Designing the Journey: How We Turned Complex Skills Into a Quest Learners Actually Wanted to Take

The Challenge: Creating a Learning Experience Worth Talking About

We were designing this program for a major multinational — widely regarded as the best in its industry. This company owns the #1 brands in multiple categories across the global FMCG market. Its people are used to best-in-class everything. Expectations were sky-high — and rightly so.

When we first sat down to design this program, we weren’t starting with a blank page. We were starting with high-stakes topics, fast-evolving technologies, and the incredible responsibility of preparing a global workforce — 600 strong — for the future.

These professionals weren’t beginners. They were experienced, busy, diverse in role and geography, and already overwhelmed by the noise of digital content. Their calendars were full. Their inboxes were overloaded. And yet, essential capabilities — like machine learning, generative AI, prompt engineering, Copilot 365, data lakes, and Databricks — weren’t cutting through.

We didn’t just want to build a learning program. We wanted to create something that would command attention, spark energy, and build real skills at scale.

Something bold.

Our North Star: What If Learning Felt Like a Global Quest?

From the earliest design conversations, we asked ourselves:

“What if this didn’t feel like training? What if it felt like an epic, global quest?”

That simple shift changed everything.

We envisioned a digital adventure — one that would unite hundreds of professionals around the world in shared missions, team challenges, and leaderboard rivalries. It had to feel like something worth showing up for. Something that didn’t blend into the background.

So we threw away the typical e-learning format. And we designed a global learning experience that felt more like a live competition than a compliance exercise.

How We Structured It: Campaigns That Felt Like Seasons in a Series

We organized the learning into distinct campaigns, each with its own theme, time-bound goals, and strategic skill focus. Think of it like a streaming series — each episode built momentum, but also stood on its own.

The campaign arc was going to include:

1. Kickoff Campaign: A high-energy launch to onboard and ignite curiosity.

2. Future of Work: Developed in collaboration with world-class expert partners to anchor the why of the program.

3. Machine Learning Fundamentals: Groundbreaking yet accessible, with application at the core.

4. Prompt Engineering: A hands-on immersion in writing high-quality prompts to interact effectively with AI models.

5. Generative AI: Understanding the tools, use cases, and ethics behind generative technologies.

6. Data Lakes & Databricks: Making complex technical concepts around data architecture and analysis usable and valuable in day-to-day work.

7. Copilot 365: Teaching people to unlock the power of AI in their everyday productivity tools.

Each campaign combined:

• Pre-work and microlearning

• Live, instructor-led sessions

• Applied tasks and case studies

• Peer discussion and reflection

• Scoreboards, badges, and digital recognition

We didn’t just want learners to finish. We wanted them to compete, apply, and showcase what they were building.

The Engine: A Gamified Learning Platform That Made It Real

One of the smartest moves we made was ensuring this entire experience was also available as an app. That meant learners could access their quests, track their progress, and join challenges right from their phones. It helped us cut through the clutter of crowded inboxes and desktop distractions — learning became something you could do on the move, not just at your desk.

To deliver on that vision, we needed more than a platform — we needed a game engine for skill-building.

Our gamified learning partner helped us:

• Turn modules into missions

• Add rewards, streaks, and nudges

• Visualize progress and learning journeys

• Track and celebrate wins in real time

And most importantly, it felt fun.

Not just functional — fun.

That difference will make learners keep logging in. Keep pushing. Keep talking about it.

Behind the Scenes: The Psychology of Designing for 600 Learners

This wasn’t just an exercise in content delivery. We were architecting a learning movement across multiple countries, time zones, and learning styles.

To do it well, we leaned on:

• Behavioral science: immediate feedback, visible streaks, tangible rewards

• Game mechanics: challenge levels, unlockables, team bonuses

• Social learning dynamics: team scores, top region recognition, MVPs

• Narrative framing: each campaign as part of a larger story arc

We even released custom digital profile frames so learners could show off their participation and rally their teams. It worked. People changed their avatars. Teams rallied. Leaders cheered.

This wasn’t “training.” It was a global skills tournament.

What We Designed — and What We Adjusted

Designed:

• Application over information. Every task demanded action, not just completion.

• Cadence and rhythm. Weekly missions and new campaign launches kept momentum high.

• Recognition at scale. We celebrated top performers and top teams across the globe, with digital golden coins redeemable in a learning store.

Adjusted from past programs:

• Earlier leaderboard approaches favored early adopters too heavily. Once someone got behind the pace they lost interest — so we reset scores monthly to keep things fresh.

• Previous attempts at learning programs had many simultaneous learning paths started to cause friction. We simplified.

• The originally designed kickoff lacked flair — so we reimagined it as a high-energy, all-hands global event with storytelling, context, and challenge.

Before Launch: The Momentum is Already Building

Even before the official launch, we know something big is happening.

• Test groups asked for more.

• Regional leaders started drafting strategy.

• Curious colleagues outside the program wanted in.

You know you’ve done something right when a skills program sparks FOMO before it even begins.

This wasn’t an initiative. It was a signal. A cultural moment. A unifying journey.

Lessons for L&D Leaders Building at Scale

Designing for 600 learners across geographies is no small task. But here’s what we learned:

• Start with how you want people to feel, not just what they need to know.

• Think like an experience designer, not a content curator.

• Use friendly competition to turn engagement into motivation.

• Don’t wait until the end to celebrate — reward progress constantly.

• Align with strategic partners who bring expertise, credibility, and energy.

This kind of transformation doesn’t happen in a webinar. It happens in the structure, the story, the incentives, and the energy.

What Came Next? Magic — But That’s Another Story

We’ll share more soon about what happened post-launch — the spikes in performance, the case studies that blew us away, the unexpected heroes who emerged.

But for now, know this: the journey started before the first session even launched. The energy came from designing something people were proud to be part of.

600 learners. Global reach. World-class topics. Real outcomes.

This is what learning looks like when you make it unforgettable.

Want to design something unforgettable too? Let’s talk.