Reimagining developer portal onboarding
Every now and then, someone questions an assumption we had quietly accepted:
Perhaps onboarding does not need to begin where we thought it should. Would people need a different kind of guidance before they write their first line of code? Maybe an obstacle we had simply learned to live with can disappear altogether. Looking back, the change feels obvious but seeing it for the first time rarely does.
The Best Reimagined Onboarding Experience in a Developer Portal category exists to recognise those moments. It does not favour a particular technology, methodology, or design trend. It is not looking for AI-assisted onboarding, conversational onboarding, or any other predefined direction. The question is simply whether the experience invites us to rethink what effective onboarding can look like.
Because this category is grounded in observable experience, nominations need to provide the jury with a way to experience that journey directly. The most compelling submissions will explain why their onboarding is different and allow the jury to discover it for themselves.
How is seamless onboarding and integration facilitated?
Successful developer portal onboarding simplifies the initial access and learning curve. It provides clear, actionable steps and relevant resources, ultimately empowering developers to quickly integrate and utilize the APIs.
It is important to give just the right amount of information as this is the first impression your users experience. Build confidence and inspiration with your onboarding experience.
In this category, we are looking for portals that solve wicked zero-to-hero problems in outstanding ways. For example, easing integrators into a conceptually alien context, or, for another example, doing an outstanding job of onboarding people with special needs.
Award Criteria
The jury will ask:
- What strategies are employed to attract and convert new users?
- What specific pathways do you provide to guide users towards their desired integration solution (API) and how do you ensure they feel empowered, not overwhelmed?
- Does your portal guide users from initial registration to successful integration with clarity and ease? What onboarding practices do you use to introduce new developers to your APIs, ensuring they can quickly understand what’s available and how to get started?
- During onboarding, how do you simplify complex integration concepts through language and visuals to help both technical and non-technical users gain early confidence?
- Is the developer portal designed with an eye to how people with special needs can benefit? Is there an alternative access that you offer people when something doesn’t work well for them on the devportal?
Nominate now!
Ready to shine?
If your developer portal delivers a thoughtful, empowering and reimagined onboarding experience, we want to see it!
