Learning, Design, and Technology Onboarding.
As part of a project at Wayne State University, my team designed an inclusive onboarding experience for the Learning, Design, and Technology Program. We conducted interviews with part-time and full-time faculty, the Assistant Dean, and individuals with diverse teaching backgrounds. Gathering feedback from these groups helped us identify pain points and design the onboarding process.
Questions for Users
The first step in the process was to meet with the group and identify any questions we wanted to ask our users about the pain points they have and the improvements they wished to see in the onboarding process. This would help us create our empathy map.
Empathy Map
After interviewing the users, our team created an empathy map using Miro. We noted all the positive and negative emotions expressed by the users about the onboarding process and what they wanted it to look like. I emphasized the importance of empathy in design and suggested adding visuals to the pain and feel portion of the empathy map.
Design Prototype
After creating our empathy map, we used it to guide the design of our prototype. We decided to create a completely virtual onboarding experience so that users could complete their onboarding at their convenience. This meant they could take it after work if they preferred, eliminating the need to come to Wayne State for onboarding. Additionally, users had a space for collaboration with other staff and to get to know each other. Lastly, users would receive a "welcome box" from Wayne State University containing items like a mug, hat, and bag, as well as a QR code with a direct link to the training.
Final Design
After creating our design prototype, we sent it over for review. Our subject matter experts (SMEs) liked the product but had some suggestions for changes. For example, they wanted us to re-evaluate our outcomes and assessment to make them more specific. They also suggested including not only physical Wayne State Swag in the Welcome Box but also digital swag, such as an email signature.