How do we increase feature adoption without overwhelming users?
Feature overwhelm is a capability and motivation problem. Users cannot hold all features in working memory (capability, cognitive load), and the effort of learning a new feature rarely feels worth it in the moment (motivation, effort-reward calculation).
The behavioral principle is progressive disclosure matched to user readiness. This maps directly to the "Slowly Increase Difficulty" strategy card: break the target behavior into smaller stages, let users succeed at each stage before introducing the next, and celebrate progress along the way.
Diagnosis first: which features are underused and why? For each feature, apply COM-B. If users do not know the feature exists, that is a capability (knowledge) problem. If they know about it but cannot figure out how to use it, that is capability (skill). If they can use it but the workflow does not prompt them to, that is opportunity (physical). If they can use it but it feels like extra work with no clear payoff, that is motivation.
Design principles from behavioral science:
Use prompts/cues (BCT 7.1) at natural moments in the user's workflow where the feature would add value. Provide feedback on behavior (BCT 2.2): "You used [feature] 3 times this week, saving an estimated 45 minutes." Structure the social environment (BCT 12.2): show how peers or similar users are using the feature.
The key mistake is treating feature adoption as a knowledge problem and responding with tutorials, tooltips, and help articles. If the barrier is motivation (the feature does not feel worth the effort) or opportunity (the feature is not surfaced at the right moment in the workflow), education will not move adoption. Match the intervention to the barrier.
