Improve workplace upskilling and unleash individual potential

Designing an enterprise multi-stakeholder training experience for an AI startup to boost customer buy-in

MARi learning dashboard with activity data and prioritiesMARi task board with courses across To Do, In Review, In Progress and CompletedMARi logic builder mapping proficiency rules to competencies

MARi

Empowering employee workplace upskilling

timeline
Jan – Aug 2024
role
Product Researcher
Product Designer
skills
UX Research
Product Design
Agile Sprints

Context

My master's capstone: eight months with MARi, an AI startup building a skills platform for workplace upskilling.

The first question was who we were designing for. An employee sits inside layers: managers who decide what gets learned, L&D teams who run the programs, leadership who pays for it and expects results.

Problem

Most learning platforms are built for one side. Trainers assign, learners click through, and a completion rate passes for success.

But the two roles need each other. The trainer sets the objectives, picks materials that support them, and measures the results. The learning itself still happens on the learner's side. Serve only one side and the chain breaks:

  • Trainers could see who finished a module, but not whether anyone got better.
  • Learners treated training as an interruption, so engagement faded after onboarding.
  • Checked-out learners produced junk data, which made the next round of training worse.
An infinity loop connecting trainers and learners, crossing through MARi at the center: designing for the collaborative learning process

Archetypes

We built these archetypes from our research and interviews with trainers and learners. Across the conversations, the same five people kept showing up: two kinds of trainers, three kinds of learners.

Supportive Trainer, a manager archetype. Supportive mentors help employees succeed and achieve their aspirations. Needs: feedback and performance tracking, open communication channel, visualized performance metrics. Quote: “There is no effective way to know if someone on my team is improving or struggling.”
Routine Adherent, a manager archetype. Relies on standardized routines, skill assessments, and certifications to measure and develop employees' skills. Needs: customized training plans, continuous communication channels, motivation for employees to engage. Quote: “We have quarterly and annual plans. We offer training resources on the platform.”
Visionary Learner, an employee archetype. Driven by intrinsic motivation, eager to understand their potential and stay current with trends. Needs: recommended upskilling areas, personalized learning path, access to useful resources. Quote: “I want to learn more about my potential and how to put my strength in good use.”
Problem Solver, an employee archetype. Focuses on immediate on-the-job needs and meeting requirements; relies on instructions and asks for clarity. Needs: learning progress tracking, task documentation and proof, effective supervisor feedback. Quote: “I care about what I'm stuck on at the moment. I don't have time to do extra trainings.”
Career Navigator, an employee archetype. Seeks to pivot their career path but faces an overwhelming amount of resources and a lack of clear direction. Needs: guidance on the career journey, mentorship at work, external validation on progress. Quote: “I am struggling to pivot to the career I want. I feel unprepared all the time.”

The feedback loop

Designing for both sides turns the product into a loop, with MARi at the center. Trainers set objectives and publish training, learners build skills, results flow back, and the next round gets sharper.

That loop is also the business case. When both sides keep coming back, MARi stops being a tool clients quietly drop and becomes a long-term partner, which is what sustainable growth looks like for them.

This is only part of the story. Eight months of research, design, and testing don't fit on one page, and I'd be glad to walk through the rest.

An infinity loop connecting trainers and learners, crossing through MARi at the center: designing for the collaborative learning process