for improving the way users interact with your product. By providing in-app guidance and training, DAPs can help users get up to speed faster, reduce the need for external training or support, and improve the overall effectiveness of your product. If you’re not using a DAP yet, it’s definitely worth considering!