Creating an Inclusive Platform for Learning and Growth
Designing an Inclusive Learning Platform that Empowers Employees and Frees Managers’ Time.
Project Overview
The RTI Learning Platform started as the CEO’s idea to streamline employee training and grew into a broader initiative with our partner Olo, a restaurant technology platform. The platform allows employees to complete self-paced courses, access resources, and earn certifications, serving both internal staff and future external users. As Lead Designer, I shaped the full user experience, from research and wireframes to high-fidelity prototypes, and collaborated closely with the CEO, project manager, developers, leadership team, and learning and development department.
Team Collaboration:
CEO, Project Manager, Engineers/Developers, Creative Chief Director, Learning and Development Team, and Stakeholders.
SaaS Platform
Internal Tool
B2B
Learning Management System
Web Application
DURATION
7 months
April 2023 – November 2023
Tools
Figma, FigJam, Notion, WordPress, Asana, Illustrator
Project Type
0→1 Project, EdTech Platform
ROLE
Lead UI/UX Designer
Problem
When Training Becomes a Full-Time Job
Managers were spending hours training each new hire, leaving little time for client work and other responsibilities. On the learner side, employees found it challenging to navigate multiple tools and resources, resulting in inconsistent onboarding experiences.
Design Challenge
How can we create an engaging learning experience that allows employees to train independently while giving managers back valuable time?
project goal
When Training Becomes a Full-Time Job
Our main objectives were to:
goal #1
Reduce the time managers spend on onboarding by introducing self-paced learning modules.
goal #2
Provide employees with easy access to learning materials and certifications.
goal #3
Build a structured course system with quizzes, progress tracking, and exams.
goal #4
Create a scalable foundation for potential public access in the future.
Given our limited timeline and budget, we prioritized essential features for a minimum viable product.
Research & Insights
Understanding Learning Gaps
To design a platform that truly supports employees and managers, we explored how people currently learn on the job and what challenges they face. Through surveys, follow-up interviews, and competitive analysis of e-learning platforms like Coursera, Udemy, and Harvard Online, we uncovered gaps in accessibility, content relevance, and retention. These findings guided our design decisions to create a learning experience tailored for restaurant technology professionals.
Strengths
High-quality, accredited content
Guided learning paths and professional certificates
Interactive assignments & peer reviews
WEAKNESSES
More expensive than other platforms
Limited course customization for organizations
FEATURES
Accredited certificates
Guided learning paths
Peer-reviewed assignments
Subtitles & multiple language support
Discussion forums
Business accounts
Strengths
Massive course selection across diverse topics
Affordable and frequent sales
Instructors can publish courses easily
Lifetime access to purchased content
WEAKNESSES
Quality can vary widely between courses
No accreditation
Limited interactivity
Minimal learning structure or guidance
FEATURES
Self-paced learning
Course reviews and ratings
One-time payment model
Downloadable videos
Q&A with instructors
Certificates of completion
Strengths
Ivy League credibility
Rigorous academic content
Partnerships with edX for free and paid access
Structured cohort-based learning
WEAKNESSES
Limited course catalog
Less flexible compared to other platforms
Premium pricing for verified certificates
FEATURES
Cohort-based learning
Certificates (free & paid options)
Video lectures with transcripts
Interactive content & assessments
Discussion boards
Financial aid options
Key insights:
Employees struggled to find materials independently, especially when learning new tools.
Managers spent 30–60 minutes weekly in one-on-one sessions to ensure progress.
New hires wanted an easy way to review lessons or retake trainings for better retention.
Many participants were familiar with e-learning platforms like Coursera, Udemy, and Harvard Online, which helped us identify user expectations.
Competitive analysis findings:
Most existing learning platforms focused on academic content, not industry-specific training.
Few offered customizable or affordable certification systems tailored to niche sectors like restaurant tech.
Progress tracking and built-in note-taking were often missing or limited.
These findings revealed a clear opportunity: to design a focused, affordable, and interactive platform built specifically for restaurant technology training.
Reframing the Challenge
After analyzing the research, we reframed our challenge from simply “creating an e-learning tool” to:
How can we design a restaurant tech learning experience that helps employees learn efficiently, track progress, and feel motivated; all while saving managers valuable time?
Ideation & Exploration
Mapping the user journey and identifying must-have features that aligned with user and business goals:
Features to keep in mind:
Visual progress tracking bar for each course.
Note-taking tool to highlight and save key lessons.
Automated email reminders via SendGrid to encourage completion.
Quizzes and exams to qualify learners for certification.
Course retake limits (three attempts per final exam).
Calendar integration for scheduling review sessions after failed attempts.
Problem
When Training Becomes a Full-Time Job
Our biggest challenge was organizing a large amount of content without overwhelming users. To solve this, we focused on modular, digestible lessons, a clean navigation system, and features that supported motivation and retention, such as progress indicators and personal note-taking.
Wireframes & Focus Areas
Usability Testing & Iteration
After sharing interactive wireframes with users, we learned:
Users loved the note-taking tool and progress visualization.
The dashboard initially felt crowded, so we added collapsible modules and extra spacing.
The “three attempts” rule confused some users, prompting a redesign of the results screen with clearer instructions and a call-to-action for scheduling a feedback session.
Final Solution
Training, Simplified and Interactive
Building on our research and iterative design process, the platform became a cohesive, user-centered solution. This sneak peek shows how employees can explore interactive lessons, track progress, and take notes, key features that make learning intuitive, engaging, and effective.
"
This platform really impressed us. It’s easy to use, organized, and incredibly helpful for our team. I can see it becoming something we share with our partners too.
Head of Learning & Development Department
"
Even though I already knew the training material, I was surprised by how fun and easy the platform was to use. I loved the videos and quizzes, and it actually made me excited to learn again.
Employee Tester
Final Solution
Training, Simplified and Interactive
Training time ↓ 40%
Managers gained more time for client work.
Completion rates ↑ 60%
Active use of new dashboards.
Satisfaction ↑ 90%
Managers gained more time for client work.
Learnings & Reflections
Managing dense content taught me the value of hierarchy and spacing for readability.
Flexibility was essential; feature adjustments often led to more creative solutions.
Designing for accessibility reminded us to prioritize inclusivity and ADA compliance.
How I’d take it further
Improve course purchasing and bundle experiences for public access.
Introduce gamification (badges, streaks, milestones) to enhance motivation.
Expand analytics dashboards to help managers track learning progress in real time.