EDUCATION DESIGN LAB

EDUCATION DESIGN LAB VIDEO: How Education Design Lab is changing the status quo Watch NEW PUBLICATION: How to build a statewide pathway Download VIDEO: A conversation inspired by the new book by Kathleen deLaski Watch NEW RESOURCE: A Community College’s Guide to Building Strong Partnerships Download Must-read thought paper from the Community College Growth Engine Download New RFP New RFP The Lab is an Innovation EngineBy 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 PathwaysMicro-pathways that transform lives and institutionsAccelerated dual enrollment pathwaysMaking transfer pathways seamless Learn More Catalyze the Transition to Skills-based HiringCredentialing the durable skills employers seekData infrastructure for noncredit programsLearning and Employment Records (LERs) and digital walletsHelping employers move to skills-based hiring Learn More Train for Human-centered Design + Change ManagementImmersive workshops for learning institutionsUser-centered researchRapid prototyping tools + trainingInnovation capacity diagnostic + training Learn More Scale Solutions with Equity at the CenterTransforming the rural ecosystemPutting single moms at the center of designCommunities of practice Learn More Explore key publications PublicationTransforming Community Colleges: 5 Design Questions to Shape the Future of Learning This June 2023 thought paper focuses on five key design questions, examples, and resources to support community colleges through this transformative moment. PublicationSkills 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… PublicationDesign 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 What’s the most important factor in designing college programs? It's the learner voice, according to Dr. Janet Spriggs, president of Forsyth Technical Community College in North Carolina. In her op-ed published by CCDaily earlier this month, Dr. Spriggs explains how their human-centered design work… View Story Education Design Lab announces $3.5 million RFP to advance workforce mobility through credential transparency and skills validation Grants of up to $600,000 are available to U.S.-based nonprofits and governmental organizations to help working adults navigate a fragmented learn-and-work ecosystem. WASHINGTON, D.C. (Jan. 8, 2026) — Education Design Lab (the Lab) and partners… View Story How to apply for our Rural Workforce Collaborative design challenge Rural workforce collaboratives located in Southeastern states are invited to apply by Feb. 13, 2026. Three collaboratives will be selected to design workforce pathways that expand equitable reskilling or upskilling opportunities and respond directly to… View Story Impact by Design: What we learned in 2025 In an ongoing effort to share the Lab's impact across the learn + work ecosystem, we published four Impact by Design briefs in 2025. Headline insights included: + The multiplier effect of impact investing through… View Story Updated weekly: The latest Workforce Pell resources Updated Dec. 18, 2025In late 2025, the Education Design Lab and the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) convened an advisory group all about Workforce Pell. The Community College Workforce Pell Advisory is co-chaired by… View Story Lab book recommendations: 5 reads to light your fire As we entered the darkest part of a very chaotic year, we asked ourselves on Slack: What book would you recommend to relight a spark … to help make our inner fires burn brighter in… View Story Stay connected. Join our Innovator Network. Email address: Leave this field empty if you're human: