From Data to Design
The 9-week cohort-based independent study program that takes you from learning designer to learning strategist by showing you how to analyze needs, consult clients, and support project success, so that you can level up your learning design and your career.
Desired Outcomes
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Provide inexperienced instructional designers, trainers, and eLearning developers with opportunities to upskill in consulting, needs analysis, and project management-- skills that would enable them to move into senior roles and/or freelancing
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Scale Nicole's expertise to respond to numerous "pick your brain" and "do you do coaching" requests without taking more time off her calendar
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Diversify Your Instructional Designer's revenue streams through a passive income source
Results
Over 100 L&D Pros Served
Over the course of 7 cohorts, over 100 L&D professionals completed the program, which consistently received 5-star ratings and brought in over $42,000 in additional revenue for Your Instructional Designer.
Promotions & Opportunities
Over 20% of D2Ders achieved promotions, were granted increased decision-making power in their role (e.g., go from order take to strategist), and/or were able to start freelance consulting within 1 year of the program.
5-6 Figure Service Sales
The development of the program led to 5- and 6- figure sales of consulting and learning design packages, as Nicole became known as an expert in needs analysis and strategic learning design.
My Approach
Solution:
I created a 9-week blended learning cohort-based program with a project-based backbone. D2Ders moved from understanding the role to data collection through analysis into pitching, client management, and project management.
They worked with a fictional client-- who didn't always perfectly communicate their needs-- to practice these skills. At the end, they submitted a capstone project.
The program was dripped in weekly intervals with scaffolded skills and assignments to minimize overwhelm and promote completion. Badges could be earned for completing assignments. A certificate of completion was available only for those who completed the entire capstone project.
I brought in real business leaders from a variety of industries (e.g. IT, SaaS, healthcare, marketing) to provide insights into their work environments and create opportunities for mock discovery calls so that students could practice their needs analysis skills in a low stakes environment.
I offered weekly group coaching and replays for those who couldn't make it in a private online community. Regular posts and moderation were key to keeping up participation.
I chose Thinkific as the learning platform. At the time, it offered the widest variety of learning tools (e.g., SCORM, knowledge checks with response-specific feedback) of the available consumer-grade learning tools. We started with Facebook for our community, eventually moving to Workplace by Meta.
Received ATD Pre-Approved Education Source designation to demonstrate program quality and enable professionals to earn CEUs toward ATD certification.
I strategized, designed, and developed every element of the learning experience and related marketing.
Here's how I got it done:
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Strategized a solution that would meet the needs of the intended audience
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Used a backward design approach to designing the curriculum, starting with key skills and assessments before identifying supporting content
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Created a marketing strategy that included landing pages, content marketing, social media marketing, email campaigns, and a sales webinar that received over 400 registrations for the first run of the program
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Developed all course assets, including:
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Drafts of all scripts and storyboards
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Edited videos with stock content and Vyond animation
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Prepare notes and filmed recorded interviews with business leaders
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Interactive PDF workbooks
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Simulations built with Articulate Storyline
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Templates and toolkits built with interactive PDFs, Google Docs, Google Sheets, and ClickUp templates
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Scenario-based multiple choice assessment in the system
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Accountability buddy sign up system
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Community content and scheduled posts
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Portfolio assignments
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Set up LMS and uploaded content
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QA tested
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Launched, following marketing plan
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Conducted pulse checks and summative evaluation of program
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Iterated with program improvements and expansion of resource library over 7 cohorts
Key Client Needs:
Consulting is a complex skill. It requires analytical thinking, influence, and the ability to make decisions despite ambiguity. A simple "watch the video" course was NEVER going to work.
Needs analysis takes time to learn and requires significant timely feedback.
L&D professionals were distributed across the globe with varying availability for meetings and demands on their workload. The program needed to be able to reach all of them.
Online courses were not popular at the time of development (pre / early pandemic era). The user interface needed to be user friendly so people didn't get lost in or distracted by the tools.
L&D professionals are tough critics of learning materials. The overall experience needed an elevated design, aesthetically and strategically.
What I Used to Create the Experience
Design & Development Tools
Adobe Creative Suite
Articulate 360 - Storyline
Camtasia
Canva
ClickUp - Forms & Templates
Descript
Google Suite
Miro
Powerpoint
Typeform
Vyond
Word
Distribution Systems
(LMS / LXP & Community Tools)
Thinkific
Workplace
Distribution Systems
(Other)
Streamyard
Zoom
Learning Asset Samples
I designed the program, created the marketing plan and assets, wrote the content, and developed the learning materials shown below.
Syllabus
LMS Snapshots
Lesson Video
Accompanying Workbook
Badges
Whitney S., Cohort 2
From Data to Design is THE missing link for many Instructional Design degree plans and academies. It brings the ownership and consulting experience into the mix. It doesn't matter if you are a freelancer, an ID in a company, or an ID in higher ed, it is a requirement for all instructional designers to find real solutions that meet the organizational, project, and learner goals. You must have great consulting skills to manage projects and work with SMEs. Take this course to develop the 'human side' and skill that many are missing within ID!
Suprita, J., Cohort 3
There is much more offered in this course than what you just read on the website. It is what I needed and more during this phase of transitioning away from development and more into strategy, design, and being seen as a partner. There were a lot of things I thought I knew or mastered, but the depth of this course made me realise otherwise. I have to say that Nicole is amazing, she is very experienced, knowledgeable and very humble. She also, has managed to create such a wonderful small collaborative community for the course.
Krystyna M., Cohort 6
This is one of the most enjoyable and useful courses I've completed since transitioning to Instructional Design. It's very comprehensive with videos, checklists and workbooks. Nicole has really thought of everything, especially setting you up for success at the start, guiding you through scheduling time for the course and positive thinking. Each week a new module focuses on a topic with the option of completing an assignment to really level up your ID solutions to help you create real value for your clients and learners. If you're thinking about taking this course, I would definitely recommend it!