INTRODUCTION:

A HIGH-STAKES SELECTION PROCESS

In today’s fast-evolving digital education landscape, higher education institutions rely on structured, high-quality course content to ensure effective learning outcomes.

To meet this need, a leading global learning corporation, through its education solutions partner, sought vendors to assist in developing Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses for U.S. higher education.

This was not just another content development project—it was a massive initiative requiring expertise in instructional design, storyboarding, and visual storyboarding (VSB).

With over 50 vendors competing, only those who demonstrated flawless execution, instructional rigour, and adherence to dynamic blueprints would proceed.

Nexority was the only vendor to successfully pass the Thin Slice—the first rigorous selection stage— securing a long-term engagement.

What started as a small team of five instructional designers has now grown to over 20 IDs, delivering structured course units every week—with further expansion underway.

The Challenge: The Thin Slice Selection

A performance-based filtration stage meant to eliminate vendors lacking:

• Expertise in instructional and visual storyboarding (VSB)

• Academic precision and scalability

• Adaptability to evolving blueprints

• Consistent delivery under pressure

Outcome: Nexority exceeded all expectations and was selected as the sole qualified vendor.

Initial Scope and Scaling

• Began with a team of 5 instructional designers (IDs)

• Rapidly expanded to 20+ IDs due to consistent delivery and quality

• Delivering structured, reviewed course units on a weekly basis

• Continuous scaling to meet growing project demands

Key Deliverables

• Expert-level storyboarding (Word documents) and visual storyboarding (PowerPoint slides)

• Automated workflows to streamline weekly content production

• Consistent client feedback integration into the process

• High-quality, academic content aligned with U.S. standards

• In-house SMEs across disciplines for content accuracy and depth

Execution Highlights

1. Storyboarding Excellence

• Developed detailed instructional blueprints and engaging visual presentations

• Ensured academic clarity and learner engagement in each course unit

2. Automated, Scalable Workflow

• Built internal processes to handle weekly delivery cycles

• Integrated reviews and edits seamlessly without disrupting timelines

3. Rapid Team Scaling

• Scaled from a 5-person team to over 20 IDs within weeks

• Maintained consistent quality throughout rapid growth

4. Real-Time Adaptation

• Quickly responded to changes in course blueprints and standards

• Maintained alignment with evolving client expectations

5. In-House Subject Matter Experts

• Recruited dedicated SMEs across subjects (technical, business, healthcare, etc.)

• Ensured all course content met academic rigour and accuracy

Challenges and Solutions

High Competition & Selection Pressure

• Solved with unmatched execution during the Thin Slice trial

• Delivered a flawless sample unit that outperformed 50+ vendors

Cross-Disciplinary Subject Demands

• Addressed by building a robust in-house SME team

Dynamic Curriculum Updates

• Developed internal processes to adapt to blueprint changes in real time

Scalability under Tight Deadlines

• Achieved by setting up structured, automated workflows and scalable teams

Results and Business Impact

• Only vendor to pass the Thin Slice, winning exclusive long-term engagement

• Weekly delivery of high-quality, reviewed course units

• Grew from 5 to 20+ IDs to meet scaling needs

• Built a seamless, client-aligned content pipeline

• Enabled the client to meet CTE content goals with precision and speed

Conclusion

Nexority demonstrated excellence at every stage—from passing the Thin Slice, to building a high-performing, scalable instructional design team. Today, we are a trusted partner driving high-impact, academically rigorous course creation for the higher education sector—unit by unit, week after week.