User Experience Stories: First Run Scenario

Challenge — Consumer video editing product had users stuck after initial installation, on how to use the product.

**Story, Strategy, and Solution:**I worked with a company that was developing a consumer software product where users could create short videos from images, music, and video clips. It was not intended for the high-end video production market.

I was actually hired to develop help copy for this application (where your could press F1 and read context sensitive help).

The software was basically a list of asset items loaded into the application, that you could add to an editing area, and also to a simple movie timeline.

During beta testing research, we found that after installing the software, people got stuck, not knowing how to add assets, that would load to the list, and be available for the editor, and the timeline.

I suggested to the team, that we add a “first-run” mode to the software experience. I created a working prototype of this suggested experience and showed it to the product lead. She liked the idea, and we tested it with users the next day. Users were coached from software prompts to load their first asset, which loaded into the editor, and also to the timeline. Showing the product flow. The first-run functionality was added to the product.

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