Learning Design meets project management: from practitioner pony to unicorn leader
A few years ago, hardly anyone knew what a Learning Designer actually did. Now? It's one of the fastest-growing and most sought-after roles in education and corporate training. But not all Learning Designers are created equal. There's a big difference between a Learning Design practitioner and a Learning Design leader with project management skills—and understanding that gap can help shape your next career move.
Hi, I'm Bianca Raby, CEO of Oppida and someone currently straddling both worlds—what we call at Oppida the "pony practitioner" and the "unicorn leader." Every successful project needs both, and here's why.
The Learning Design practitioner
Learning Design practitioners are the heartbeat of any eLearning build. These professionals live inside the storyboards—curating content, editing, identifying gaps, ensuring consistency, and keeping the creative engine humming. They're knee-deep in the Learning Design process every single day.
Sometimes, they also handle publishing inside the LMS or authoring tool, leaning on their Learning Design leaders for technical direction. Over time, many practitioners develop niche technical expertise. Take Laure, for example—our Rise expert. Her background in graphic design made her a natural fit for visual eLearning builds, and she has become our go-to for anything Rise-related.
Practitioners often find their groove within a certain aspect of Learning Design—whether it's content, media, UX, or tech. And after a few solid years (usually around three to five), some start to feel the pull toward leadership. That's where project management enters the scene in a big way.
The project management unicorn
Those with project management experience are the veterans. They've seen it all—awkward LMSs, tight deadlines, dropped handovers, and all manner of creative chaos. They're part strategist, part technologist, and part people whisperer.
A Learning Design leader doesn't just lead—they coordinate. These are the ones balancing vision with logistics, creativity with constraints. They know their tech. They understand the UX and SX (student experience) across platforms. And most importantly, they bring project management skills that hold it all together.
From managing editors and screen talent to keeping video and motion graphics on track, project management leaders juggle multidisciplinary teams and multiple projects. In my first formal project management role, I had a Kanban board with 40 subjects across four degrees. It was wild—but I learned how to prioritise, plan, and lead like a unicorn.
Great leaders in Learning Design understand that project management isn't a separate skill—it's the scaffolding that makes the creative work possible.
So where do you fit in? Are you deep in the day-to-day builds? Or are you stepping up into project management?
Until next time, stay awesome. 🦄