SHIMMY set out to equip 3,000 women in Bangladesh with the skills needed to build careers in the fashion industry. Desklight helped design a learning model grounded in the realities of their work, culture, and environment.
The Challenge
Traditional training approaches would not be enough.
SHIMMY needed a learning experience that addressed immediate skill gaps while preparing women for changing workforce needs. It also needed to work across different learning environments and be culturally relevant, accessible, and scalable.
What We Uncovered
We went directly to the people closest to the work.
Through interviews with workers, journey mapping, and collaborative sessions with local trainers, we uncovered how women were actually learning, where existing experiences were falling short, and what would make training more useful in their daily lives.
The research revealed an opportunity to connect learning across mobile devices, local training centers, and factory environments rather than relying on a single training format.
How We Worked
We translated those insights into a flexible learning model designed around the realities of the workforce.
Together with local partners, we developed the learner journey, tested ideas, created a microcourse prototype, and designed tools that local trainers could use to continue delivering and improving the experience.
What We Built
A scalable learning ecosystem designed to support 3,000 women as they developed skills for employment and future growth.
The work included a learner journey framework, microcourse prototype, Train the Trainer playbook, and research methodology that enabled local teams to continue learning from workers and improving the experience over time.
Capabilities
Design Research • Learning Strategy • Experience Design • Capability Building
