Publication
The Lab is an Innovation Engine
By centering our learn+work solutions on the New Majority Learner, we discover new solutions, design them right, and validate that they work before scaling them broadly. And when we scale them within an institution or across an ecosystem, (l)earner centricity equitably aligns the silos and breaks down the barriers that are the root cause of the skills crisis.
Since 2013, the Lab has worked on the ground with over 1,200 colleges + organizations, 1,000 employers, and thousands of learners, who need education programs and pathways that better serve their futures.
Our Areas of Work
Design Shorter and Stackable Pathways
- Micro-pathways that transform lives and institutions
- Accelerated dual enrollment pathways
- Making transfer pathways seamless
Catalyze the Transition to Skills-based Hiring
- Credentialing the durable skills employers seek
- Data infrastructure for noncredit programs
- Learning and Employment Records (LERs) and digital wallets
- Helping employers move to skills-based hiring
Train for Human-centered Design + Change Management
- Immersive workshops for learning institutions
- User-centered research
- Rapid prototyping tools + training
- Innovation capacity diagnostic + training
Scale Solutions with Equity at the Center
- Transforming the rural ecosystem
- Putting single moms at the center of design
- Communities of practice
Explore key publications
- Publication
Skills Visibility: Why and How a Skills-Based Economy can be More Equitable
How might we reinvent the talent ecosystem to include the (l)earner perspective? This March 2022 thought paper offers a vision and urgent call to action. 
PublicationRural Revival: BRIDGES Rural College Transformation Insights
This November 2023 Design Insights Brief spotlights the transformation that five rural community colleges experienced as they listened deeply and designed for learners in the…- Publication
Design Insights: Single Moms Success Design Challenge
Education Design Lab shares six design insights after developing four pilot programs through the Single Moms Success Design Challenge (2021).
Latest news from the Lab
Webinar recording: Who Needs College Anymore? One Year Later
One year after the release of Who Needs College Anymore? by Kathleen deLaski, this follow-up conversation revisits the core arguments in light of what has changed and not changed in higher ed, workforce pathways, policy,…View Story
How employers + community college partners are co-designing Colorado’s aerospace talent future
Education Design Lab, the Greater Arvada Chamber of Commerce, and Red Rocks Community College are collaborating to build micro-pathways to aerospace jobs. By Jimmy LeDuc and Joe Davis, Senior Education Designers at Education Design Lab…View Story
March 12 webinar: Supporting Parenting Students without Childcare
Learn about the latest tools, best practices, and actionable strategies designed to support the success of student parents during this free webinar series hosted by Education Design Lab. One in five college students is a…View Story
How to apply for the AI + Durable Skills Work-Based Learning Design Challenge
Education Design Lab’s Community College Growth Engine partners are invited to apply by March 13, 2026. A cohort of five colleges will be selected to co-design, implement, and scale AI-integrated work-based learning (WBL) experiences in…View Story
Roadtrip Nation series spotlights micro-credentials and 3 learner-earner journeys
As much as we love to read and write about designing pathways to opportunity — sharing insights and tools and data-rich reports — we know that what moves the heart is storytelling, and more specifically,…View Story
Education Design Lab launches Career Ready by Design to strengthen dual enrollment pathways in Georgia
Education Design Lab is partnering with the Technical College System of Georgia to design early pathways that promote access to postsecondary credentials and high-wage, high-demand careers. WASHINGTON, D.C. (Feb. 19, 2026) — Education Design Lab…View Story
