Sebahat and Lisa are interns and were both involved in the product development of the new Onboarding app, but from completely different perspectives. Sebahat focused on users, while Lisa was directly involved in the technical and content-related design and development. I spoke with both of them about their experiences.
Sebahat, what was your first impression of the app and what do you think of the user experience?
Sebahat: I was very impressed that new employees like me are supported with onboarding in this innovative, practical way. The most important steps in the onboarding process are collected clearly in the app. As a result, I felt well-informed at all times and knew what I had to do and when. For example, registering on the various portals, creating my YAM profiles, and finding about internal training options. I also found it very practical to be able to use the Onboarding app on my personal smartphone – I was able to start using it even before I started working and wasn’t dependent on the IT systems at my (future) workplace. In general, the app is very concise and easy to use. The onboarding journey can be started directly with an access code, which I received together with my employment contract.
How do you like the structure of the app?
Sebahat: The app is divided into three phases: preboarding, onboarding, and takeoff. Each of the three phases supports a different time period. I think this structure is very user-friendly, since my information needs varied widely in each phase. The app covers these needs, for example, enabling me to obtain initial information even before I started my new job. This provides a sense of security for new employees and helps them identify more with their future employer.
To what extent did the app simplify your own onboarding?
Sebahat: The Onboarding app introduced the many tools that Deutsche Telekom uses – for example, for online communication, chats, and e-learnings. That saved me from having to keep asking which tool would be best for a specific topic and helped me to answer such questions myself. It saved time and made my actual everyday work more efficient.
One last question: What is your favorite feature?
Sebahat: I can flag different screens in the app with a star and save them as personal favorites. This was especially helpful for the links to the different learning platforms, because I could find them quickly whenever I needed them.
Thank you, Sebahat, for the interesting interview. It’s great to hear about the advantages and improvements that innovations like this can provide. I wish you all the best with your internship and, of course, with your studies.
You can find the first part of the two-part interview, in which Lisa provides insights into the technical and content conception of the app, here.
