Starbucks
NEW HIRE ONBOARDING
Gamifying barista training to achieve the perfect cup.
Challenge
Digitize and condense weeks of onboarding, reducing training resources and creating a safe space for new employees to learn Starbucks’ signature customer service and coffee-making.
Solution
Interactive, branded learning modules that help new baristas learn everything from where coffee is grown to how to call a drink. Advanced gamification turns knowledge into skills—without the stress of being on the line.
Handcrafted experiences
The success of Starbucks comes not only from their brew, but also the experience they create in each store and interaction. Mindspace partnered closely with Starbucks to craft a custom look and feel for employee learning that matches their meticulously curated brand.
Stories from bean to cup
Inspirational branded videos reimagined traditionally technical content to teach baristas the history of Starbucks, how to get to know their customer, and how to help customers make a better cup at home.
A picture worth a thousand words
Using real baristas as models and actual stores as sets, Mindspace staged and shot custom photography for use in the modules.
Games to teach and reduce stress
Using interaction design, game mechanics and learning principles, Mindspace created several games that transformed dry content, boosted retention of key messages and turned knowledge into skills.
Training can be stressful. And stress can lead to increased turnover. Gamified simulations allowed baristas to practice making your favorite drinks without wasting resources like cups, and without the added stress of doing it live. Baristas were better prepared to make fewer mistakes when they got behind the bar.
A guide for the guide
Trainers each received activity guides that aided them in guiding new hires through the onboarding process.
Content retention
User engagement
Reduction in training time
Scope of Services
Design | Creative Direction | Content Strategy & Creation | HTML5 Development | Gamification | Custom Video & Photography | Learning Motivation Design
BEHIND THE SCENES
Made with Fathom
Because the learning modules were built in Fathom, supervisors could assign lessons, track individual progress and run reports to see who was excelling and who needed a little help.