DesOn
DesOn
DesOn
DesOn
Reworking the design team onboarding process
Reworking the design team onboarding process
Reworking the design team onboarding process
Reworking the design team onboarding process
In the frenzy of design agency life, how can we ensure we’re continuously delivering a welcoming and supportive onboarding experience for our new designers?
In the frenzy of design agency life, how can we ensure we’re continuously delivering a welcoming and supportive onboarding experience for our new designers?
In the frenzy of design agency life, how can we ensure we’re continuously delivering a welcoming and supportive onboarding experience for our new designers?
In the frenzy of design agency life, how can we ensure we’re continuously delivering a welcoming and supportive onboarding experience for our new designers?
Client
Conduct HQ
(Internal Initiative)
Project Type
Service Design
My Role
Experience Designer
Visual Designer
Timeline
Sept '22 - Ongoing
Team
Stella Que - Project Lead
Michael Durey - Experience Designer
Sean Clayton - Project Manager
Tools
Figma
Whimsical
The Problem
The Problem
The Problem
50% of our design team has had a poor onboarding experience or a rocky start
50% of our design team has had a poor onboarding experience or a rocky start
50% of our design team has had a poor onboarding experience or a rocky start
DesOn (short for “design onboarding”) is an internal initiative started by Stella (Project Lead) and I to address recurring pain points raised by recent starters in our design team regarding their onboarding experience.
Faced with the limitations of not having a dedicated HR function and often being swept by looming client work, our team has long wrestled with the following question:
DesOn (short for “design onboarding”) is an internal initiative started by Stella (Project Lead) and I to address recurring pain points raised by recent starters in our design team regarding their onboarding experience.
Faced with the limitations of not having a dedicated HR function and often being swept by looming client work, our team has long wrestled with the following question:
DesOn (short for “design onboarding”) is an internal initiative started by Stella (Project Lead) and I to address recurring pain points raised by recent starters in our design team regarding their onboarding experience.
Faced with the limitations of not having a dedicated HR function and often being swept by looming client work, our team has long wrestled with the following question:
The Problem
50% of our design team has had a poor onboarding experience or a rocky start
DesOn (short for “design onboarding”) is an internal initiative started by Stella (Project Lead) and I to address recurring pain points raised by recent starters in our design team regarding their onboarding experience.
Faced with the limitations of not having a dedicated HR function and often being swept by looming client work, our team has long wrestled with the following question:
In the frenzy of agency life, how can we ensure we’re continuously delivering a welcoming and supportive onboarding experience for our new designers?
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Discovery and research
Discovery and research
Discovery and research
Discovery and research
Unpacking this together with our design team
Unpacking this together with our design team
Unpacking this together with our design team
Unpacking this together with our design team
For this project to succeed, it was important to establish that DesOn was more about building on the past efforts of our leadership team rather than coming up with something completely new and novel.
We brought our current design team together in a discovery workshop to better understand what’s been working well so far, what hasn't, and to envision what an ideal onboarding experience could look like for our team.
For this project to succeed, it was important to establish that DesOn was more about building on the past efforts of our leadership team rather than coming up with something completely new and novel.
We brought our current design team together in a discovery workshop to better understand what’s been working well so far, what hasn't, and to envision what an ideal onboarding experience could look like for our team.
For this project to succeed, it was important to establish that DesOn was more about building on the past efforts of our leadership team rather than coming up with something completely new and novel.
We brought our current design team together in a discovery workshop to better understand what’s been working well so far, what hasn't, and to envision what an ideal onboarding experience could look like for our team.
For this project to succeed, it was important to establish that DesOn was more about building on the past efforts of our leadership team rather than coming up with something completely new and novel.
We brought our current design team together in a discovery workshop to better understand what’s been working well so far, what hasn't, and to envision what an ideal onboarding experience could look like for our team.
How we structured the workshop
Setting the scene
Setting the scene
Setting the scene
Understanding first and foremost what we consider “good / bad onboarding” looks and feels like
Understanding first and foremost what we consider “good / bad onboarding” looks and feels like
Understanding first and foremost what we consider “good / bad onboarding” looks and feels like
Reflecting on current state
Reflecting on current state
Reflecting on current state
Identifying recurring highlights and lowlights in our current onboarding experience and workflow
Identifying recurring highlights and lowlights in our current onboarding experience and workflow
Identifying recurring highlights and lowlights in our current onboarding experience and workflow
Thinking about the future
Thinking about the future
Thinking about the future
Exploring how we can address our pain points, build on highlights, and work towards our ideals
Exploring how we can address our pain points, build on highlights, and work towards our ideals
Exploring how we can address our pain points, build on highlights, and work towards our ideals
Setting the scene
Understanding first and foremost what we consider “good / bad onboarding” looks and feels like
Reflecting on current state
Identifying recurring highlights and lowlights in our current onboarding experience and workflow
Thinking about the future
Exploring how we can address our pain points, build on highlights, and work towards our ideals
Synthesised Workshop
Synthesised Workshop
What we discovered isn’t working currently
What we discovered isn’t working currently
What we discovered isn’t working currently
What we discovered isn’t working currently
Lack of clarity in expectation setting
Lack of clarity in expectation setting
Lack of clarity in expectation setting
Lack of clarity in expectation setting
New starters often feel anxious about not knowing what to expect in their first week and what’s expected of them when starting out.
New starters often feel anxious about not knowing what to expect in their first week and what’s expected of them when starting out.
New starters often feel anxious about not knowing what to expect in their first week and what’s expected of them when starting out.
New starters often feel anxious about not knowing what to expect in their first week and what’s expected of them when starting out.
Every meeting and doc, everywhere, all at once
Every meeting and doc, everywhere, all at once
Every meeting and doc, everywhere, all at once
Every meeting and doc, everywhere, all at once
New starters are often greeted with tightly-scheduled 1:1s, impromptu meetings, and a pile of documents to swim through without guidance.
New starters are often greeted with tightly-scheduled 1:1s, impromptu meetings, and a pile of documents to swim through without guidance.
New starters are often greeted with tightly-scheduled 1:1s, impromptu meetings, and a pile of documents to swim through without guidance.
New starters are often greeted with tightly-scheduled 1:1s, impromptu meetings, and a pile of documents to swim through without guidance.
Transactional language and culture
Transactional language and culture
Transactional language and culture
Transactional language and culture
Automated emails, form-filling, and setting up on their own makes up a lot of the onboarding process and can feel isolating and cold to the new starter.
Automated emails, form-filling, and setting up on their own makes up a lot of the onboarding process and can feel isolating and cold to the new starter.
Automated emails, form-filling, and setting up on their own makes up a lot of the onboarding process and can feel isolating and cold to the new starter.
Automated emails, form-filling, and setting up on their own makes up a lot of the onboarding process and can feel isolating and cold to the new starter.
Loose processes lead to inconsistent experiences
Loose processes lead to inconsistent experiences
Loose processes lead to inconsistent experiences
Loose processes lead to inconsistent experiences
Experiences on onboarding vary quite a bit between new starters as there is a lack of standardisation to onboarding someone into the team.
Experiences on onboarding vary quite a bit between new starters as there is a lack of standardisation to onboarding someone into the team.
Experiences on onboarding vary quite a bit between new starters as there is a lack of standardisation to onboarding someone into the team.
Experiences on onboarding vary quite a bit between new starters as there is a lack of standardisation to onboarding someone into the team.
Where we want to be
Where we want to be
Where we want to be
Where we want to be
Cultivating a culture of warmth, welcome, and intention
Cultivating a culture of warmth, welcome, and intention
Cultivating a culture of warmth, welcome, and intention
Cultivating a culture of warmth, welcome, and intention
Whether it be through writing welcome email copy in a more conversational tone, or giving more agency to the new starter over their time, we want to ensure that we are showing as much support and care as possible.
Whether it be through writing welcome email copy in a more conversational tone, or giving more agency to the new starter over their time, we want to ensure that we are showing as much support and care as possible.
Whether it be through writing welcome email copy in a more conversational tone, or giving more agency to the new starter over their time, we want to ensure that we are showing as much support and care as possible.
Whether it be through writing welcome email copy in a more conversational tone, or giving more agency to the new starter over their time, we want to ensure that we are showing as much support and care as possible.
Empowering those delivering the onboarding to do their best work
Empowering those delivering the onboarding to do their best work
Empowering those delivering the onboarding to do their best work
Empowering those delivering the onboarding to do their best work
In order to deliver more consistently for the new starters, the process needs to be reworked in a way where those who are responsible in executing it can do it more easily and efficiently - otherwise how would we keep it up?
In order to deliver more consistently for the new starters, the process needs to be reworked in a way where those who are responsible in executing it can do it more easily and efficiently - otherwise how would we keep it up?
In order to deliver more consistently for the new starters, the process needs to be reworked in a way where those who are responsible in executing it can do it more easily and efficiently - otherwise how would we keep it up?
In order to deliver more consistently for the new starters, the process needs to be reworked in a way where those who are responsible in executing it can do it more easily and efficiently - otherwise how would we keep it up?
Drawing from pockets of excellence
Drawing from pockets of excellence
Drawing from pockets of excellence
Drawing from pockets of excellence
Reflecting on the highlights of my own onboarding, I was thinking a lot about an email my manager Will sent to me a week before I started at Conduct.
Being an anxious person entering my first full time gig ever, there was a lot of comfort in seeing my first week laid out for me and knowing what I’m getting into.
We could see that there were already a few things in place, glimpses of the culture we wanted to build - all it needed was some spark 🧙🏻
Reflecting on the highlights of my own onboarding, I was thinking a lot about an email my manager Will sent to me a week before I started at Conduct.
Being an anxious person entering my first full time gig ever, there was a lot of comfort in seeing my first week laid out for me and knowing what I’m getting into.
We could see that there were already a few things in place, glimpses of the culture we wanted to build - all it needed was some spark 🧙🏻
Reflecting on the highlights of my own onboarding, I was thinking a lot about an email my manager Will sent to me a week before I started at Conduct.
Being an anxious person entering my first full time gig ever, there was a lot of comfort in seeing my first week laid out for me and knowing what I’m getting into.
We could see that there were already a few things in place, glimpses of the culture we wanted to build - all it needed was some spark 🧙🏻
Reflecting on the highlights of my own onboarding, I was thinking a lot about an email my manager Will sent to me a week before I started at Conduct.
Being an anxious person entering my first full time gig ever, there was a lot of comfort in seeing my first week laid out for me and knowing what I’m getting into.
We could see that there were already a few things in place, glimpses of the culture we wanted to build - all it needed was some spark 🧙🏻
Lots of chats on prioritisation and many impact and effort matrixes later...
Lots of chats on prioritisation and many impact and effort matrixes later...
Lots of chats on prioritisation and many impact and effort matrixes later...
(Something I was very much still learning and mostly took a backseat in watching Stella, Mike, Sean work their magic…)
(Something I was very much still learning and mostly took a backseat in watching Stella, Mike, Sean work their magic…)
(Something I was very much still learning and mostly took a backseat in watching Stella, Mike, Sean work their magic…)
Lots of chats on prioritisation and many impact and effort matrixes later...
(Something I was very much still learning and mostly took a backseat in watching Stella, Mike, Sean work their magic…)
Design
Personalised welcome packs as a reassuring companion to new job jitters
Tailored information on what to expect in their first week along with info on key contacts, delivered in a human way and with a carefully crafted tone of voice
Design
Personalised welcome packs as a reassuring companion to new job jitters
Tailored information on what to expect in their first week along with info on key contacts, delivered in a human way and with a carefully crafted tone of voice
Design
Personalised welcome packs as a reassuring companion to new job jitters
Tailored information on what to expect in their first week along with info on key contacts, delivered in a human way and with a carefully crafted tone of voice
Design
Personalised welcome packs as a reassuring companion to new job jitters
Tailored information on what to expect in their first week along with info on key contacts, delivered in a human way and with a carefully crafted tone of voice
Standardisation, repeatability, and accountability to help ourselves deliver
Standardisation, repeatability, and accountability to help ourselves deliver
Standardisation, repeatability, and accountability to help ourselves deliver
Standardisation, repeatability, and accountability to help ourselves deliver
Designing a process that the team can sustain and making sure it’s simple enough to be picked by different people in the onboarding team.
Designing a process that the team can sustain and making sure it’s simple enough to be picked by different people in the onboarding team.
Designing a process that the team can sustain and making sure it’s simple enough to be picked by different people in the onboarding team.
Designing a process that the team can sustain and making sure it’s simple enough to be picked by different people in the onboarding team.
Space and intention as a larger focus of the onboarding experience
Space and intention as a larger focus of the onboarding experience
Space and intention as a larger focus of the onboarding experience
Space and intention as a larger focus of the onboarding experience
Reducing the habit of filling up the new starter’s calendar and not normalising back-to-back meetings in late afternoons throughout the week.
Reducing the habit of filling up the new starter’s calendar and not normalising back-to-back meetings in late afternoons throughout the week.
Reducing the habit of filling up the new starter’s calendar and not normalising back-to-back meetings in late afternoons throughout the week.
Reducing the habit of filling up the new starter’s calendar and not normalising back-to-back meetings in late afternoons throughout the week.
Impact
Impact
Impact
Impact
Feedback from our most recent starters
Feedback from our most recent starters
Feedback from our most recent starters
Feedback from our recent starters
“Thanks for the welcome pack, love it! I’ve never had anything like that before. Most places I’ve worked at, you don’t get that. You show up on the first day and everyone is like “Oh yeah, you’re here today!”
“Thanks for the welcome pack, love it! I’ve never had anything like that before. Most places I’ve worked at, you don’t get that. You show up on the first day and everyone is like “Oh yeah, you’re here today!”
“Thanks for the welcome pack, love it! I’ve never had anything like that before. Most places I’ve worked at, you don’t get that. You show up on the first day and everyone is like “Oh yeah, you’re here today!”
Richard Morrison
User Experience Designer
Richard Morrison
User Experience Designer
Richard Morrison
User Experience Designer
“Thanks for the welcome pack, love it! I’ve never had anything like that before. Most places I’ve worked at, you don’t get that. You show up on the first day and everyone is like “Oh yeah, you’re here today!”
Richard Morrison
User Experience Designer
“Best onboarding experience I’ve had in any company, as well as project onboarding. Being paired up with Carmel and getting across my project was stellar.”
“Best onboarding experience I’ve had in any company, as well as project onboarding. Being paired up with Carmel and getting across my project was stellar.”
“Best onboarding experience I’ve had in any company, as well as project onboarding. Being paired up with Carmel and getting across my project was stellar.”
Sam Wotton
Business Analyst
Sam Wotton
Business Analyst
Sam Wotton
Business Analyst
“Best onboarding experience I’ve had in any company, as well as project onboarding. Being paired up with Carmel and getting across my project was stellar.”
Sam Wotton
Business Analyst
Reflections
Reflections
Reflections
Reflections
It’s always easier to be a cynic about change management, much harder to see it through.
I’ll admit that there were moments where I felt doubtful about whether this initiative was worth bringing up. But I learned a lot from being in a team that knew how to power through tricky stakeholder management moments, watching them manage their expectations, building out project proposals and plans.
As someone witnessing this for the first time, I took a lot of mental notes in understanding what it means to make an initiative feel tangible and achievable.
(Spoiler alert: A lot of changing scopes, planning, and weekly standups turned DnMs.)
It’s always easier to be a cynic about change management, much harder to see it through.
I’ll admit that there were moments where I felt doubtful about whether this initiative was worth bringing up. But I learned a lot from being in a team that knew how to power through tricky stakeholder management moments, watching them manage their expectations, building out project proposals and plans.
As someone witnessing this for the first time, I took a lot of mental notes in understanding what it means to make an initiative feel tangible and achievable.
(Spoiler alert: A lot of changing scopes, planning, and weekly standups turned DnMs.)
It’s always easier to be a cynic about change management, much harder to see it through.
I’ll admit that there were moments where I felt doubtful about whether this initiative was worth bringing up. But I learned a lot from being in a team that knew how to power through tricky stakeholder management moments, watching them manage their expectations, building out project proposals and plans.
As someone witnessing this for the first time, I took a lot of mental notes in understanding what it means to make an initiative feel tangible and achievable.
(Spoiler alert: A lot of changing scopes, planning, and weekly standups turned DnMs.)
It’s always easier to be a cynic about change management, much harder to see it through.
I’ll admit that there were moments where I felt doubtful about whether this initiative was worth bringing up.
I learned a lot from being in a team that knew how to power through tricky stakeholder management moments, watching them manage their expectations, building out project proposals and plans.
As a tiny designer sitting in the room and witnessing this for the first time, I took a lot of mental notes in understanding what it means to make an initiative feel tangible and achievable.
(Spoiler alert: A lot of changing scopes, planning, and weekly standups turned DnMs.)
What’s next?
What’s next?
What’s next?
What’s next?
The deliverables for DesOn are currently being rolled out company wide, despite the project being initially design team focused. This means improving on our onboarding experience for everyone! :)
Moving forward, the team will be looking into building team-specific resources (e.g design team intranet, resource libraries) to assist in integrating more seamlessly into projects.
The deliverables for DesOn are currently being rolled out company wide, despite the project being initially design team focused. This means improving on our onboarding experience for everyone! :)
Moving forward, the team will be looking into building team-specific resources (e.g design team intranet, resource libraries) to assist in integrating more seamlessly into projects.
The deliverables for DesOn are currently being rolled out company wide, despite the project being initially design team focused. This means improving on our onboarding experience for everyone! :)
Moving forward, the team will be looking into building team-specific resources (e.g design team intranet, resource libraries) to assist in integrating more seamlessly into projects.
The deliverables for DesOn are currently being rolled out company wide, despite the project being initially design team focused. This means improving on our onboarding experience for everyone! :)
Moving forward, the team will be looking into building team-specific resources (e.g design team intranet, resource libraries) to assist in integrating more seamlessly into projects.
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View other projects
View other projects
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If you think we'll work well together or you're interested in staying in touch…🫣
let's stay connect
ed
My inbox is always open to any collaborations and opportunities for work, but also for general chats on all things design, film, and music.
In fact, if you’re looking for a safe space to trade guilty pleasure music and film recommendations, then look no further....
Reach out, say hi, and I’ll get back to you soon! Promise.
If you think we'll work well together or you're interested in staying in touch…🫣
let's stay connect
ed
My inbox is always open to any collaborations and opportunities for work, but also for general chats on all things design, film, and music.
In fact, if you’re looking for a safe space to trade guilty pleasure music and film recommendations, then look no further....
Reach out, say hi, and I’ll get back to you soon! Promise.
If you think we'll work well together or you're interested in staying in touch…🫣
let's stay connect
ed
My inbox is always open to any collaborations and opportunities for work, but also for general chats on all things design, film, and music.
In fact, if you’re looking for a safe space to trade guilty pleasure music and film recommendations, then look no further....
Reach out, say hi, and I’ll get back to you soon! Promise.
If you think we'll work well together or you're interested in staying in touch…🫣
let's stay connected
My inbox is always open to any collaborations and opportunities for work, but also for general chats on all things design, film, and music.
In fact, if you’re looking for a safe space to trade guilty pleasure music and film recommendations, then look no further....
Reach out, say hi, and I’ll get back to you soon! Promise.
designed and built by Chelsea Hendra on Framer 🦦
designed and built by Chelsea Hendra 🦦