Should we build offline mode?

Question

Your team is considering building onboarding flow. How would you evaluate this decision?

Codemia · Accepted Answer

The primary problem is to evaluate whether building an offline mode for Salesforce's onboarding flow is necessary and valuable. To scope this problem, I would first define the user needs related to onboarding and offline access. We need to investigate whether users frequently operate in environments with unreliable internet connections, which could hinder their onboarding experience. Key questions include: What percentage of our target user base works in such environments? What are their current pain points with onboarding due to lack of connectivity? Understanding these factors will help us determine the necessity and feasibility of an offline mode.

The primary users for this feature are small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) that often have employees in various locations, including remote or rural areas with limited internet access. These users prioritize seamless onboarding to minimize downtime and frustration, as they may be new to Salesforce's ecosystem. Additionally, understanding the competitive landscape is crucial; if competitors offer offline capabilities, we risk losing potential customers. It’s also important to consider Salesforce's brand as a leader in cloud solutions and how an offline mode might align with our overall mission of accessibility and user empowerment.

I recommend that we build a limited offline mode feature focused on core onboarding functionalities, such as accessing tutorials, filling out initial setup forms, and saving progress for later sync. This solution addresses the immediate needs of users without overwhelming them with full offline capabilities. By implementing a phased approach, we can first test the waters with a pilot program targeting users in areas with known connectivity issues, gathering feedback and iterating based on user experiences. The reasoning here is that this targeted approach allows us to validate the demand for offline capabilities without overcommitting resources upfront.

To evaluate the success of the offline mode, I would track the following metrics: 1. **User Engagement Rate**: Measure how often users utilize the offline mode during onboarding. 2. **Onboarding Completion Rate**: Compare the completion rates between users with access to offline mode versus those without. 3. **User Satisfaction Score**: Through surveys, assess the satisfaction of users who utilized the offline feature. 4. **Time to Onboard**: Track the time it takes for users to complete onboarding with and without offline access. 5. **Churn Rate**: Monitor if there’s a reduction in churn rates among users who had access to offline onboarding.

One key trade-off is the development and maintenance cost of an offline mode versus the potential user benefit. Building offline capabilities requires additional engineering resources and ongoing support, which might divert attention from other high-impact features. Additionally, there's a risk of complicating the onboarding experience if we introduce features that are not needed by a significant portion of our user base. We must balance the benefits of inclusivity for users in low-connectivity areas against the potential dilution of our core product experience and resource allocation.

Should we build offline mode?

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