Design and Development Competition

Welcome to the Homepage for the AECT Design & Development Competition

 Competition Goals 

• • Improve the professional practice of design and development in adult learning and performance-improvement settings;

  • Promote collaboration among students, faculty, and practitioners;

  • Mentor promising students by leaders outside their home institutions; and,

  • Recognize innovative design-and-development approaches to adult learning and performance-improvement problems.

2026 Competition Information
Coming Soon
 
2025 Competition Information

Thank you for joining us on 11 April 2025 at 09:00 AM US EDT for our informational webinar. Click here to view the webinar slides. 

Problem statement: An updated problem statement with a new focus is now available. It supersedes any versions that were shared before 11 March 2025.

Summary: “Decisions Elevated” (a fictitious company) is a global training consulting firm. Its mission is to improve training experiences for nonprofit organizations. The company wants to design a new learning management system (LMS) for its nonprofit customers that supports personalized learning and internal employee professional development and operations for nonprofit organizations. The LMS should leverage artificial intelligence (AI) functions to personalize learning experiences, incorporate real-world workplace scenarios, and provide ongoing skill assessments. The goal is to ensure that all personnel at a nonprofit organization receive relevant, up-to-date training that adapts to changes.

Updated Timeline: Review the updated important dates and timeline for the 2025 competition.

Summary of dates:

• • Extended Phase 1 Abstracts are due 16 June at 11:59 PM US EDT; teams will be notified 27 June
  • Extended Phase 2 Proposals are due 18 August 
  • Phase 3 Presentations will occur in person at the AECT Annual Convention 20-24 October

Guidelines: Explore detailed guidelines outlining expectations, roles, and responsibilities.

• Student Guidelines
• Mentor Guidelines
• Competition Overview for Judges

Questions and Answers: Submit any questions about the competition, including Phase 3, by using the form linked below. 

• Q & A submission form
• Updated: Current list of questions and answers

Proposal Submission: Submit your proposal for the AECT Design and Development Competition. 

• Submission

Competition Sponsor

The AECT Design and Development Competition was graciously sponsored by NATO ACT (North Atlantic Treaty Organization Allied Command Transformation) between 2018 and 2025. NATO ACT’s sponsorship to the competition situates the event in a real-world context for adult learning, training, and performance improvement.

AECT Design & Development Competition Committee Members

Congratulations to the 2025 Finalist Teams (listed in alphabetical order by university)

Jaesung Hur and Idam Kim

Florida State University

Mentors: Briju Thankachan, EdTech Society and Jason D. Sturges, Accipio Learning & Performance

Ibrahim Akdilek and Md Mamunur Rashid (Winners of Best Presentation for 2025)

Texas Tech University and University of Rochester 

Mentors: Chaewon Kim, Florida State University and Pauline Muljana, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Deniz Unal and Utku Aslan

Texas Tech University 

Mentor: Paula Marcelle, The University of the West Indies

View All Past Finalist Teams