Kids
Professionals
Schools & Universities
Learning Beyond Boundaries
The Ultimate
Tailor-Made
eLearning Platform
Speak
Explore conversation courses.
Read
Explore reading courses.
Write
Explore writing courses.
Our Services
This is the space to introduce the Services section. Briefly describe the types of services offered and highlight any special benefits or features.
Service Name
Service Name
Service Name
Service Name
Service Name
Service Name
Service Name
Service Name
OUR SERVICES
-
Planned the research strategy
-
​
-
Designed research activities
-
Facilitated stakeholder workshops
-
Synthesized qualitative findings
-
Developed service recommendations
-
Presented findings to stakeholders
01
This is the space to introduce the Services section. Briefly describe the types of services offered and highlight any special benefits or features.
02
This is the space to introduce the Services section. Briefly describe the types of services offered and highlight any special benefits or features.
03
This is the space to introduce the Services section. Briefly describe the types of services offered and highlight any special benefits or features.
04
This is the space to introduce the Services section. Briefly describe the types of services offered and highlight any special benefits or features.
05
This is the space to introduce the Services section. Briefly describe the types of services offered and highlight any special benefits or features.
06
My role
-
Developing the research plan
-
Conducting literature review
-
Facilitating stakeholder engagement
-
Designing and leading the co-design workshop
-
Synthesizing qualitative findings
-
Identifying opportunity areas
-
Producing the final research report
Methods
-
Interviews
-
Competitive Audit
-
Stakeholder Research
- SWOT Analysis
-
Co-design Workshop
-
Affinity Mapping
-
Thematic Analysis
-
Service Design
-
Qualitative Synthesis
-
Literature Review
Theories Explored
-
Adult learning theory
-
Entrepreneurial education
-
Inclusive pedagogy
-
Immigrant entrepreneurship
-
Experiential learning
-
Community-based learning
The Best of Our Features
This is the space to introduce the Features section. Use this space to highlight your unique aspects and to present specific credentials, benefits or special features you offer.
Overview
Immigrant entrepreneurs contribute significantly to Canada's economy, yet many face barriers that extend beyond launching a business. Navigating unfamiliar regulations, financial systems, cultural expectations, and professional networks often creates challenges that traditional entrepreneurship programs do not fully address.
​
Working with Immigrant Entrepreneur Canada (IEC), our team explored how the Retail Incubator Program could better support newcomer entrepreneurs through a more inclusive and adaptable learning experience.
​
Rather than focusing solely on curriculum improvements, we examined the entire learning journey—from how entrepreneurs enter the program to how they continue learning after formal sessions conclude. Through mixed-methods research and participatory design, we developed recommendations that repositioned learning as an ongoing, personalized experience supported by mentorship, community, and flexible learning pathways.
The Challenge
Entrepreneurs enter business ownership with vastly different experiences, goals, and support systems. However, educational programs often assume that participants progress through a standardized sequence of learning.
Our research sought to understand whether the existing Retail Incubator Program reflected how entrepreneurs actually learn and grow.
​
Research Question:
​
How might the Retail Incubator Program adopt a pedagogical approach to offer more inclusive and effective learning experiences for diverse immigrant entrepreneurs?
​
​
The Best of Our Features
This is the space to introduce the Features section. Use this space to highlight your unique aspects and to present specific credentials, benefits or special features you offer.
Feature title
Share your feature information here to attract new clients. Provide a brief summary to help visitors understand the context and background.
Feature title
Share your feature information here to attract new clients. Provide a brief summary to help visitors understand the context and background.
Feature title
Share your feature information here to attract new clients. Provide a brief summary to help visitors understand the context and background.
Feature title
Share your feature information here to attract new clients. Provide a brief summary to help visitors understand the context and background.
Kids
Professionals
Schools & Universities
Learning Beyond Boundaries
The Ultimate
Tailor-Made
eLearning Platform
Speak
Explore conversation courses.
Read
Explore reading courses.
Write
Explore writing courses.
My role: Research Lead
Planned the research strategy
-
Conducted secondary research
-
Designed research activities
-
Facilitated stakeholder workshops
-
Synthesized qualitative findings
-
Developed service recommendations
-
Presented findings to stakeholders
About Deptico
The challenge became:
How might we redesign the learning experience to better support entrepreneurs throughout their business journey rather than only during scheduled training sessions?
Our Vision
The Challenge
Entrepreneurs enter business ownership with vastly different experiences, goals, and support systems. However, educational programs often assume that participants progress through a standardized sequence of learning.
Our research sought to understand whether the existing Retail Incubator Program reflected how entrepreneurs actually learn and grow.
Research Question
How might the Retail Incubator Program adopt a pedagogical approach to offer more inclusive and effective learning experiences for diverse immigrant entrepreneurs?
The Challenge
​
Research Question
How might the Retail Incubator Program adopt a pedagogical approach to offer more inclusive and effective learning experiences for diverse immigrant entrepreneurs?
Understanding the Problem
Before proposing solutions, we wanted to understand how entrepreneurs experienced learning throughout their business journey.
Our research combined UX research methodologies, academic literature, organizational analysis, and participatory design methods to examine the strengths and limitations of the current program.
SWOT Analysis
To understand the program from an organizational perspective, we conducted a SWOT analysis.
Understanding the Problem
Before proposing solutions, we wanted to understand how entrepreneurs experienced learning throughout their business journey.
​
Our research combined UX research methodologies, literature reviews, organizational analysis, and participatory design methods to examine the strengths and limitations of the current program.
​
We developed a user journey map to visualize the experiences, challenges, and support needs of newcomer entrepreneurs throughout their business development journey. This helped identify key moments of friction, opportunities for intervention, and areas where IEC could provide more targeted support beyond traditional program delivery.
SWOT Analysis
To understand the program from an organizational perspective, we conducted a SWOT analysis.
​
This helped us identify some of the strenghts, weaknesses, opportunity areas and threats to the Immigrant Entrepreneur Canada's (IEC) Retail Incubator Program:
Strengths
-
Established support network
-
Existing educational programming
-
Strong community partnerships
Weaknesses
-
One-size-fits-all curriculum
-
Limited personalization
-
Learning ended after workshops
Opportunities
-
Personalized learning
-
Mentorship
-
Alumni engagement
-
Digital learning resources
Threats
-
Diverse participant needs
-
Resource limitations
-
Information overload
-
Participant disengagement
Interview Insight: Building a Business in a New Context
“I know how to run a business, but I don't always know how to navigate the Canadian system.”
​
Interviews revealed that many newcomer entrepreneurs were not starting from zero. They brought valuable professional and business experience with them. The challenge was translating that experience into an unfamiliar business environment, while simultaneously building new networks, learning Canadian systems, and figuring out where to find relevant resources.
​
This shifted our understanding of the problem: the need wasn't simply for more business education, but for support that helped entrepreneurs navigate an unfamiliar context.
This insight informed our recommendations for more personalized learning pathways, segmented content, and ongoing mentorship.
Position Mapping
To better understand IEC's place within the entrepreneurial support ecosystem, we conducted a position mapping exercise comparing the Retail Incubator Program with similar entrepreneurship support services.
By evaluating factors such as level of personalization, mentorship, accessibility, and ongoing business support, we identified opportunities where IEC could differentiate itself. The mapping revealed that while many programs focus on delivering standardized educational content, there is a gap in providing adaptive, continuous learning experiences tailored to entrepreneurs' evolving needs.
These insights helped inform our recommendations for segmented learning pathways, mentorship integration, and a more personalized program structure.
Co-Design Workshop
To better understand how entrepreneurs experienced the Retail Incubator Program, we facilitated a collaborative co-design workshop focused on the challenges of virtual learning and opportunities to improve the program.
​
Rather than simply evaluating the existing program, participants reflected on their experiences with online learning, identifying moments of friction, gaps in support, and factors that affected engagement.
We also used hypothetical teaching scenarios to shift participants from describing problems to actively designing solutions. Participants were asked to imagine they were teaching a two-hour course for entrepreneurs and design their ideal session from start to finish—deciding what content, activities, breaks, discussion, and support they would include, as well as when and how each element should be introduced.
​
Through these activities, we explored:
-
Challenges with participating in virtual sessions
-
Difficulty navigating or finding relevant information
-
Gaps in interaction, mentorship, and peer connection
-
Differences in learning needs and business stages
-
What makes virtual learning engaging and effective
-
How participants would structure an ideal learning experience
-
Opportunities to improve support beyond individual workshops
​
This approach allowed participants to move beyond identifying pain points and actively prototype what a better learning experience could look like. Their ideas helped translate research findings into actionable recommendations around segmented learning, personalized learning pathways, mentorship, and more continuous support.
Research Synthesis & Insights
Following the workshop, qualitative data was organized using affinity mapping to identify recurring themes and relationships across participant experiences.
Several consistent patterns emerged.
Research Synthesis & Insights
Following the workshop, qualitative data was organized using affinity mapping to identify recurring themes and relationships across participant experiences.
Several consistent patterns emerged.
Participants entered the program with varying levels of business experience, industry knowledge, and confidence.
​
Some were validating business ideas, while others were focused on scaling existing businesses.
​
Delivering identical content to every participant reduced the relevance of the learning experience.
Entrepreneurs have different learning needs
Entrepreneurial Learning is not linear
Entrepreneurs learning needs change as new challenges arise. E.g, someone may need marketing support early on, then return to finance or operations months later as their business grows.
​
This showed us that a fixed sequence of workshops doesn't reflect how entrepreneurs actually learn. Instead, the program needed a flexible learning pathway that could adapt to each entrepreneur's business stage, goals, and changing needs.
Participants consistently described conversations with fellow entrepreneurs as one of the most valuable aspects of the program.
​
Sharing experiences, failures, and practical advice created learning opportunities that formal presentations alone could not provide.
Community is as Valuable as Curriculum
Learning Continues Beyond the Classroom
Entrepreneurs identified new challenges after completing workshops, often requiring them to revisit previous topics or seek additional support.
​
This revealed an opportunity to design learning as an ongoing process rather than a fixed series of sessions.
Participants entered the program with varying levels of business experience, industry knowledge, and confidence.
​
Some were validating business ideas, while others were focused on scaling existing businesses.
​
Delivering identical content to every participant reduced the relevance of the learning experience.
Entrepreneurs have different learning needs
Entrepreneurs learning needs change as new challenges arise. E.g, someone may need marketing support early on, then return to finance or operations months later as their business grows.
​
This showed us that a fixed sequence of workshops doesn't reflect how entrepreneurs actually learn. Instead, the program needed a flexible learning pathway that could adapt to each entrepreneur's business stage, goals, and changing needs.
Entrepreneurial learning is not linear
Participants consistently described conversations with fellow entrepreneurs as one of the most valuable aspects of the program.
​
Sharing experiences, failures, and practical advice created learning opportunities that formal presentations alone could not provide.
Community is as valuable as curriculum
Entrepreneurs identified new challenges after completing workshops, often requiring them to revisit previous topics or seek additional support.
​
This revealed an opportunity to design learning as an ongoing process rather than a fixed series of sessions.
Learning continues beyond the classroom
Opportunity Areas
Our findings from the interview and Codesign workshop pointed toward four strategic opportunities to strengthen the Retail Incubator Program.
.png)
Segmented Learning
Rather than delivering identical content to all participants, learning should be tailored according to business stage, experience level, and immediate goals.
​
Possible learning segments include:
-
Idea Validation
-
Business Launch
-
Early Operations
-
Growth & Expansion
​
This approach ensures entrepreneurs receive information that is relevant to their current challenges rather than information they may not yet need.
Personalized Learning Pathway System
Rather than progressing through a fixed curriculum, entrepreneurs should follow flexible learning pathways that adapt as their businesses evolve.
​
The proposed pathway enables participants to:
-
Assess their current needs
-
Receive personalized learning recommendations
-
Revisit previous modules when new challenges emerge
-
Access advanced resources over time
-
Continue learning beyond program completion
​
This transforms learning from a one-time event into a continuous journey.
Mentorship & Peer Learning
Learning extends beyond instructional content.
​
We recommended embedding mentorship and structured peer learning throughout the program, enabling entrepreneurs to learn directly from experienced business owners and one another.
​
These relationships create opportunities for practical advice, accountability, and long-term community building.
Continuous Learning & Feedback
Rather than ending support after workshops conclude, the program should incorporate regular feedback and reflection to better understand changing participant needs.
​
Continuous feedback enables programming to evolve alongside entrepreneurs as their businesses grow.
Share information on a previous project here to attract new clients. Provide a brief summary to help visitors understand the context and background of the work. Add details about why this project was created and what makes it significant.
Sketches
1
Share information on a previous project here to attract new clients. Provide a brief summary to help visitors understand the context and background of the work. Add details about why this project was created and what makes it significant.
Illustrations
2
Share information on a previous project here to attract new clients. Provide a brief summary to help visitors understand the context and background of the work. Add details about why this project was created and what makes it significant.
Renders
3
Share information on a previous project here to attract new clients. Provide a brief summary to help visitors understand the context and background of the work. Add details about why this project was created and what makes it significant.
3D Art
4
Codesign Workshop
To better understand entrepreneurs' lived experiences, we facilitated a collaborative co-design workshop that invited participants to actively shape the future of the Retail Incubator Program.
Rather than asking entrepreneurs to evaluate existing programming, the workshop encouraged them to reflect on their learning journeys, discuss barriers, and collaboratively imagine more supportive educational experiences.
Using participatory activities, we explored:
-
How entrepreneurs currently learn
-
Where existing support breaks down
-
What resources are most valuable
-
How learning changes over time
-
What support is needed beyond formal workshops
This collaborative approach allowed participants to move beyond describing problems and begin generating ideas for future improvements.
Status Request Updates
Usability testing also revealed that educators had no visibility into the status of their outreach requests once submitted, and the only way to check progress was to email customer service directly and wait for a reply, often leaving educators uncertain whether their request had even been received.
​
To solve for this, I designed a real-time notification system that surfaces status updates directly within the dashboard, removing the need for educators to leave the platform or wait on email. This also benefited customer service staff, who could update a request's status directly and have that change reflected instantly for the educator — closing the communication loop for both sides rather than just one.
Technical reality shaped the design
During the development of MVP 1.0, ahead of usability testing with educators, several technical constraints emerged that influenced the final implementation. Drupal was not consistently populating content card data, resulting in incomplete or unreliable resource previews. At the same time, integration challenges between Canvas LMS and the third-party LMS application created permission conflicts, preventing course progress from being surfaced as originally intended.
​
Rather than delaying the release, the team and I reassessed the scope of the MVP. I designed fallback states to ensure the experience remained functional despite missing data and worked with stakeholders to identify which features should be deferred to a future iteration. These constraints ultimately helped shape the MVP, balancing technical feasibility with the core user needs we had identified through research.
Navigating stakeholder tension
During internal stakeholder testing, another important challenge surfaced. Because the dashboard was built as a separate Drupal application, accessing it required users to leave the main website, creating a disconnected experience. Stakeholders expressed concern that this would interrupt the educator journey, reduce traffic to the primary site, and ultimately weaken engagement with other platform content.
​
This feedback exposed a key product tension: while the dashboard needed its own interactions and functionality, stakeholders also wanted a seamless experience that maintained a single login, consistent branding, and continuity with the main website. Rather than treating these as competing priorities, I documented them as design constraints to inform future iterations, where tighter integration and a more cohesive cross-platform experience would become key objectives.
Business Name
Opening Hours
Mon - Fri: 8am - 8pm
​​Saturday: 9am - 7pm
​Sunday: 9am - 8pm
Socials
Instagram
TikTok
Facebook
© 2035 by Site Name. Created on Wix Studio.
Proudly designed by Your Name
Let's Work
Together
info@mysite.com
123-456-7890
500 Terry Francois Street,
San Francisco, CA 94158
Home

About

Contact
© 2035 by Business Name. Made with Wix Studio™
Proposed Service Model
Our recommendations reframed the Retail Incubator Program as a continuous learning ecosystem rather than a sequence of standalone workshops.
​
Entrepreneur Enters Program -----> Initial Assessment ----> Segmented Learning Track ----> Personalized Learning Pathway ------> Mentorship & Peer Community -----> Business Application ------> Reflection & Feedback ------> Updated Learning Recommendations ------> Ongoing Growth
​
​
​This model supports entrepreneurs throughout multiple stages of business development while allowing learning to remain flexible, relevant, and personalized.
Reflection
This project strengthened my understanding of how research can influence services beyond digital products.
​
Facilitating a co-design workshop reinforced the value of involving participants as collaborators rather than simply research subjects. It also highlighted that designing educational experiences requires understanding not only what people need to learn, but when, why, and how they are most likely to apply that knowledge.
​
More importantly, the project shifted my perspective from designing individual touchpoints to designing systems. By viewing the Retail Incubator Program as an evolving service rather than a collection of workshops, we identified opportunities to create a more adaptive, inclusive, and sustainable learning experience for immigrant entrepreneurs.
Home

About

Contact
Let's Work
Together
© 2025 by Comfort Survival. Made with Wix Studio™