| A mixed methods multi-case study design aligned with critical realism (Bhaskar, 1975) was used to research orientation training and onboarding program design decisions. The critical decision method of cognitive task analysis was used to identify key design decisions at four large companies with Canadian upstream oil and gas operations.;Analysis of the findings showed that the researched designers crafted learning experiences intended to contribute to the O-ACIS of organizational newcomers. Learning experiences create a context, a learning environment. The companies' senior managers expected to improve the productivity and retention of newcomers with the learning environment created with an onboarding program.;Implications for theory and practice of 15 key research findings, including recommendations, are discussed under the topics of: (a) decision making, (b) onboarding, (c) instructional design and human performance technology and (d) research methodology.;Findings about the key characteristics of designers (including their styles of decision making (Kinston & Algie, 1989), learning objectives and goals, content, program implementation and evaluation are reported. The designers' learning goals were identified using outcome statements from instruments published in the organizational assimilation, organizational commitment, organizational identification and organizational socialization literature (forming the acronym, O-ACIS). O-ACIS is part of the theoretical framework developed for this research. |
