Project Umbrella

Certain details have been omitted due to Amazon confidentiality. The work shown uses mock files rather than the actual launched product.

Problem

Training new Associates took a lot of time and hands-on support from Training Ambassadors. Much of the learning happened before Associates started working on their own, which made it harder to connect what they learned to what was happening at the workstation.

Once Associates were working independently, coaching often came after the fact. We saw a chance to bring training and coaching directly into the workflow, so Associates could get help when they needed it and Trainers could spend more time supporting people who needed additional help.

How might we help Associates learn while doing the actual work?

My role

UX Design Lead

I led UX from early research and concept development through pilot and launch. I worked directly with Associates and Trainers to understand how people learned on the job, shaped the product vision, designed the core Associate, Trainer, and Manager experiences, and led usability testing. I partnered closely with Learning, Product, Engineering, and Operations to bring the platform into live warehouse environments.

Customer Insights & Ideation

I spent time in Fulfillment Centers observing Associates at work, interviewing Learning Managers and Trainers, and completing Day 1 training myself. I also spent two full days observing six Associates at their workstations.

The research helped me define four core user groups and explore how training could fit naturally into their work. I created five storyboards and tested different approaches, including audio, video, synthesized speech, headsets, and hands-free voice interaction.

Experience Strategy & Vision

I proposed moving away from teaching everything upfront and bringing learning directly into the workstation.

I designed the experience around short-form learning, real-time error detection, and immediate coaching. Associates could get guidance while working, Trainers could coach from a centralized dashboard, and Managers could receive alerts on handheld devices.

Design & Validation

I designed the Associate training experience to work on top of the existing station software without changing the core system. I also designed the Trainer and Manager experiences for Kindle, focusing on mobility and quick access to information.

I led four rounds of usability testing in live production environments, testing everything from voice and audio delivery to headsets and push versus pull learning. We found that short, in-the-moment guidance tied to real work was more effective than long, text-heavy instruction.

The research helped me influence Learning leadership to move away from front-loaded training toward more embedded, just-in-time guidance.

Impact

Project Umbrella changed a training model where one Trainer supported up to five Associates over two weeks into an in-context model where new Associates could become productive in two days.

The platform reduced hands-on training needs, automated training records, permissions, and content delivery, and enabled same-day coaching instead of next-day feedback. It also created a more consistent learning experience for new Associates.

Reflection

If I revisited this work today, I would bring accessibility testing for voice and audio into the process earlier, especially in noisy warehouse environments. I would also establish the support-not-blame philosophy earlier, making it clear that coaching was there to help Associates, not penalize them.

I would also plan for global scale earlier, particularly around language, device availability, and differences in how sites operate.