I’m a tinkerer. Over the last year, I’ve taken the goal of working smarter, and have had the luxury of access to many Gen AI apps and tools at work to satiate my curiosity.
I’ve been building a lot of tiny tools with a big purpose.
Between project deadlines and content reviews, I began exploring in PartyRock (AWS’s user-friendly front-end for Bedrock) to create a few generative AI apps designed to support mine and my team’s LXD work. Not to replace anyone — but to lighten the load, smooth the process, and shift our focus back to what matters most: designing intentional, learner-centered experiences.
These aren’t shiny demos or overbuilt experiments. They’re quick prototypes born from real team needs.
Here’s what I’ve built so far:
✍️ GlobalWrite: Enhancing Global English Proficiency
Writing for a global audience isn’t just about translation — it’s about transparency. Our learners span cultures, countries, and languages. And that means we need to strip away idioms, corporate jargon, and overstuffed sentences that confuse more than they clarify.
GlobalWrite is like a friendly editor who speaks Global English. Paste in your content, and it flags tricky phrasing, suggests simpler alternatives, and helps you write in a tone that works everywhere. It’s already become part of our internal review process.
📚 Storyverse (What/Why/How Thought Partner)
This one’s for case study writers, scenario builders, and anyone trying to craft a narrative that actually sticks.
The Storyverse Thought Partner helps you shape quick learner-centered stories using a super simple structure:
- What happened?
- Why did it matter?
- How did someone respond?
It’s a scaffolding tool — not the final draft. But it’s amazing how quickly it helps you move from abstract objective to realistic, situational learning. It’s also great for brainstorming with SMEs who have a story in their head but don’t quite know how to get it out.
✅ Scenario-Based Quiz Creator
If you’ve ever tried to write a meaningful knowledge check question (especially under pressure), you know it’s easy to default to fact recall. This app gives you a jumpstart on writing contextual, decision-based multiple choice questions that actually reinforce learning.
Drop in your topic and a goal, and it’ll spin up a mini scenario with options — including rationales for correct and incorrect responses. It’s not magic, but it’s a solid draft to work from. And it reminds you to start with the situation, not the content.
🐐PS: Just for Fun…
Need a break from business as usual? I also built this tongue-in-cheek tool inspired by Severance and my time at Amazon:
Severed Principles: A Leadership Journey
It’s part parody, part dystopian design fiction, and 100% a cut above when it comes to satirical leadership reflection.
Perfect for when you want to sever ties with reality for a minute (or question whether you ever had work-life balance to begin with).
Why I’m Doing This
I’m endlessly curious about how generative AI can augment, not replace, the creative, strategic work of learning design. These tools aren’t perfect. They’re rough drafts. But they free up headspace, spark ideas, and support better, faster iteration.
Even better? They’re tailored to the actual flow of our team’s work. No heavy lift. Just helpful nudges.
What’s Next?
I’m thinking of turning this into a full toolkit — or maybe building out new tools based on feedback from my team. I also want to document the behind-the-scenes: What prompted each tool? What problem was it solving? What worked (and what didn’t)?
If you’re experimenting with PartyRock or other AI tools in your learning design workflow, I’d love to connect.
Let’s keep learning out loud.
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