Learning Designs
Learning Designs, Inc. is a privately held, woman-owned instructional design firm that develops custom training content and licenses SCORM eLearning courses for corporate, government, and public-workforce clients using the ADDIE methodology, operating from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan since 1984.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1984
- HeadquartersBloomfield Hills, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Learning Designs does
Learning Designs, Inc. (LDI) is a privately held, woman-owned instructional design and training solutions firm founded in 1984 and headquartered in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. The company develops custom training content using the ADDIE methodology (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation), with deliveries spanning SCORM-compliant eLearning, Instructor-Led Training (ILT), Virtual Instructor-Led Training (VILT), and blended learning. Its service portfolio comprises four pillars: Custom Content Development, a licensable library of Pre-Built SCORM courses (covering communication, leadership, management, professional skills, safety, DEI, motivational interviewing), Consulting (system design, needs assessment, task analysis), and Training System Support (LMS configuration, SCORM launch, catalog management). LDI serves a diversified mix of named enterprise and government customers including UAW-Ford Joint Trusts, UAW-GM, American Axle & Manufacturing, Inteva Products, eBay, the National Institute of Corrections, PJM Interconnection, Burns and Wilcox, and Global Interpreting Services, and operates the National Workforce Institute (NWI) as a wholly-owned subsidiary focused on the public workforce system, including the first DOL-approved Workforce Professional Apprenticeship program (2019).
The firm monetizes primarily through professional-services engagements (custom development and consulting billed via multi-year contracts on a quote basis) and a recurring course-licensing stream available through a self-serve LMS portal. Pricing is non-public and bespoke, gated behind free consultations. Marketing is content-led (blog, YouTube demos, free resource downloads, case studies) with a sales-led conversion model featuring prominently displayed direct phone and email contact. The company is certified as a WBENC Women Business Enterprise, a federal WOSB, a City of Houston woman-owned business, and as an IACET accredited provider (ANSI/IACET conformance). Ownership and management continuity appear stable through President Mary Carter, with no disclosed institutional investors, funding rounds, or M&A activity, signaling a cash-flow-funded, founder-led growth posture rather than a venture-scaling trajectory.
Learning Designs firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Learning Designs
- Legal name
- Learning Designs, Inc.
- Website
- https://learningdesigns.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1984
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Learning Designs, Inc. is a privately held, woman-owned instructional design firm that develops custom training content and licenses SCORM eLearning courses for corporate, government, and public-workforce clients using the ADDIE methodology, operating from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan since 1984.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Learning Designs industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Custom Corporate Training and Instructional Design Services
- NAICS
- Professional and Management Development Training (611430)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Corporate Learning & Training Content Development (EDAGAKAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Learning Strategy, Instructional Design & Content Development (BPACANAG)
Keywords
Where Learning Designs is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bloomfield Hills
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Learning Designs business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Custom Content Development: Bespoke training content creation tailored to specific organizational needs, developed through consultation and the ADDIE process. Includes eLearning conversion, classroom materials, and blended solutions.
- Pre-built Course Licensing: Library of SCORM-compliant courses available for licensing. Organizations can license existing courses or customize them with their branding. Revenue generated through course licensing fees.
- Consulting Services: Expert advisory services including needs assessment, task analysis, system design, and competency mapping for workforce development programs.
- Training System Support: Ongoing administrative and technical support for training systems including LMS configuration, course catalog management, and project management services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Free consultation followed by custom quote based on project scope |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Learning Designs product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Learning Designs is a custom instructional design and training services firm that develops SCORM-compliant eLearning, instructor-led, and virtual instructor-led training content using the ADDIE methodology. The company also licenses a pre-built course library, provides organizational consulting (system design, needs assessment, task analysis), and offers ongoing training system and LMS support. Its wholly-owned subsidiary, the National Workforce Institute, delivers workforce development tools, RESEA staff training, and a DOL-approved apprenticeship program for the public workforce system.
Product overview
Learning Designs offers a comprehensive suite of training and workforce development solutions organized around four core service areas: Custom Content Development (using ADDIE methodology), Consulting (system design, needs assessment, task analysis), Training System Support (LMS and project management), and a library of Training Courses for Sale. The company also operates National Workforce Institute (NWI), a subsidiary focused specifically on workforce development with products including Job Seeker Tools, RESEA Staff Training, the Online Workforce Professional Series, and a DOL-approved Apprenticeship Program. Specialty offerings include Motivational Interviewing training, DEI eLearning series, and Health & Safety training. Courses are delivered in multiple formats: SCORM-compliant eLearning, Instructor-Led Training (ILT), and Virtual Instructor-Led Training (VILT). The company also provides a Personal Branding Tool for individual career development.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- National Workforce Institute (NWI): A fully-owned subsidiary providing consulting and training services to workforce organizations, including the DOL-approved Workforce Professional Apprenticeship program.
Products and services
- Custom Content Development
Quantifiable outcome
- 98% customer return rate for new projects and solutions
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Learning Designs
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Learning Designs technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Learning Designs partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- National Workforce Institute (NWI)coreNational Workforce Institute is a fully-owned subsidiary of Learning Designs, Inc., founded in 2005 to address professional development needs of the public workforce system. NWI provides consulting and training services to workforce organizations in multiple states, including needs analysis, competency mapping, and the first DOL-approved Workforce Professional Apprenticeship program in the country.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Learning Designs competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Skillsoft: Global leader in enterprise learning content, LMS, and AI-driven upskilling platforms. Overlaps with LDI on SCORM training content and corporate professional development, but operates a far broader off-the-shelf library at enterprise scale.
- GP Strategies: Large-scale corporate training and workforce development provider offering custom content, managed training services, and learning outsourcing. Comparable in workforce development and managed LMS services but with far broader portfolio and scale than LDI.
- Litmos: SaaS LMS and off-the-shelf course library provider for mid-market and enterprise compliance training. Comparable on course licensing (similar to LDI's "Training Courses for Sale" offering) but competes as a platform rather than a custom design shop.
- Cornerstone OnDemand: Enterprise talent and learning platform providing LMS, content, and compliance training. While not directly competing on custom instructional design, it is the standard LMS incumbent that LDI's SCORM content is built to integrate with.
Direct peers
- Obsidian Learning: Boutique custom eLearning agency delivering instructional design, course development, and certification programs to enterprise and association clients. Overlaps LDI's consulting-plus-content model.
- Allen Interactions: Custom learning experience design firm specializing in custom eLearning, gamification, and SCORM-compliant course development for enterprise. Closely mirrors LDI's boutique, services-led approach to custom content design.
- SweetRush: Custom eLearning and instructional design agency serving enterprise clients with ADDIE-style content development, performance support, and immersive learning. Directly comparable to Learning Designs' custom content development and consulting offerings.
- Artisan E-Learning: Custom eLearning development studio focused on instructional design and SCORM-compliant course authoring. Comparable niche custom content and LMS deployment service mix to LDI.
- Float Mobile Learning: Specialist custom learning solutions provider for mobile-first and microlearning content, with similar custom eLearning and performance support offerings to LDI's portfolio.
Others
- BluStream (workforce development consulting): Workforce development system consultants and training providers serving state and local workforce boards. Adjacent/ecosystem overlap with LDI's NWI subsidiary, which serves the same public workforce system buyers with competency and apprenticeship programs.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Learning Designs social profiles
Digital presenceLearning Designs compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Learning Designs financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Learning Designs leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Learning Designs subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Learning Designs funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Learning Designs M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Learning Designs
What does Learning Designs do?
Learning Designs is a custom instructional design and training services firm that develops SCORM-compliant eLearning, instructor-led, and virtual instructor-led training content using the ADDIE methodology. The company also licenses a pre-built course library, provides organizational consulting (system design, needs assessment, task analysis), and offers ongoing training system and LMS support. Its wholly-owned subsidiary, the National Workforce Institute, delivers workforce development tools, RESEA staff training, and a DOL-approved apprenticeship program for the public workforce system.
Is Learning Designs a public or private company?
Learning Designs is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Learning Designs founded?
Learning Designs was founded in 1984. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Learning Designs based?
Learning Designs is headquartered in Bloomfield Hills, United States, in the North America region.
How does Learning Designs make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Custom Content Development is the primary driver. The others are pre-built Course Licensing, consulting Services and training System Support.
Who are Learning Designs's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Skillsoft, GP Strategies, Litmos and Cornerstone OnDemand. Direct peers are Obsidian Learning, Allen Interactions, SweetRush, Artisan E-Learning and Float Mobile Learning. BluStream (workforce development consulting) is listed as an others.
Does Learning Designs have an API?
No public API is recorded for Learning Designs.
What industry is Learning Designs in?
Learning Designs's product category is Custom Corporate Training and Instructional Design Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAGAKAC, Corporate Learning & Training Content Development, with a secondary code of BPACANAG, Learning Strategy, Instructional Design & Content Development. Its NAICS code is 611430 and its SIC code is 8200.