More Than Training:
A Creative System Built to Scale
What started as a redesign of barista training grew into a scalable, brand-aligned system now used across Starbucks retail learning programs. This case study shows how a human-centered, collaborative approach led to the company’s largest global training initiative—still in use today.
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Starbucks needed to simplify its barista training for a digital-native workforce, especially during the height of the pandemic. The existing materials were overly complex, inconsistent, and not built for scalability across regions. The goal was to reduce complexity, enhance clarity, and create a brand-aligned experience that could flex across global markets and store formats.
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As the lead creative strategist and designer, I:
Developed a card-style visual system inspired by app UI patterns to improve engagement and accessibility
Designed scalable printed and digital materials that could be used in both high-tech and low-tech store environments
Created an animated GIF system for beverage builds—later adapted for broader recipe card usage across the enterprise
Partnered closely with instructional designers, media teams, and vendors to ensure creative consistency and operational usability
Delivered assets that could be printed in-house and met the needs of users with varying levels of technical proficiency
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Largest Global Training Launch: Scaled across North America, adapted into French for Canada, and translated for use in global markets
Operational Ease: Simplified training for thousands of new employees while maintaining brand consistency
Enduring Legacy: The design system established during this initiative influenced subsequent retail learning experiences and continues to be used today
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Human Centered Design
We started with empathy—understanding the needs of new baristas entering during high uncertainty. I implemented a “building block” concept, which translated into modular, digestible content for quick learning.
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Card Based Visual System
Inspired by familiar app interfaces, I created a card-style layout to break complex training into intuitive visual chunks. This structure was applied across all mediums—from tablet-based modules to back-of-house printable worksheets.
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Digital + Print Harmony
Every design decision balanced form and function. From animated drink-build graphics to low-ink printable guides, materials were created to serve both the experience and operational needs of retail partners.
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Intuitive + Scalable Visuals
Each animated drink-build sequence was thoughtfully designed to simplify complex recipes into clear, realistic visuals—balancing instructional clarity with operational ease. The success of this approach influenced the broader enterprise, inspiring more functional, visually intuitive beverage recipe cards that served both new employees and experienced retail partners.
Reflection
This project represents the best of strategic design thinking—where visual clarity, operational functionality, and user empathy aligned to solve real challenges. It was a deeply collaborative effort with our learning, operations, and media teams, and the feedback from store partners affirmed that we designed this with their needs at the center. The system not only supported smoother onboarding, but also contributed to improving attrition rates—addressing a key business priority. Years later, this scalable framework continues to evolve and power new retail learning programs around the world.