Learning Architect · Creative Technologist · Human-Centered Designer

Dana Cannam

Bridging human intelligence and emerging technology to build learning systems that actually change how people work.

Courtenay, BC, Canada +1 (250) 465 9578 danacannamdesign@gmail.com LinkedIn SPARK Portfolio

I sit at a genuinely rare intersection — fifteen years of learning architecture and instructional design, fluency in AI systems and creative technology, and a track record of building things that didn't exist before. I've founded and sold a company, consulted for governments and militaries, and shipped enterprise learning platforms to clients including Mercedes, BMW, Microsoft, and Ford. My work doesn't just train people — it transforms how organizations think and operate.

Manager, Creative Labs & Customer Education
ProtoPie · Remote Jul 2024 – Jun 2026

Architected and launched an internal AI knowledge assistant that transformed proprietary training assets into a company-wide operational intelligence tool — a first-of-its-kind system that became critical infrastructure.

  • Led global customer education strategy driving enterprise adoption of ProtoPie across tier-one clients including Mercedes, BMW, Volkswagen, Snap, Burberry, Microsoft, and Ford.
  • Designed and launched the Partner Certification Program — a credentialing framework enabling top-tier design agencies to validate advanced prototyping expertise and expand enterprise reach.
  • Built and scaled customizable learning portals serving as a single source of truth for onboarding, training, and ongoing customer success across enterprise accounts.
  • Managed the Creative Labs team, driving technical innovation and advanced prototyping initiatives for global clients.
  • Conducted live demonstrations, webinars, and deep-dive tutorials on AI Assistant and User Testing features, translating complex capability into accessible practice.
  • Initiated and managed internal training cohorts and a Champions community, building organizational knowledge infrastructure from the ground up.
Corporate Learning Consultant
Independent · Canada Oct 2023 – Aug 2024
  • Delivered learning strategy, instructional design, and content development for Vancouver Airport Authority (YVR) and the Canadian Military (LCSS program) across ILT, VILT, and eLearning modalities.
  • Partnered with defense stakeholders to design training solutions aligned with competency frameworks and high-security operational requirements, operating under Controlled Goods Clearance.
  • Introduced Learning Experience Design methodologies to military and corporate contexts — embedding gamification, learner profiles, and competency-based design where they had not previously existed.
  • Operated in Agile Scrum environments, ensuring iterative development and delivery in compliance-driven, high-stakes contexts.
Senior Learning Architect
GroupHEALTH Benefit Solutions · Surrey, BC Sep 2020 – Oct 2023

Redesigned compliance training and reduced privacy and security breaches by 75% within six months — a measurable, organization-wide impact directly attributable to learning design decisions.

  • Led the Instructional Design and Employee Experience practice for the Corporate L&D team, delivering digital training to 1,000+ employees across four organizations.
  • Designed a Learning Experience Framework based on competency profiles, applied to onboarding, compliance, and Microsoft 365 adoption at scale.
  • Built a learning technology roadmap integrating LMS systems with Microsoft 365 and external platforms, future-proofing the organization's learning infrastructure.
  • Launched the company-wide Learning Champions Community, enabling peer-to-peer knowledge sharing across 20+ employees.
Founder & Creative Director
Qmod · The Randstad, Netherlands Jul 2014 – Jan 2020

Founded, bootstrapped, and scaled an EdTech hardware company — then achieved acquisition by E.ON Agile, Europe's largest utility venture division, after three years of growth.

  • Built an Educational Technology platform specializing in end-to-end design, development, and large-scale manufacturing of STEM products for schools and learning institutions worldwide.
  • Developed custom educational tools to measure and harness alternative energy from natural sources, distributed to schools and makerspaces across North America, Europe, and Africa.
  • Took the company from concept to acquisition — demonstrating the full founder arc: vision, execution, scale, and successful exit.
Master of Design — Human Centered Design (MDes)
Thesis: Community Social Credit AR and Web Application Platform
Design Academy Eindhoven · Netherlands · 2008 – 2010
Bachelor of Industrial Design
University of Alberta · Canada · 2003 – 2007
Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals AZ-900 · Nov 2022
Controlled Goods Clearance · Public Services and Procurement Canada · Dec 2023
Learning & Design
Learning Architecture · Instructional Design · Learning Experience Design (LXD) · Competency Frameworks · Certification Program Design · Customer Education Strategy · Agile Scrum
Technology & AI
ProtoPie Studio & Connect · AI RAG Systems · LLM Prompt Engineering · LangChain · Gemini · Node.js · JavaScript · Python · WebSockets · Vector Databases · LMS Integration · Microsoft 365
Creative Technology
Hardware/Software Integration · Unity 3D · Electron · MSFS · Advanced UX Prototyping · STEM Product Design & Manufacturing
Leadership & Strategy
Strategic Planning · Enterprise Client Consultation · Stakeholder Management · Cross-functional Leadership · Product Adoption · Founder Experience