Hi, I’m Amy!
My work centers on creating learning experiences that remove barriers and support real people in real contexts. I design with a human-centered and systems-aware lens — paying attention to the conditions, constraints, and environments that shape how people are able to learn, participate, and apply what they know.
I focus on learning that feels clear, respectful of people’s time and energy, and usable over time — so people aren’t just receiving information, but are able to make sense of it, act on it, and carry it into their daily work. I design learning experiences that reduce barriers to participation — physical, cognitive, emotional, and practical.
I design every project with all four dimensions of accessibility in mind. Each case study below highlights one dimension that played an especially important role in the design context.
I design physically accessible learning that reduces physical and technological barriers — so learners with diverse bodies, tools, and environments can reach, use, and participate.
See how I built a professional learning experience for educators that honors their existing practice while reducing environmental and device barriers — giving participants flexible ways to access support, navigate resources, and return to tools when they need them in real classroom contexts.
See how I redesigned a SharePoint hub to help a global team access what they needed with clarity and confidence — simplifying complex information architecture, creating shared terminology, and structuring content so users can scan, find, and use resources without overwhelm, whether they’re on mobile, switching devices, or juggling roles across time zones.
I design cognitively accessible learning that reduces overwhelm and supports clarity — helping learners make sense of complex systems, choices, and information.
I design emotionally accessible learning so learners feel safe, respected, and supported — able to engage, reflect, and challenge ideas without pressure, shame, or exposure.
See how I designed a generational diversity course that honors each learner’s lived experience and perspective — creating a psychologically safe space where participants can explore differences without pressure, engage with real-world scenarios, and access reflection and dialogue tools that support empathy, confidence, and respectful participation.
I design practically accessible learning that carries beyond the course — so learners can apply what they learn in real contexts, decisions, and relationships.
See how I created a special education advocacy course that gives families tools they can use beyond the learning experience — structuring resources, guides, and explanations so parents can return to them in real situations, access what they need at the moment of decision, and feel confident navigating meetings, documents, and school processes without having to remember everything from the course.
What changes when learning is designed for accessibility?
Learners experience:
Clearer expectations, less overwhelm, and greater confidence to participate — with support they can return to when real situations arise beyond the course.
Facilitators/instructors experience:
Smoother facilitation with fewer points of confusion or disengagement — allowing more time and space for meaningful discussion, reflection, and connection.
Teams experience:
Clearer shared understanding and fewer communication breakdowns — with learning that continues through conversation and practice rather than ending at the session.
Managers/supervisors experience:
Expectations that are easier to reinforce, earlier conversations when support is needed, and behavior change that becomes more visible after training.
Organizations experience:
Learning that carries into daily work, reduces rework and fragmentation, and strengthens alignment between values, communication, and practice.
Curious about my approach to creating impactful learning experiences?
Visit the about me page to learn more.
Interested in seeing my work?
Take a look at my work to explore a selection of my instructional design projects. Each piece reflects my commitment to creating thoughtful, engaging, and learner-centered experiences. I focus on quality, creativity, and impact in every project, and I’m excited to share my approach with you.
Interested in working with me?
Have questions or want to discuss potential collaborations? Head over to the contact me page to start the conversation!
What People Are Saying
Wendy Verna, President and Founder, Octo Design Group
As a seasoned marketer entering the field of soft skills education for the first time, I knew I needed guidance from someone who not only understood the landscape, but genuinely cared about youth development. I met Amy Cowan during an online webinar, and from our very first exchange, I could tell she brought not just expertise, but heart.
Amy immediately jumped in, sharing research, breaking down unfamiliar terms, and offering clear, actionable next steps. She helped me connect the dots between my vision and the real-world needs of students and educators. Her generosity, strategic clarity, and ability to connect the big picture with practical steps made a huge difference.
If you’re looking for a partner who is not only knowledgeable but also genuinely invested in making a difference, Amy is exactly who you want in your corner.
Lauren Kopsick, Founder and Executive Director of The Healthcare Navigation Project
I’ve worked as a small business consultant for over 20 years, in addition to leading a nonprofit—and I know firsthand that the sign of a great collaborator is someone who can balance expertise with adaptability. Amy Cowan does exactly that.
Since we began working together, Amy has made a meaningful and lasting contribution to our organization. She’s helping us expand and transition our volunteer onboarding deck from Canva to SharePoint, bringing clarity, structure, and a keen eye for usability. She listens carefully, works efficiently, and brings both polish and practicality to every step of the process.
Credentials and Badges
Master of Education in Secondary Education
Texas State University, 2012
Professional Diploma in Digital Learning Design
Digital Learning Institute, 2024
The Systems & Tools Behind My Work
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Designing learning that is intuitive, usable, and easy to navigate
Turning complexity into clarity through accessible structures and plain-language content
Reducing friction and cognitive load to support focus, meaning, and application
Centering agency, dignity, and inclusion in participation and decision-making
Treating learning as care work that respects time, attention, and lived experience
Building systems that support clarity and confidence during stress, change, and uncertainty
Designing for accessibility in practice — reducing cognitive load, supporting emotional safety, and removing practical barriers to navigation, comprehension, and application.
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Human-Centered Needs Analysis — gathering input across roles and perspectives to understand real workflows, constraints, and learner contexts.
Sensemaking in Complex or Emotionally-Charged Environments — clarifying goals and decision points when teams are navigating uncertainty, change, or high-stakes situations.
Friction & Failure-Point Reduction — mapping pain points in processes and learning workflows and aligning tools, expectations, and supports around how people actually work.
Translating Values into Daily Practices — turning stated priorities (equity, safety, inclusion, quality) into concrete behaviors, tools, and learning supports
Capability-Building Pathways — designing clear, scaffolded learning experiences that support confidence, skill application, and transfer over time.
Policy-to-Practice Alignment — identifying gaps between policy, procedure, and real-world experience and designing resources that close those gaps.
Qualitative Discovery & Pattern-Finding — synthesizing feedback, interviews, and lived experiences into actionable insights that inform design decisions.
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Universal Design for Learning (UDL) — supporting multiple ways to access content, participate, and demonstrate understanding
Accessibility by design — usability, navigation clarity, emotional safety, and practical access built in from the start
Empathy and journey mapping to surface invisible barriers in real workflows
Cognitive load reduction and clarity-first content design
Dual-coding and multimodal learning to strengthen comprehension and recall
Scenario-based learning and safe-to-fail decision practice
Experience-based and project-based learning pathways
Policy and workflow redesign informed through learning use-cases and behavior patterns
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Ecosystem & Infrastructure (spaces where work and learning live)
SharePoint (architecture, governance, hubs), Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 Suite
Learning Experience & Training Development (where ideas become practice)
Articulate Storyline, Rise 360, H5P, Lumi, Genially, Vyond, Skybox 360°
Visual, Creative & Prototyping Tools (sensemaking through visuals)
Canva, Adobe Express, Figma (light prototyping)
Automation, Integration & Data
Power Automate, Zapier
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Teams navigating ambiguity, change, or emerging initiatives that need structure, clarity, and shared understanding
Organizations with fragmented workflows or knowledge systems where people struggle to find what they need to do their work
Environments where learning must support real-world decision-making, confidence, and psychological safety
Programs seeking to translate policy, values, or strategy into daily practices and behavior
Teams balancing operational demands with empathy, inclusion, and learner experience
Contexts where learning must function as enablement, not compliance
Systems that require alignment across roles, departments, or lived experiences