No, you are dead on. I don't even know where this learning curve thing came from. In my experience, people can do it fine on their first ride. My wife started cycling just this last year, and I didn't even mention clipless pedals, after a couple of months on some mks touring pedals, she proclaims "I think I am ready to try clipless". I took the M520's off my bike and put them on hers since they were pretty broken in, and replaced mine with a new tight set. She hopped on and never looked back.

wait... come to think of it...I now see that was a shoe buying opportunity for her DOH!