Cultivating connection & leadership development.
Newsong Online Academy
OVERVIEW.
Newsong Church, a diverse, non-denominational congregation in Santa Ana, California, faced a unique challenge during the 2020 Covid restrictions—fostering genuine and meaningful connections within state-mandated safety guidelines. Working as the user experience intern on the Online Engagement team, I was blessed to have the opportunity to create a digital space that enables the community to connect deeply while accessing leadership development resources.
Project Role:
UX Intern
The Team:
Liz Duckworth
Will Broxton
Dave Brubaker
CHALLENGE:
Forging connections in a Covid-constrained world.
The team was given the task to create a website that offered the church community access to learning materials for personal growth and small group discussions. Without any web experience, the team and I faced the challenge head-on and tackled the obstacles of launching a new product.
RESEARCH:
Unearthing the need for asynchronous learning and centralized content.
To gain insight into Newsong’s community groups and leadership program, I conducted informal interviews with church members, course instructors, and stake holders. Our conversations revealed two key needs:
Asynchronous Learning: Users expressed a preference for flexible learning, where they can access content on their own schedule, accommodating their busy lives and other commitments.
Centralized Learning Content: Users desired a centralized platform that houses all the learning materials, making it easy for them to access and engage with the content in one place.
Based on these findings, the challenge was clear—to create a digital space that fosters a seamless learning experience and empowers community engagement, even in a Covid-constrained world.
DELIVERY:
A learning website fostering community engagement and personal growth.
With a dedicated focus on the project, the team and I crafted a vibrant digital platform, empowering the church community to thrive even amidst unprecedented times. The website serves as a powerful tool for meaningful connections, leadership development, and personal growth.
Landing Page.
A gateway with clear call-to-action buttons inviting people to engage. By crafting a visually appealing landing page, we aim to provide a warm welcome to the Newsong Online Academy.
Member Dashboard.
A personal hub for members to track and engage with ongoing courses. The dashboard empowers users to navigate through their learning courses, review their progress, and pick up where they left off.
Course Progress.
A user-friendly interface to access modules, providing members with a sense of accomplishment.
Learning Hub.
A solution to individual learning and group engagement. The hub fulfills the need for cohort collaboration, enabling asynchronous learning.
Content Library.
A treasure trove of curated material to provide members with an array of experiences. The library ensures access to instructors and experiences to foster continuous personal growth and engagement.
OUR TEAM SYNERGY:
Bridges built on teamwork and seeing the impact.
In this dynamic project, I thrived in a collaborative team environment, working alongside three pastors to shape a transformative digital platform. Liz Duckworth, Community & Leadership Development Pastor, and I meticulously curated content for members and tackled challenges in asynchronous learning. Together, we integrated virtual meeting links on course pages and implemented reminder emails for group gatherings.
With Will Broxton, Online Engagement Pastor, I explored various website building platforms, weighing their pros and cons. Our collective decision led us to leverage Kajabi, a platform specializing in online learning and coaching, conveniently located within our community.
Finally, Dave Brubaker, Communications Pastor, and I delved into crafting the website verbiage that impeccably resonates with Newsong's branding and culture, ensuring a seamless blend of digital experience and church ethos. Through effective communication and mutual understanding, we harmonized our efforts, driving the project towards a successful outcome.
REFLECTION & RESULTS:
A successful internship with growing and lasting impact.
Throughout my internship, I led the development of Newsong Online Academy, which continues to thrive with a growing community of hundreds of active Academy members. The platform sees consistent use, with new materials and instructors added. The user engagement metrics demonstrates its positive impact on fostering meaningful connections and facilitating development and growth within the community. In less than a year, the team accomplished the following:
8 online gatherings connecting 122 new members.
7 online learning cohorts with 78 participants.
25 new leaders developed and commissioned.
350+ active Academy members.
50+ online courses.
30+ online instructors.
