Streamling L&D operations for Instructional Designers
Streamling L&D operations for Instructional Designers
Context
Context
This project is part of a contract engagement with the Keelworks Foundation.
It is a web-based platform for Instructional Designers and Stakeholders to streamline a process within Learning and Development Operations. The platform enables the creation of e-learning course design blueprints with approvals before it moves to development.
As the Product Designer, my role involves designing the end-to-end user experience for the platform’s initial release, transforming a decentralized process into a predictable, AI-accelerated, and aligned workflow.
This project is part of a contract engagement with the Keelworks Foundation.
It is a web-based platform for Instructional Designers and Stakeholders to streamline a process within Learning and Development Operations. The platform enables the creation of e-learning course design blueprints with approvals before it moves to development.
As the Product Designer, my role involves designing the end-to-end user experience for the platform’s initial release, transforming a decentralized process into a predictable, AI-accelerated, and aligned workflow.
Team
Product Owner, Product Manager, Project Manager, UX Designer (Me), 2 FE Devs, 2 BE Devs, 2 Quality Analysts
I Contributed To
Desk and Secondary Research, Product Requirements, User Flow, UI Design and Prototypes, Design System, Baseline Front-End Code using AI
Timeline
June 2025 - Present
Team
Product Owner, Product Manager, Project Manager, UX Designer (Me), 2 FE Devs, 2 BE Devs, 2 Quality Analysts
I Contributed To
Desk and Secondary Research, Product Requirements, User Flow, UI Design and Prototypes, Design System, Baseline Front-End Code using AI
Timeline
June 2025 - Present
Team
Product Owner, Product Manager, Project Manager, UX Designer (Me), 2 FE Devs, 2 BE Devs, 2 Quality Analysts
I Contributed To
Desk and Secondary Research, Product Requirements, User Flow, UI Design and Prototypes, Design System, Baseline Front-End Code using AI
Timeline
June 2025 - Present
Understanding the problem from a bird's eye view
Understanding the problem from a bird's eye view
Instructional designers operate in a high-friction environment.
When an e-learning course is required, instructional designers first design the blueprint of the course before diving into extensive course development. This comes as a new request from various stakeholders.
During the course design process, Instructional Designers face unclear requirements, misalignment with stakeholders, and loops of rework when the final developed course fails to meet initial expectations, ultimately resulting in low quality or unpublished courses.
Instructional designers operate in a high-friction environment.
When an e-learning course is required, instructional designers first design the blueprint of the course before diving into extensive course development. This comes as a new request from various stakeholders.
During the course design process, Instructional Designers face unclear requirements, misalignment with stakeholders, and loops of rework when the final developed course fails to meet initial expectations, ultimately resulting in low quality or unpublished courses.
Instructional designers operate in a high-friction environment.
When an e-learning course is required, instructional designers first design the blueprint of the course before diving into extensive course development. This comes as a new request from various stakeholders.
During the course design process, Instructional Designers face unclear requirements, misalignment with stakeholders, and loops of rework when the final developed course fails to meet initial expectations, ultimately resulting in low quality or unpublished courses.
Diving deeper into points of friction
Diving deeper into points of friction
Inconsistent Collaboration
Vague requirements from stakeholders, unclear accountability, and long email chains stall projects causing constant misalignment.
Scattered, Lost Documents
Course design materials scattered across emails and drives result in a constant hunt for the correct file, lacking a single source of truth.
High Cost of Rework
Course development frequently starts before the design is finalized, forcing teams into rework cycles, draining resources, and delays.
Who's involved?
Who's involved?
The course design process involves 4 unique user types - Instructional Designer, Stakeholder, Subject Matter Expert, and the Instructional Design Manager, each working in tandem to come up with a course blueprint, eventually going to development.
The course design process involves 4 unique user types - Instructional Designer, Stakeholder, Subject Matter Expert, and the Instructional Design Manager, each working in tandem to come up with a course blueprint, eventually going to development.
The Solution: A Structured & Aligned Workflow
The Solution: A Structured & Aligned Workflow
The Solution: A Structured & Aligned Workflow
A web app that transforms a fragmented process into a structured request operations platform. The final deliverable is a comprehensive storyboard containing the structure, content, and assets for the course.
A web app that transforms a fragmented process into a structured request operations platform. The final deliverable is a comprehensive storyboard containing the structure, content, and assets for the course.
By using in-app comments, approval gates and AI, the platform facilitates cross-functional alignment, reduces design to development time, and eliminates late stage rework to enable L&D teams produce higher quality courses.
By using in-app comments, approval gates and AI, the platform facilitates cross-functional alignment, reduces design to development time, and eliminates late stage rework to enable L&D teams produce higher quality courses.
Real-Time Visibility & Personalized Alignment
Real-Time Visibility & Personalized Alignment
Each user type gains clarity through a personalized dashboard and a request list that displays real-time status, receiving critical updates and reducing the need for manual check-ins.
Each user type gains clarity through a personalized dashboard and a request list that displays real-time status, receiving critical updates and reducing the need for manual check-ins.
AI Assistant for quick drafts
AI Assistant for quick drafts
To make documentation more efficient, an AI drafting tool powered by the Gemini API instantly drafts detailed form content using the request details, serving as an assistant for complex requests and mitigating the blank canvas syndrome.
To make documentation more efficient, an AI drafting tool powered by the Gemini API instantly drafts detailed form content using the request details, serving as an assistant for complex requests and mitigating the blank canvas syndrome.
Sequential process with review cycles and granular feedback
Sequential process with review cycles and granular feedback
Sequential process with review cycles and granular feedback
To eliminate late stage misalignment, we implemented a two-step approval gate requiring a sign-off from the SME, followed by the primary Stakeholder.
To eliminate late stage misalignment, we implemented a two-step approval gate requiring a sign-off from the SME, followed by the primary Stakeholder.
This is supported by feedback allowing comments directly on specific fields to ensure precise, revisions.
This is supported by feedback allowing comments directly on specific fields to ensure precise, revisions.
Business and UX Goals
Business and UX Goals
To ensure that the platform was strategically valuable and usable, I collaborated with the Product Owner early on to align business and UX goals for this project. This also helped align the entire team on the same page.
To ensure that the platform was strategically valuable and usable, I collaborated with the Product Owner early on to align business and UX goals for this project. This also helped align the entire team on the same page.
How did I get here?
How did I get here?
My approach was an iterative and collaborative process to transform an unstructured process into a predictable workflow. I prioritized early problem validation and drove collaboration across team members. I secured continuous buy-in, ensuring every design decision was grounded in both user needs and technical feasibility.
My approach was an iterative and collaborative process to transform an unstructured process into a predictable workflow. I prioritized early problem validation and drove collaboration across team members. I secured continuous buy-in, ensuring every design decision was grounded in both user needs and technical feasibility.
Validated the problem through discovery research
Validated the problem through discovery research
Validated the problem through discovery research
After gathering initial requirements from our Product Owner, I conducted discovery research and digital ethnography to validate the problem on a larger scale. This quickly revealed that the existing unstructured process is a widespread problem throughout the industry. The research also showed growing AI usage among instructional design professionals.
After gathering initial requirements from our Product Owner, I conducted discovery research and digital ethnography to validate the problem on a larger scale. This quickly revealed that the existing unstructured process is a widespread problem throughout the industry. The research also showed growing AI usage among instructional design professionals.
Encountered some surprising resentment…
Encountered some surprising resentment…
Encountered some surprising resentment…
What I found most interesting was that while quantitative evidence showed traces of the problem, the qualitative evidence revealed a surprising level of resentment. I realized here that the numbers couldn't tell me the full story.
What I found most interesting was that while quantitative evidence showed traces of the problem, the qualitative evidence revealed a surprising level of resentment. I realized here that the numbers couldn't tell me the full story.
Identified key user types involved in the process
Identified key user types involved in the process
Identified key user types involved in the process
While the discovery research provided answers about what was broken, I had to identify who was affected and define their role in the process. Based on research insights, I identified 4 user types that are involved in the course design process.
Curated a user flow involving all user types
Curated a user flow involving all user types
Curated a user flow involving all user types
Identifying the user types guided me to designing a workflow that connected them together. Considering the steps involved in the course design process, and the involvement of each user type for a specific step, I created a user journey to visualize the entire workflow.
Identifying the user types guided me to designing a workflow that connected them together. Considering the steps involved in the course design process, and the involvement of each user type for a specific step, I created a user journey to visualize the entire workflow.
Turned the process into a sequential request workflow
Turned the process into a sequential request workflow
Turned the process into a sequential request workflow
Driven by the inherent nature of the work, the entire process begins as an incoming request to the Instructional Design team.
I integrated the request intake with the Analysis & Design phases of the ADDIE model - resulting in a platform whose function is to manage a request from start to finish to provide visibility and governance that the original workflow lacked. This was the biggest design decision.
This decision ensured that the process moves smoothly, while also keeping the underlying technology simple and stable.
Created a prototype using AI
Created a prototype using AI
Created a prototype using AI
With some solid groundwork, I was confident about my approach towards the solution. I used Google AI Studio to create a clickable prototype with hard-coded logic in a few days. This helped me translate my research into an initial solution, conduct demos, identify issues and secure buy-in before we dived into full scale design.
With some solid groundwork, I was confident about my approach towards the solution. I used Google AI Studio to create a clickable prototype with hard-coded logic in a few days. This helped me translate my research into an initial solution, conduct demos, identify issues and secure buy-in before we dived into full scale design.
I was initially surprised by the results. I was able to translate the end-to-end flow into an interactive prototype, and hand off baseline front-end code to our engineering team (only as a headstart, not in production).
I was initially surprised by the results. I was able to translate the end-to-end flow into an interactive prototype, and hand off baseline front-end code to our engineering team (only as a headstart, not in production).
However as I started adding more functionality, it was harder to make updates as existing flows broke frequently, disrupting the logic completely. I also found some UI inconsistencies which were not easily tweakable in Google AI studio. I had to change my approach here.
However as I started adding more functionality, it was harder to make updates as existing flows broke frequently, disrupting the logic completely. I also found some UI inconsistencies which were not easily tweakable in Google AI studio. I had to change my approach here.
Refining screens in Figma
Refining screens in Figma
Refining screens in Figma
Using the AI generated prototype as baseline wireframes, I am now designing each screen in Figma, and handing them over to developers. This has given me a solid headstart.
Using the AI generated prototype as baseline wireframes, I am now designing each screen in Figma, and handing them over to developers. This has given me a solid headstart.
Next Steps
Next Steps
Validation & Feasibility
I plan to conduct usability testing to validate core flows and assess AI usage feasibility
Storyboard Share
We are looking at the specific solution for sharing the approved storyboard as a link
Refine Design System
I want to ensure that our design is crisp, clear, and intuitive. There is absolutely no margin for errors.
Thank you for reading 👏
Thank you for reading 👏
Thank you for reading 👏
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