Systems Reimagined: Approaching Transformational Design

Sometimes what your course (or your business) needs isn’t a surface-level touch-up.
It needs a reintroduction to itself.

In my signature transformational design and redesign work, I offer a total recalibration of purpose, structure, and experience. The work I did as Chair of the First-Year Experience (FYE) program at Western Carolina University from August 2022 through May 2023 exemplifies this approach. It is now the blueprint I now offer to clients seeking to revive their own business ecosystems.

What began as a standard Canvas LMS course evolved into a modular, values-aligned, future-focused experience thanks to a strategic, forensic-level audit followed by an inspired reorganization of every page, file, assignment, and message. Each were infused with relevance and clarity.

This wasn’t just instructional design.
It was full-spectrum transformational design.

Transformational Design At a Glance

Project Type: LMS Redesign
Platform: Canvas
Role: Chair & Sole Coordinator
Timeline: August 2022 – May 2023
Scope:

• 150+ files audited and reorganized
• 30+ new assignments and assessments created
• 20+ outdated or irrelevant quizzes removed
• 13+ newly designed content modules added
• 100% syllabus and homepage redesign
• 100% alignment of content to updated Purpose, Outcomes, and Strategic Goals

From Audit to Alignment

In my approach to transformational design and redesign, the first phase is always excavation: understanding what exists, what’s been forgotten, and what’s no longer serving the vision.

That’s exactly how I approached the FYE Canvas shell. I systematically reviewed every single component—from forgotten PDFs and inconsistent assignment types to outdated terminology and broken pedagogical flows.

Then I got to work:

Major Structural Changes

• Converted a textbook-style design into a modular learning journey
• Aligned each module to newly approved Student Learning Outcomes and six core principles
• Rewrote all module introductions to match tone, purpose, and learner needs
• Eliminated 150+ outdated files, references, and non-aligned assignments/quizzes

New Modules Added (Externally Facing)

• WCU Global (formerly Study Abroad)
• Mentoring & Persistence to Success
• Dining Services (split from Health & Wellness)
• Career Exploration
• Effective Communication & Deliberative Dialogue
• Identity Mapping & Inclusion
• Financial Literacy
• Academic Standing & The Catalog
• Balance & Goal-Setting Series (Health, Studying, Goal Planning)

Tools Added

• “For Instructors: How to Use the Shell” guide
• Resources for assessments, reporting, and alerts
• Fully updated, branded syllabus aligned with university strategy
• Instructor toolkit for onboarding and course adaptation

The Signature Approach

This project reflects what I now offer in my Signature Packages– complete transformational design with analysis + rebuild that offer:

• A full systems audit of your offerings (courses, services, programs, products)
• Brand voice and messaging review across your learning experiences
• Experience redesign using proven instructional frameworks
• Practical content reorganization and enhancement
• Seamless alignment with your business’s vision, values, and future goals
• And support materials that uplift both your team and your audience

It’s more than consulting—it’s soul-level clarity, beautifully mapped.

Transformation Designed to Restore Spark and Simplicity

Just like this course, many business owners, educators, and creatives find themselves with offerings that have grown over time but outgrown their original structure.

If your learning platform, online product, or onboarding experience feels heavy, cluttered, or off-track, it might be time for a recalibration.

Whether your audience is students, clients, customers, or internal teams, I can help you:

• Analyze what’s working
• Identify pain points and missed opportunities
• Build a path forward that honors your past and future

I can’t wait to work alonside you!

Let’s Connect!

Learn how you can Work with Me.

Book a FREE 30-minute ReSPARK session to explore how we can transform and transmute together.

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Until next time – keep shining for those who would otherwise remain in the dark.  Be the light!