Increasing the barrier to entry by simplifying the process

read the article. sounds like incorrectly using the introjs script to me. This weren't simplifying the process. They had two competing info highlights. You were injecting distraction away from your main instruction guidance.

Instead the proper thing, if you wanted the point-and-click guided tour, would be to use the info highlights to guide them around. Or, to skip the guided tour and use the instruction boxes. Not both.