Codecademy

During a period of rapid growth, I led design for Codecademy’s new Premium offering, established the company-wide Design System, and later served as a Design Lead and Design Manager in the Consumer Business Unit.

My work across Premium, Design Systems, and cross-team collaboration strengthened product quality, improved workflows, and helped mature the design discipline as the company moved toward acquisition.

Full case study to be updated with visuals soon.

Problem

Codecademy faced three interconnected challenges:

1. Fragmented learning experience
Learners needed more structure, guidance, and community support than the core product offered.

2. No cohesive design system
Designs varied widely between teams, development was slow, and engineering often had to rebuild one-off components.

3. A scaling organization without shared foundations
As the team grew and moved into Business Units, designers needed better alignment, consistency, and workflows.

What I Led

Premium → Integrated into Pro

  • Premium users were more likely to progress in their course vs. Pro or Free users.

  • The Premium pilot validated strong learner demand for structure and support.

  • Rather than launching as a standalone product, the most successful elements — cohorts, guided tracks, accountability mechanics — were integrated into Codecademy Pro, strengthening the core offering.

Design System → Higher quality + faster shipping

  • Dramatic improvements in design consistency and UI quality

  • Faster design-to-dev workflow through shared Figma libraries

  • Simplified engineering implementation with ready-to-use coded components

  • A design culture more comfortable collaborating closely with engineering

Org Maturity → Acquisition readiness

My work contributed to a more stable, scalable product and design foundation. Codecademy was acquired by Skillsoft toward the end of my tenure.

Outcomes

Codecademy Premium (structured learning + cohort experience)

  • Designed the pilot for Codecademy’s Premium offering, blending guided tracks, coach interactions, and cohort-based accountability.

  • Created flows for structured weekly goals, learner progress, and early “AI-lite” coach-support tools.

Design System Foundations

  • Moved the entire org from Sketch to Figma.

  • Built the first version of Codecademy’s Design System, covering components, patterns, accessibility improvements, and cross-team guidelines.

  • Partnered with engineering to create coded components + documentation, improving development speed and reducing inconsistencies.

  • Hired a dedicated Design Systems designer to scale the work.

Design Leadership (Consumer BU)

  • Provided direction, critique, and support across multiple product teams.

  • Created onboarding and alignment rituals as the company restructured into Business Units.

  • Helped three designers achieve promotions through structured mentorship and growth planning.

What I Learned

  • To build strong design systems it’s crucial to invest in culture and alignment with engineering and product.

  • Structured learning products succeed when they balance flexibility with accountability.

  • The fastest design velocity comes from strong foundations and collaboration, not just execution speed.

  • Supporting other designers through clarity, critique, and mentorship amplifies impact beyond individual contributions.

Next

Subber