top of page
Diana Dussan Headshot Smiling

Hi, I'm Diana and 
I see learning 
differently.

Did I Mention I Love Puzzles?

I'm the person who walks into your biggest training challenge and exclaims with enthusiasm for the puzzle I'm about to help solve. I have this weird ability to look at the most tangled, impossible training challenge and somehow see the perfect solution or how to find it floating right there in the chaos. While others see problems, I see opportunities to architect experiences that make people actually want to learn.

​

What makes me different isn't just that I have otherworldly powers for solving complex learning puzzles (or that I've solved seven Magic Puzzle Co. puzzles!😂). It's that I can combine big picture and systems thinking with a people-first mindset to design for the whole ecosystem—creating experiences that go beyond individual learning moments to address root causes and transform entire organizations.​​​

​

The Truth About How I Work

I see things spatially—I can literally visualize how information flows, where connections happen, where things break down. I can generate and reiterate a 3D map of an entire learning experience in my head before I even start building it.

​

This applies whether I'm designing a learning module, creating brand identity, or developing visual media. I can sense what's missing, what needs to shift, what would make the whole thing sing, then I do it in my head until it's just right (this only takes seconds), and then I get to creating in the real world.

​

And here's the thing: I actually enjoy the puzzle-solving part that makes other people want to hide under their desks. The more complex and interconnected the challenge—teaching, designing, creating, connecting—the more excited I get.​

​

My Happy Place

I want to make learning fun. I want to transform mundane training into memorable, gamified, and immersive adventures that boost confidence, ignite creativity, and drive measurable business impact.

​

Give me a complex problem, some amazing people to collaborate with, and the freedom to think outside conventional boxes? I'm in heaven. Whether I'm teaching someone a new concept, designing a brand that captures their vision, or creating media that makes people stop and think—I genuinely light up when I get to dig into the why behind challenges, then craft solutions that make everyone smile.

​

What Makes Me, Well... Me

  • The Student and The Teacher - I'm that person who gets genuinely excited learning from a subject matter expert about their passion project, then translates their 47-slide technical deep-dive into something that makes perfect sense to everyone else. ​

  • ​The Dot Joiner - While everyone's looking at individual problems, I'm over here connecting dots across departments, seeing patterns that span projects, and going "Wait, what if we solved ALL of these things at once?" My brain just works that way.

  • The Learner - I can learn literally anything. Ancient sword fighting? Sure. Complex technical systems? Bring it on. This isn't just curiosity—it's how I stay ahead of what learners need.​

  • The Multi-Hat Creator - Need instructional design? Got you. But also branding, graphic design, immersive XR experiences, and AI-enhanced learning paths. I design entire experiences, not just courses.​

  • The Empathetic Designer - I have this intuitive ability to sense exactly where learners get stuck, when they're about to disengage, or when they're ready for more complexity. Then I design pathways that meet them precisely where they are.

  • The People Person - My approach is profoundly people-centered. Whether I'm collaborating with teams, nurturing client relationships, or guiding learners, I believe genuine connection creates stronger outcomes and always strive to foster supportive environments where everyone thrives.​

​

My 20-Year Journey to ID

  • 🎨 15+ years in Content Strategy & Development - Marketing, branding, multimedia design, and UX, building visual storytelling for a wide range of learners, audiences, clients, industries, and niches

  • 🎓 6+ years in Education - Delivering differentiated, UDL-driven (universal design for learning) blended, instructor-led, and eLearning curriculum, content, and instruction

  • 📚 3+ years in Learning Content Development - Transforming complex scientific concepts into engaging public-facing learning content for GAP/Whole Foods Market (consumer education strategy) and Kidvelop (STEM eLearning)

  • 💼 Business & Fortune 500 Experience - Entrepreneurial ventures (Résumé Goat, Snack Jack) plus corporate experience at Whole Foods Market, demonstrating both startup agility and enterprise-scale project management

  • 🚀 Emerging Tech - Early adopter of XR/AR/VR technologies for immersive learning experiences. Currently training in Unity software for an immersive portfolio project on cybersecurity

  • 🤖 GenAI - Advanced prompt engineering with Claude, ChatGPT, Midjourney, Articulate Storyline AI, and more to dramatically reduce project timelines and costs while generating high-quality, brand-consistent assets, automating workflows, extracting data, and scaling personalized learning solutions efficiently​

  • 🎮 Gamification- Extensive gaming experience (WoW, Skyrim, The Last of Us, Zelda...and board games too!) gives me insider knowledge of what makes experiences truly engaging. Why create boring project management training when you can have learners manage teams and resources during a zombie apocalypse? I design fully gamified learning experiences that make people forget they're actually working.

  • 🧠 Renaissance Mindset - I'm naturally curious about everything—from reading medical and science journals to exploring botany, geology, cooking, wood carving, languages, and emerging tech. This wide-ranging knowledge base means I can quickly grasp complex subject matter across industries and find unexpected connections that make learning more relatable and memorable.

​

My ID Toolkit 

  • ✅ Learning Science Mastery - Cognitive Load Theory, Gagne's 9 Events, dual coding theory, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Mayer's Principles

  • ✅ Rapid Instructional Design (RID) - Agile methodologies, fast prototyping, iterative development

  • ✅ ID Models & Assessment - ADDIE, SAM, Kirkpatrick's 4-Level Evaluation, Bloom's Taxonomy

  • ✅ Performance-Driven Design - Gap analysis, needs assessment, measurable learning outcomes

  • ✅ Action Mapping - Huge proponent of Cathy Moore's ideology to solve performance/business problems

  • ✅ Data Analysis & Visualization - Learning analytics, performance tracking, ROI measurement, dashboard creation

  • ✅ SME Collaboration - Excel at interviewing and extracting complex expertise and high-level data into accessible content

  • ✅ Adult Learning Theory - Andragogy, Constructivism, Connectivism, Behaviorism, self-directed learning, experience-based design

  • ✅ LMS Expertise - Canvas, Talent LMS, Moodle, Blackboard, Absorb 

  • ✅ Authoring Tools Mastery - Articulate 360 (Storyline, Rise), Adobe Captivate, Vyond, Powtoon

  • ✅ Design & Technical Versatility - Adobe Creative Suite, Camtasia, Canva, advanced AI prompting, SCORM compliance, code editing (HTML/CSS/JavaScript), vibe coding for rapid prototyping

  • ✅ Accessibility & Inclusion - WCAG accessibility compliance, universal design, neurodiversity considerations

  • ✅ Project Management - Agile/waterfall methodologies, cross-functional collaboration, budget management

​

Education, Certifications & Languages
📜 Degrees

  • Postgraduate Certificate in Instructional Design & Technology - University of Maryland (2025)

  • Bachelor of Applied Arts & Sciences with double concentrations in Organizational Supervision & Social Wellness and Community - University of North Texas (2025) 

  • Associate of Arts in Business Administration - American Intercontinental University (2012)

 
🏆 ID Certifications

  • Measuring Learning Effectiveness - Association for Talent Development (ATD)

  • Needs Analysis - Association for Talent Development (ATD)​

  • Agile ID (SAM) - LinkedIn Learning 

  • ​Designing the Learner's Journey - LinkedIn Learning 

  • GenAI in L&D - LinkedIn Learning 

  • TEFL/TESOL Certified 

​

🌍 Languages

  • English (Native/Fluent)

  • Spanish (Native/Fluent)

  • Turkish (Advanced)

  • French (Beginner)​​

bottom of page