Why do software setup and onboarding take so many clicks?
Tools that promise to save time often require wading through dozens of manual setup screens and relearning rigid systems just to get started. This heavy upfront burden turns simple tasks into frustrating multi-step chores that waste time instead of saving it.
Core Friction Pattern
Analysis of 6 peer accounts across online developer and community forums reveals that “Why do software setup and onboarding take so many clicks?” repeatedly surfaces due to edge-case mismatches between standard defaults and real-world environments. Standard troubleshooting frequently falls short, compelling practitioners to develop custom workarounds.
+4 alternative community-tested workarounds cataloged below.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
Why do software setup and onboarding take so many clicks?
- 1Hiring an agency to build a custom system from scratch to avoid the learning curveDid this help you?
- 2Teachers memorize the steps to help students do this dozens of times per classDid this help you?
- 3Opening or downloading files for students manually so they don't get stuckDid this help you?
- 4Wishing for or reverting back to paper worksheets and physical mediaDid this help you?
- 5Using bookmarks or attempting alternative app shortcuts to bypass navigation menusDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Technology sucks, it literally takes 16 clicks for a kid to open up a powerpoint on an ipad.”source ↗
“If I hear one more person say how great 1:1 is for kids with adhd I may have a full on anxiety attack.”source ↗
“Yes, I call it 'Death by a thousand Clicks' and it wrecks my day sometimes.”source ↗
“This drives me up the wall and I'm a reasonably patient tech-competent adult. It's gotta be even worse for the students.”source ↗
“Clever is the issue. It’s supposed toto be synchronized logins but it requires such regular relogins that the kids get frustrated and give up.”source ↗
“I am frustrated with every CRM marketing to me that they will save me time and increase productivity but as soon as I sign up I have to relearn their whole system and create workflows by their rules.”source ↗
“crm demos always look like magic until you realize half the "automation" is just you clicking through 40 setup screens they didn't show in the pitch”source ↗
“Wow could not be more true. Onboarding is the worst”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 3How to train new employees on technical work without repeating yourself
- 2How to learn actual Linux system administration basics
- 12Why do simple CRM automations get so complicated?
- 21Why do big companies require so many rigid formalities?
- 3Ideas for engaging lunch and learns across multiple time zones
- 2How do I switch from old sysadmin stuff to IaC?