The Challenge: Navigating Product Redesign at Scale
I led the learning design for a recurring live webinar series helping nonprofit staff navigate profile updates in the Candid platform. Learners required clarity on what had changed in a redesigned editor and practical guidance for a multi-step update process.
Without a structured walkthrough, participants often became overwhelmed by the new product experience and left the session unsure of their next steps.
The Strategy: SAM-Driven Iteration
Using a Successive Approximation Model (SAM), I designed an initial 2025 version and iterated based on participant feedback. The strategy relied on several key pillars:
- Action-Oriented Framing: I paired every “what’s new” update with a concrete action.
- Live Demonstration: I used live demos instead of slides-only instruction to show the end-to-end workflow.
- Moderated Q&A: We centered the session around real-time support to handle edge cases.
The Execution: From Script to Screen
In partnership with Marketing stakeholders, I served as the primary lead for the slide deck, recording plan, and delivery run-of-show. I owned the learning flow, demo planning, and learner support strategy. I designed the deck for accessibility and clarity across various levels of technical familiarity.
The Impact
Across the 2025 series, the webinar earned a 4.48/5 overall rating. Approximately 92% of respondents reported gaining specific skills or strategies they could apply immediately.
The session format and run-of-show became a repeatable template for the organization. I was completing the first iteration cycle of the 2026 version when my role was eliminated.
The Evolution: What’s Next?
To further enhance this webinar model, my future development plan includes:
- Post-Session Checklists: Adding a 7-day follow-up nudge to reinforce the exact next steps.
- Tiered Resources: Offering an optional advanced companion guide for experienced users.
- Task-Based Checks: Implementing a quick knowledge check during the session to measure objective ability.
- Closing the Action Loop: Tracking actual profile update completions over the following weeks.