Case Study 1: Designing a Turnkey Learning Platform MVP

A system that runs without relying on the facilitator

Overview

I designed and built a pilot-ready learning platform that guides learners through a full project without requiring facilitator expertise.
Instead of relying on instruction, the system uses structured prompts, gated progression, and embedded support to help learners think, decide, and produce a final outcome independently.
The result was a working, interactive prototype that could be run by a first-time facilitator.

Due to confidentiality, specific visuals and proprietary details are omitted. This project was completed as part of a contract engagement. All visuals and representations shown here are original and generalized to respect confidentiality.

THE PROBLEM

Project-based learning often depends on strong facilitators to interpret content and guide learners.
That creates inconsistency and limits where it can be used, especially in environments like after-school programs, camps, and community settings.
The core issue:
The experience only works if the person running it knows what they’re doing.

The Solution

I designed a system where the platform carries the structure, not the facilitator.

The experience is built around:

  • milestone-based progression
  • decision-focused prompts
  • required learner input before moving forward
  • embedded support for both learners and facilitators
  • a final artifact that shows learner thinking

How It Works

Learners move through a sequence of stages:

  • identify a problem
  • understand what’s happening
  • design a solution
  • build and explain their idea
  • test and improve it
  • present and reflect

Each step requires learners to explain their thinking before progressing.

Key Design Decisions

Platform carries instruction
All prompts, structure, and progression are built into the system.

Decisions over content
Each step asks the learner to think, choose, and explain.

Controlled progression
Learners can’t skip ahead. They complete each step in order.

Support in the moment
Guidance appears exactly where learners get stuck.

AI Scaffold
Designed AI-assisted scaffolding to reduce decision friction without removing learner agency

Built-In Support

Instead of external instructions, support is embedded directly into the experience.

  • learners get prompts, examples, and clarification
  • facilitators see what should be happening and when to step in

This removes guesswork and keeps the experience consistent.

How I Used AI in This System

Instead of adding a generic chatbot, I designed AI as a structured support layer that appears at key decision points.

The goal was to reduce friction without taking over the thinking.

This layer helps learners:

  • narrow broad ideas into clear choices
  • understand what a strong response looks like
  • identify their next step when they feel stuck

The system doesn’t generate answers. It keeps learners moving.

This approach avoids over-reliance on AI and keeps ownership with the learner while still providing support.

Why This Matters

Without structure:

  • learners get stuck
  • facilitators fill gaps
  • outcomes vary

With structure:

  • learners move forward independently
  • support is built in
  • outcomes are consistent

System Components

The system is built from four parts working together:

  1. Learner Experience
     A sequence of milestones that guide the learner step by step
  2. Decision Structure
     Each step requires a specific input or explanation before moving forward
  3. Embedded Support
     Guidance for both learners and facilitators built directly into the flow

Final Output
 A completed artifact that reflects the learner’s thinking

My Role

  • learning architecture and system design
  • milestone and decision structure
  • interaction design in Storyline
  • embedded support design
  • prototype development

Takeaway

This project reinforced a key idea:

Strong learning design isn’t just about content. It’s about building systems that help people move forward without relying on expertise.

Tools

Articulate Storyline
Interaction design
Learning system design

Note

This project was completed as part of a contract engagement. All visuals and representations shown here are original and generalized to respect confidentiality.