What is progressive disclosure?
Used in a sentence: Let's hide the advanced filters behind progressive disclosure and introduce them once someone has run a few searches.
How it works
The app decides what a user needs right now and keeps the rest out of sight. The core action is visible from the first session. Secondary features sit behind a “more” menu, an expandable section or a later screen.
The reveal is usually tied to behaviour. When a user completes a related action, reaches a milestone or returns for a second session, the app introduces the next feature with a tooltip, coachmark or small banner. Rules make sure each prompt appears once, only to users who have not used the feature yet, and never while they are mid-task. The result is a learning path that follows the user’s pace.
Example
A stock trading app opens with a simple buy and sell flow. Limit orders, stop losses and options stay hidden at first. After a user places a few market orders, a tooltip on the order screen introduces limit orders. Once they have used limit orders, a later session highlights stop losses. New investors are not overwhelmed, and active traders discover the tools they are ready for.
Progressive disclosure vs front-loaded onboarding
| Progressive disclosure | Front-loaded onboarding | |
|---|---|---|
| When features are taught | As they become relevant | All upfront, before first use |
| Effort for the user | Small steps spread over time | Long setup or tour at the start |
| Risk | Users may miss hidden features | Users drop off before value |
Front-loading suits apps that need setup before anything works. Most consumer apps do better showing value first.
Best practices
- Map features to the moment they become useful, not to a fixed day count.
- Reveal one new thing per session at most.
- Suppress the prompt for users who already use the feature.
- Keep a visible path to every feature so experts are never blocked.
How to do this with Digia Engage
A product team defines the trigger event for each step, such as a completed order or a repeat visit, using events already tracked in their CEP. They build each tooltip or coachmark in the no-code builder, anchor it to the right screen element, and add rules so it shows once and skips users who already know the feature. Steps go live without an app release. See the formats on the in-app tooltips page.
Frequently asked questions
- When does progressive disclosure hurt?
- It hurts when the hidden feature is something most users need early, or when the path to reveal it is unclear. Expert users can also feel slowed down if they must reveal options step by step. Check search queries and support tickets for features users cannot find.
- How do in-app tooltips support progressive disclosure?
- Tooltips point to a feature at the moment it becomes relevant, such as after a user completes a related action. They introduce one idea at a time, in context, without changing the screen layout. Because they are dismissible and shown once, they teach without crowding the interface.
Related terms
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Part of the In-app engagement glossary.