Anna Kløve Thystrup

Improving Managed Learning Services at Novo Nordisk

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By

Anna Thystrup

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Managed Learning Service (MLS) is a department at Novo Nordisk that supports the organization’s learning needs — from onboarding new vendors to booking classes and venues. The brief was to investigate how MLS is perceived by users, identify barriers in the current setup, and explore opportunities to strengthen both its identity and services.

A clearer identity

Interviews revealed confusion about what MLS actually is and what services it provides. A new brand identity, including a simplified name and clearer language, helps employees better understand MLS and its role in the learning landscape.

A redesigned website

Alongside the identity, a SharePoint website was redesigned to give users a clearer overview of MLS’ services, relevant forms, and links. This reduces unnecessary emails and allows employees to find answers independently.

Smarter processes through automation

New ideas for process automation — including the use of AI tools — were identified to streamline vendor management and class administration, while keeping users better informed throughout.

Process

Disclaimer
Due to contractual agreements, I cannot disclose figures and materials containing sensitive information. The visuals included in this case have therefore been partially anonymized and redacted, meaning that some details have been removed or masked to protect confidential content.

Analysis & Affinity Mapping

All interview data was transferred into Miro and organized as post-its in an affinity map, divided into three categories: Opportunities, Motivation, and Barriers.

  • Within Barriers, recurring themes were clustered, including inconsistent wording, unclear ownership, and too many different systems.
  • This mapping helped structure insights into patterns and guided where the biggest improvements could be made.

Service Blueprints

To complement the affinity mapping, I created four As-Is service blueprints capturing different MLS processes. These:

  • Mapped every step of the user journey
  • Highlighted touchpoints where pain points emerged
  • Were validated through expert interviews with MLS administrators, ensuring both user and organizational perspectives were included

Co-Creation Workshop

Based on the research, I designed and facilitated a workshop with the design team to transform insights into solutions. The workshop included several activities:

  • Blueprint bombing – participants annotated service blueprints with questions, pain points, and ideas
  • Walking the wall – barriers from the affinity mapping were placed on the wall, and participants brainstormed solutions directly against them
  • Voting – ideas were prioritized with “Let’s move with this now” or “Save for later” stickers
  • Idea tumbling – the most promising ideas were unpacked by asking: What is the idea? Who are the stakeholders? Where should it live? How could it move into action?

Testing & Validation

Finally, one of the clearest outputs — a new name and brand identity for MLS — was tested with users through A/B testing. This confirmed which naming option created the most recognition and clarity, ensuring the new identity would be easier for employees to understand and adopt.