Designing a website and LMS platform for a modern business school
Augment is an alternative MBA program for entrepreneurs, taught by world-class business professionals and delivered through a high-production online course experience. I was brought in by Course Studio (now Rare Days) as a contract design lead to design their marketing website and Thinkific-based learning platform from the ground up.
After the success of the initial engagement in 2022, I was invited back a year later to lead the design on Augment 2.0 to accommodate their evolving curriculum and multiple new program offerings.
The problem
Augment set out to challenge the traditional MBA model: too expensive, too academic, and out of touch with today’s entrepreneurial realities. Their vision was clear—build an MBA alternative taught by world-renowned founders from some of the most successful businesses, at a fraction of the cost, and on a flexible schedule. My task was to help communicate the credibility and quality of this offering through design and create a seamless experience between website and the LMS platform.
Designing a first impression
Augment had just launched their brand and had begun filming their first set of high quality video course modules. The product itself was high-caliber, featuring instruction from industry experts at companies like Wikipedia, OpenAI, YouTube and Google. My job was to build a digital experience that matched that level of quality.
The goal was twofold:
Build trust and recognition by communicating Augment's legitimacy and unique approach to business education.
Guide users toward conversion through free class sign-ups, waitlist and newsletter enrollment, and cohort applications.
I worked directly with the founders to understand their product positioning, gather marketing needs, and align on content hierarchy and UX priorities. I also conducted a competitive audit of online course platforms and MBA alternatives to identify strengths, gaps, and expectations.
We needed to strike a tone that felt modern and outcome-driven—communicating Augment’s focus on real-world skills, flexibility, and founder-to-founder mentorship.
A look into the wireframes — done to determine user flows, hierarchy and content needs.
A two-part engagement
Version 1.0 (Sept–Nov 2022): I designed the initial marketing website and Thinkific LMS experience. This included the homepage, curriculum overview, faculty section, course player, student dashboard, login flow, and supporting content pages. I also created a lightweight design system and style guide to keep the experience cohesive and scalable.
Version 2.0 (Sept–Oct 2023): One year later, the business model had evolved. Instead of one flagship program, Augment had expanded into multiple specialized programs (e.g. Sales, Finance, Leadership). I was brought back to reimagine the UX and navigation for a catalog-driven product experience.
This involved:
A new homepage structure and hierarchy
A redesigned programs page
Modular faculty pages and instructor profiles
A navigation system to support program discovery
Collaboration and workflow
This was a fast-moving engagement where design and development overlapped, so clear Figma documentation and system thinking was important. I led the full design process from wireframes to high-fidelity UI and worked in tandem with devs to ensure design fidelity and execution.
Design Priorities
A key challenge was balancing the depth of information—course modules, outcomes, testimonials, founder vision—with the need for simplicity. Potential students needed to grasp the value of the Augment MBA program quickly and understand why it might be a better fit than a traditional business school.
We structured the homepage to quickly build trust and drive action—leading with high-impact faculty video clips and recognizable brand logos to showcase credibility. Clear, benefit-led messaging guided users through Augment’s differentiators: flexibility, affordability, and real-world instruction. Strategic use of social proof, testimonials, and a 15-day money-back guarantee helped reduce friction and reinforce confidence.
On the LMS side, I worked within Thinkific’s limitations to elevate the visual experience—designing polished UI and ensuring cohesion with the marketing site. The result was a unified, premium-feeling product experience that aligned with the high caliber of the course content.
Results & Outcomes
Augment launched their platform and cohort program in early 2023 with a successful enrollment round. The site became a cornerstone of their brand, and the initial design system set the tone for all future marketing and product visuals.
The platform's growth into specialized offerings in 2023 led to an invitation to return and expand the design to meet those new goals. The client specifically requested to work with me again, citing the effectiveness of our collaboration and my understanding of the product and brand.
Since launch, Augment has grown into a global platform with over 2,000 students and alumni across 36 countries and a 4.8-star rating on Trustpilot. In 2024 they launched new programs, global meetups, and recognition from notable faculty. The platform continues to evolve—and I’m proud to have played a foundational role in its early design.
Reflection
This project sharpened my skills in designing for high-consideration purchases and deepened my understanding of LMS platforms like Thinkific. It was a great project to work on building trust through design—leveraging social proof, storytelling, and conversion-focused UX.
It also marked the beginning of an ongoing contract partnership with Course Studio / Rare Days, leading to future work with high-profile clients in the online education and creator economy.