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LEARNING EXPERIENCE DESIGN

Early Talent Onboarding

When a request for additional content revealed a larger opportunity to improve the onboarding experience.

The Ask

Approximately 45 days before the arrival of a new Early Talent cohort, the business team approached Learning & Development to request additional videos, presentations, and eLearning modules for an existing onboarding program.

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The program relied on a series of in-person and virtual presentations delivered by subject matter experts across the organization. As participants moved from one session to the next, they were often expected to absorb large amounts of information in a short period of time.

 

Feedback from participants, managers, and stakeholders suggested that important content was not always translating into readiness, confidence, or long-term understanding. With plans to expand the program to additional populations and only 45 days before launch, stakeholders believed additional learning content would help close the gaps.

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My Discovery

Rather than immediately creating additional content, I partnered with stakeholders to understand what participants actually needed during their first weeks with the organization.

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Three questions guided the analysis:

What did employees need to know?

Participants needed foundational knowledge about the organization, their role, available resources, and expectations for success —delivered when it was relevant and useful.

What did employees need to do?

Participants needed to build confidence, establish relationships, understand expectations, and begin contributing in meaningful ways.

What was standing in the way?

Information often arrived before participants had the context, relationships, or role clarity needed to make sense of it.

The onboarding program wasn't suffering from a lack of content. It was suffering from a lack of intentional experience design.

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As I reviewed the experience, a clear pattern emerged. The program had evolved around presenter schedules and organizational logistics rather than the journey of a new employee. Topics were organized by availability and timing rather than by the progression of learners' needs.

 

Participants were receiving large amounts of information, but they had limited opportunities to process, connect, discuss, or apply what they were learning. Virtual and in-person experiences coexisted without a cohesive strategy, making it difficult for learners to build confidence and understanding as they progressed through the program.

 

The result was predictable. New employees left orientation with information, but not always with clarity. Managers often found themselves revisiting foundational topics, and participants began their roles without a strong sense of connection, readiness, or direction.

 

The challenge wasn't to fill content gaps. The challenge was to create an intentional learning experience.

The question changed from “What content should we add?” to “How do we create an onboarding experience that builds readiness, connection, and confidence?”

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The Solution

The resulting recommendation moved beyond creating additional onboarding content and focused on redesigning the overall learner experience.

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Rather than asking participants to adapt to the program's structure, the program was redesigned around learners' needs. Content, activities, discussions, and resources were reorganized to create a more intentional progression from introduction to application.​

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Key components included:

  • Reorganizing content around the learner journey rather than presenter schedules

  • Creating opportunities for participants to connect with peers, leaders, and the organization

  • Introducing activities that encouraged reflection, discussion, and application

  • Aligning virtual and in-person experiences into a more cohesive onboarding experience

  • Providing structure that supported both immediate onboarding needs and long-term readiness

 

The redesigned program shifted the focus from delivering information to creating understanding, connection, and confidence. Participants were given opportunities to engage with content in meaningful ways while building relationships and developing a clearer understanding of their role within the organization.

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The Results

Stakeholder Adoption

The redesigned program was implemented within the 45-day timeline and launched successfully for the incoming Early Talent cohort. Stakeholders embraced the learner-centered approach and supported the broader redesign vision.

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Improved Learner Experience

Participants experienced a more intentional onboarding journey that balanced information, connection, reflection, and application. The program provided greater opportunities for engagement while creating a clearer path to readiness and contribution.

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Lasting Impact

The redesign established a foundation that could be expanded and adapted for future cohorts and additional audiences. More importantly, it reinforced an important principle that continues to guide my work: effective onboarding is not about delivering information—it's about creating experiences that help people succeed.

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