A UX/UI Approach to Building a Global Onboarding Experience

I led the design and development of the company’s first global onboarding experience, applying the ADDIE model with a strong emphasis on UX/UI principles, instructional design best practices, and iterative stakeholder feedback. The solution included a global SharePoint onboarding site and four role-specific guides, completed within my first 90 days of hire.

Project Overview

Role: Lead Instructional Designer

Collaborators: Global Leadership Development Team, Global HR Team, & Key Stakeholders

Tools & Frameworks: ADDIE Model (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation), UX/UI Design Thinking with User-Centric Solution, Canva (Visual Design), SharePoint (Site Development), Heyzine (Interactive Workbooks), Adobe Acrobat (Editable Workbooks).

Multi-Media: Interactive onboarding workbooks and global onboarding SharePoint site

Delivery & Timeline: Launched as a global onboarding experience within 90 days of joining the company

Analyze

Interpreting Existing Insights for Design Decisions

The initial discovery and needs assessment were completed by my manager and key stakeholders before I joined the project. Building on their findings, I reviewed the documented requirements and used them as the foundation for my design decisions. My focus was on translating these insights into a structured, scalable onboarding experience by identifying how each persona—new teammates, leaders, onboarding buddies, and stakeholder peers—would interact with the content.

Design

Create a Journey-Themed Experience

I developed a theme-based approach—the central theme was a journey, symbolizing onboarding as a guided, progressive experience. Visual motifs such as pin drops, maps, dotted lines, and arrows reinforced this concept across all assets. I applied visual hierarchy, color psychology, and micro-interactions to improve usability and engagement.

Version 1 of Onboarding SharePoint design

Development

Build Workbooks First for Learner-Centered Content

The development process was strategic: workbooks were created first to ensure learner-centered content before embedding them into the site. I served as lead designer and collaborated closely with a teammate to finalize workbook designs. After launching the initial site version, I collected feedback and refined the design into a final version (Implementation video).

1 of 4 workbooks created for various stakeholders

Implementation

Deploy a Modular, Scalable SharePoint Site

The final onboarding site was built in SharePoint, integrating all workbooks and thematic elements into a cohesive experience. I ensured accessibility, responsiveness, and alignment with adult learning principles—chunking content, enabling self-paced navigation, and embedding reflection prompts.

V2 and final Onboarding SharePoint design

Evaluate

Measure Engagement and Continuous Improvement

Post-launch feedback from global new hires and stakeholders was overwhelmingly positive. Users praised the clarity, visual appeal, and thematic consistency. Engagement metrics showed high workbook completion rates and increased confidence among new hires.

Impact Highlights

Improved Consistency: Established the company’s first standardized global onboarding experience.
Enhanced Visual Appeal: Increased user satisfaction through a cohesive, journey-themed design.
Cultural Relevance: Delivered content adaptable across regions and roles, supporting inclusivity.
Scalable Framework: Built a modular SharePoint site and assets designed for easy updates and localization.