No Success Metric Shown = No Activation

"Progress is motivation. Without it, users disappear."

Imagine opening a new SaaS tool. You sign up, land in the app... and you’re not sure what to do next. There’s no onboarding checklist. No progress bar. No hint that you're on the right track.

So you poke around, maybe click a few things. Then you close the tab. You don’t come back.

This is exactly what happens when you don’t show users their progress toward success.

In SaaS, we call this a No Progress Shown leak.

The Leak: No Activation Milestone Shown = No Motivation

• Without a clear success metric, users have no idea what the "finish line" is.
  
  
• Users need feedback. A feeling that they’re getting somewhere.
  
  
• SaaS products that show onboarding progress metrics see 18% higher activation rates.
  
  

"No success metric = no success mindset. You need to tell users they’re winning." — Kate Syuma

The Psychology of Progress

Humans are hardwired to crave progress. According to a Harvard Business Review study, "the single most important factor in boosting emotions, motivation, and perceptions during a workday is making progress."

This is known as the Progress Principle.

Examples of effective progress design:

• Trello’s onboarding uses a checklist that turns green on completion.
• Duolingo shows a daily streak and progress bar.
• Linear highlights completed milestones to drive usage momentum.

When users see they are progressing, they’re more likely to stick with the product and reach value.

What Is An Activation Milestone?

A success metric (or activation milestone) is a specific action or outcome that signals a user got value from your product. Examples:

• Created a project
  
  
• Invited a teammate
  
  
• Connected an integration
  
  
• Published something
  
  

The milestone helps:

• Guide users
  
  
• Track progress
  
  
• Trigger celebration / next step
  
  

And most importantly: it gives users a reason to keep going.

Business Impact of Missing This

•  Users stall during onboarding
  
  
• Lower activation = higher churn in 7-30 day window
  
  
• Drops in retention, expansion and monetization
  
  
• Poor product-led onboarding metrics
  
  
• Bad UX = fewer word-of-mouth referrals
  
  

"You don’t need complex gamification. Just show users where they are." — Ramli John

How to Spot This Leak

Use ThriveStack to audit your activation journey:

Define Activation Milestones
Setup your product’s activation journey—milestone by milestone.

‍Visualize Progress Visibility
Check how many flows actually show users how far they’ve come.

Run Progress Coverage Audit
See which onboarding paths lack progress indicators.

Segment by Persona / Plan
Are free users or enterprise leads missing these cues

Detect Drop-offs Linked to No Feedback
Correlate lack of success feedback with churn events.

ThriveStack Features That Help

•  Define and measure user progress across onboarding.
  
• Progress Visibility Audit
  Identify onboarding steps that lack visual feedback.
  
• Milestone Drop-Off Reports
  Track where users are abandoning before reaching success.
  
• Cohort Funnel by Persona
  Find which users fail to reach value due to unclear journeys.
  
• In-App Journey Suggestions
  ThriveStack can suggest where to add feedback (e.g. checklists, nudges).
• Nudges When Success is Reached
  Notify users with a celebration moment or next-step CTA.

What To Do About It

1. Define First Value
   What action shows that a user got value?
   
   
2. Make it Visible
   Add inline feedback (progress bars, checklists, confirmation banners).
   
   
3. Celebrate It
   Reward the user when they reach success—they’ll remember it.
   
   
4. Track & Iterate
   Use ThriveStack to test changes and see what improves activation.
   
   

Conclusion Ready to Fix Your Activation Funnel?

When users don’t see progress, they don’t feel progress, and without that feeling, they lose motivation fast. The absence of a clear success metric isn’t just a UX oversight—it’s a major activation leak. Every product moment without feedback is an opportunity lost.

Whether you're a founder, PM, or growth marketer, showing users their next step—and their progress so far—is non-negotiable. Make it obvious. Make it visual. Make it count.

Progress drives momentum. Without it, users churn silently.

Start using ThriveStack to define activation milestones, visualize drop-offs, and build journeys that actually show users they’re making progress.

Get started in under 10 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is a success metric in onboarding?

A success metric (or activation milestone) is a specific action that signals a user has gained value from your product, such as inviting a teammate, completing setup, or publishing content.

2. Why is showing progress so important?

Humans are wired to crave progress. Without visual or emotional confirmation of advancement, users lose motivation. This leads to stalled onboarding and lower activation rates.

3. What’s the difference between a checklist and a success metric?

A checklist is a tool for showing progress. A success metric is the outcome you want users to achieve. The best onboarding systems link the two—helping users reach and recognize that outcome.

4. How can I know if my product has this leak?

Use tools like ThriveStack to audit your onboarding flows. Look for drop-offs where success isn't visually or emotionally reinforced. Check if different personas are affected differently.

5. Is this only relevant for SaaS products?

—any digital experience that requires user activation (mobile apps, platforms, even e-commerce funnels) benefits from showing success indicators early and often.

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