Challenge

Traditional laboratory training methods—webinars, manuals, and slide-based instruction—weren't consistently translating into real-world procedural performance.

At the same time, immersive technology was beginning to show promise as a new way to build practical skills, but CDC had no precedent, funding model, or internal capability to explore it.

We faced two challenges simultaneously: prove immersive learning could improve procedural performance and build the organizational, technical, and creative foundation needed to make it sustainable.

Designing the Learning Experience

I co-led CDC’s first immersive VR training pilot, transforming biosafety cabinet training into an interactive learning experience where laboratorians could practice, receive feedback, and safely repeat procedures.

We secured funding, defined the learning hypothesis, and built the capability from the ground up. We recruited specialized talent, established the technical approach, and created a fully interactive lab environment with real-time feedback, opportunities to repeat procedures, and a safe environment for deliberate practices.

The pilot demonstrated that immersive learning could increase learner confidence and improve procedural performance, providing leadership with evidence to invest in a larger initiative.

The pilot secured additional funding, expanded leadership support, and led directly to the formation of a dedicated immersive team.

Building the Team

The capability didn't exist at CDC, which meant the team didn't either. I started with what we had: a talented creative team of animators and 3D modelers who already knew how to build complex environments. The leap to immersive technology was significant, but the foundation was already there. What we didn't have was a programmer.

Hiring into a federal environment for a discipline that barely existed in training contexts yet was its own challenge. Most programmers coming out of game studios were highly specialized — built for one piece of a pipeline, not the whole thing. We needed someone who could own the full process end to end. We found her at Georgia Tech. There was no infrastructure for her to plug into, no precedent, no playbook. We convinced her to come anyway.

We also knew our limits. Building rigorous evaluation wasn't our background — we could put together a basic study, but proving anything to leadership required real formality. So we brought on a dedicated evaluator. That decision turned out to be one of the most important ones we made. It gave the pilot scientific credibility and gave leadership something concrete to act on.

That was the beginning. A couple of years later, what started as a small pilot had grown into a 12-person cross-functional program with sustained funding, organizational backing, and continued expansion.

Scaling the Capability

As the learning program expanded beyond pilot, I led the development of a dedicated sub-brand identity system to support its growth and positioning.

As the program gained momentum, it needed to feel like more than an experimental pilot. The identity system established credibility while maintaining alignment with CDC's institutional brand. I developed a flexible identity system spanning logo design, typography, motion language, UI, web, and Meta Quest storefront experiences.

The result was a cohesive identity system that strengthened internal credibility, improved communication consistency, and helped position immersive technology as a long-term organizational capability rather than an isolated pilot.

Impact

What began as a single pilot became the foundation for CDC's immersive learning program. The combination of measurable learning outcomes, organizational support, and a scalable identity system transformed an experimental idea into a sustained capability that later expanded into initiatives like OneLabVR.

Get in Touch