From Onboarding to Thriving: Elevating Learning Experiences at Stanford

The Problem

New student services officers (SSOs) and advisors at Stanford struggled with a lack of a structured onboarding experience. Many felt unprepared for their roles due to insufficient access to training, unclear expectations, and limited opportunities to build connections within their community. The absence of a comprehensive system to track training completion compounded these challenges, resulting in inefficiencies and inconsistent learner outcomes.

The Client

This project was developed for Stanford University’s Student and Academic Services (SAS) division, specifically targeting the onboarding and learning needs of its student services officers and advisors. SAS supports the university's academic mission by managing critical systems, policies, and services, making it essential for its staff to have a thorough understanding of their roles and responsibilities from the outset.

Learner Profile

Who are the learners?
The learners are new and experienced SSOs and advisors at Stanford University.

Characteristics:

• Diverse backgrounds, ranging from recent graduates to seasoned professionals.

• High levels of responsibility, including navigating complex systems like Axess (powered by Peoplesoft) and FERPA compliance.

• Varied levels of experience with Stanford’s processes and tools, requiring both foundational and advanced learning options.

Needs and Pain Points:

• A clear, structured onboarding pathway.

• Access to role-specific training and just-in-time resources.

• Opportunities to build connections with peers and mentors.

The Solution

To address these challenges, I designed a comprehensive onboarding program with the following features:

1. Structured Learning Pathways:
   A modular approach that combines core and elective training to meet individual learning needs and roles.

2. Interactive Learning Resources:
   Development of a "Choose-Your-Own-Adventure" training experience to provide engaging, role-specific learning journeys.

3. Centralized Resources Hub:
   An intranet site featuring guides, FAQs, and self-paced tutorials for immediate access to essential information.

4. Enhanced Systems Access:
   Seamless integration with Stanford’s STARS LMS to ensure training registration, completion tracking, and system access activation.

5. Community Building:
   Peer mentorship opportunities, department-led knowledge sharing, and social integration activities to foster collaboration and support.

My Role

I served as the Learning Experience Designer and Project Lead for this initiative, taking responsibility for:

• Conducting user research to identify pain points and needs.

• Collaborating with subject matter experts (SMEs) and stakeholders to design the training curriculum.

• Developing interactive learning modules and resources using Articulate Storyline 360.

• Building and testing the onboarding program’s structure in collaboration with users.

• Creating a project plan and tracking sheet to manage timelines and deliverables.

• Facilitating workshops and gathering feedback to iterate and improve the program.

Tools

To bring this project to life, I utilized the following tools:

• Articulate Storyline 360: To create engaging, interactive e-learning modules.

• Stanford’s STARS LMS: For course registration, tracking, and analytics.

• Figma: For brainstorming, journey mapping, and design thinking workshops.

• Canva: To design visually appealing resources and intranet site graphics.

• Zoom: To conduct interviews, workshops, and user testing sessions.