One thing Ekaterina_V's work makes clear, is that effective learning doesn’t always have to look serious to be serious. In her projects, creativity, play, and authenticity aren’t extras—they’re essential to how she designs learning.
In this Member Spotlight, you’ll explore Ekaterina’s path into L&D, the game-inspired projects she’s most proud of, and the mindsets that have helped her grow as a learning designer.
Explore Ekaterina’s Work:
From Fine Arts to Flight Training
Ekaterina’s path into learning design began in visual arts. She holds a BFA in Fine Arts and continues to draw, paint, and teach art—experiences that still shape her approach to learning today.
Ekaterina at Alberta Printmakers, Calgary, AB (2018). This photo illustrates her hands-on learning experience in her field of study.That creative foundation eventually led her to her current role as a Courseware Developer at CAE Inc., where she creates training for aviation professionals—primarily pilots—across both e-learning and instructor-led formats.
“My first project — developing a course for UPS — was a major turning point,” Ekaterina says, “Not just because of the project itself, but because I was completely new to Articulate and to the role. With the support of my team and team lead, I quickly learned the basics and became genuinely interested in the software and its possibilities.”
💡 Tip: Your background is a differentiator. Skills from art, teaching, or other fields can become your edge in learning design.
Designing for Play
Outside of her day job, Ekaterina likes to challenge herself to create Articulate-based games. “I put a lot of effort into the design — from characters and illustrations to UI, fonts, background music, and voiceovers,” she says, “I try to create themes that are fun and engaging, so the experience feels more like a casual game than a typical training module.”
This is also where she challenges herself to use more advanced Articulate features, intentionally adding interactive elements beyond the typical “text + image” format. Her goal is to create holistic games, projects where the design, subject, and gameplay feel cohesive and authentic.
“I want them to be easy to understand, engaging, and fun for all ages. I truly believe learning shouldn’t be boring. Serious doesn’t always mean effective. Sometimes, silly or unexpected elements can make learning more memorable.”
💡 Tip: Challenge yourself to add one interactive or playful element to your next project, even if the topic feels formal.
AI as a Creative Copilot
Experimentation also shows up in how Ekaterina approaches new tools—especially AI.
“As someone with a background in visual arts, I’ve spent years building my digital art portfolio — but with AI, I sometimes feel my skills aren’t as relevant anymore. AI can generate assets much faster, and often just as well. I still provide detailed prompts and style references, and I manually adjust assets when needed — using Photoshop or even Storyline for minor tweaks like cropping or shadows.”
💡Tip: AI doesn’t replace intent or empathy. It amplifies them.
Learning through Community
Feeling supported has played a major role in Ekaterina’s growth, both on her team at work and within the E-Learning Heroes community.
“My coworkers and team leads have always been incredibly helpful and patient, especially when I was just starting out. I’ve always felt safe asking questions, sharing ideas, and learning,” she says. “Even now, after three years, I know there’s still so much to learn—and I’m grateful to have teammates whose expertise goes far beyond mine.”
That same sense of psychological safety is something Ekaterina has found in ELH. Looking back, one thing she would do differently is become an active member of the community earlier. “Sharing projects, joining discussions, and participating in weekly challenges are a great way to accelerate your learning and connect with others,” she says.
As someone always motivated to improve the quality of her work, she goes to ELH to go beyond the basics and dive deeper into interactivity and advanced features in Articulate. “I found a ton of easy-to-understand, yet highly professional tutorials on ELH. Whenever I had some downtime between projects, I’d watch one of the advanced tutorials to keep learning.”
💡 Tip: Learning moves faster when questions are shared openly. Look for—or help create—spaces where curiosity is welcomed.
Growing as a Designer
As Ekaterina’s skills have grown, so has her use of Articulate. She appreciates how approachable the tool is early on, while still offering depth as her confidence increases.
“What’s really great is that Articulate grows with you,” she says. “No matter what level you’re at, there’s always something new to learn.”
For Ekaterina, that balance allows her to work efficiently while still exploring her creative side—whether she’s building structured aviation training or experimenting with playful quiz games.
Mindsets That Made the Difference
If she could give one piece of advice to someone starting out, Ekaterina says, “Take it slow and don’t stress — you’ll get there. Give yourself time to get comfortable and build confidence.”
She credits having an open mind to helping her advance in her career. “Being open to learning and improving is key. It’s important to stay curious and humble — there’s always something new to discover, and someone you can learn from.”
Above all, Ekaterina emphasizes the importance of authenticity.
“Work from the heart and stay true to yourself,” she says. “I’ve noticed that my most successful projects came from genuine interest and ideas I really cared about. I truly believe authenticity is the best way to create meaningful work.”
💡 Tip: Even within required projects, the work tends to resonate more when you find a piece of it you genuinely care about.
💬 Your Turn
Ekaterina’s story is a reminder that meaningful learning can come from curiosity, play, and working from the heart—especially when supported by community.
Where have you seen creativity or play make learning more effective—either in your work or your own learning journey?
Share it in the comments below!
🌟 Keep Learning 🌟
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