The example of the IAM4RE Training Suite
Have you ever stopped to wonder what sits behind an e-learning platform? Not just the videos, the quizzes, or the clean interface, but the thinking, the decisions, and the countless small steps that turn an idea into a learning experience people actually want to use.
When the IAM4RE project set out to create its Training Suite, the goal was clear from the start: develop a learning environment capable of supporting skills, knowledge and awareness around Intellectual Asset Management and Standardisation. What was less obvious, at least from the outside, was how to translate that ambition into something practical, engaging and genuinely useful for a diverse audience.
But what is the Training Suite? The IAM4RE Training Suite is a modular learning programme designed to support knowledge valorisation in research and innovation. It combines topics such as intellectual assets, standards, funding, legal frameworks and responsible innovation, guiding learners from foundational concepts to more advanced applications. Rather than focusing on theory alone, it follows a practice-oriented approach, helping participants understand how research results can be translated into real-world impact.
That said, this article is not about listing modules or features. It is about the journey that led to their creation.
Starting from people, not from technology
The first step was not technical at all. Before platforms and formats were discussed, the focus was on people.
“Who would use the Training Suite?”, “What level of experience would they bring with them?”
The answers pointed to a broad and varied audience: researchers, IT staff, service providers, decision-makers, each with different backgrounds and expectations. Designing a single training environment that could speak to all of them meant avoiding one-size-fits-all solutions and instead thinking in terms of flexibility and clarity.
From ideas to Interfaces: designing the platform Mock-Ups
After identifying the type of audience and the objective of the Training Suite, the next step was to translate these ideas onto “virtual paper”. As we began to visualise the page and sketch it out, it became clear that the design needed to follow the style and structure of the original website. At this point, another question naturally arose: how can we maintain consistency with the home page while making the Training Suite unique and recognisable?
The starting point was the mock-up of the home page. We used the same colours, style and visual language so as not to break the identity of the site. But we wanted something more. Something that would make it clear to the user at a glance that they had entered a special section. What if we reversed the perspectives? The solution came almost naturally: reverse the background colours. A small change, but with a big visual impact. This contrast creates dynamism and makes the page immediately more appealing.
Then we asked ourselves: how can we reinforce the concept of “education”? The answer was a simple but significant detail: adding a graduation cap to the logo. A distinctive graphic element, capable of communicating the educational theme in an immediate and memorable way. What about the forms? Just text? Absolutely not. Another question guided us through the process: how can we prevent users from just reading? For this reason, in the section dedicated to forms, we chose to include customised animations, each designed to visually represent the individual form. These are not mere decorations, but actual narrative elements with the aim of transforming navigation into a more dynamic, engaging and intuitive experience.
Technical development
The development of the Training Suite has been a nice and fun challenge: the creative design has been adapted onto the rigid and solid HTML structure and enhanced with a dedicated stylesheet to make the website look exactly like the original mock-up.
The Training Suite is an extension of the IAM4RE website; as such, it sits on a Drupal CMS platform, at version 10. This choice was strategic: it allows the new suite to inherit the security and robustness of the main site while operating with its own unique logic.
From a functional standpoint, the system is designed for autonomy. Each of the modules is regulated by the IAM4RE administrators through a custom-built interface. By leveraging Drupal’s modular "block" system, we created a backend that allows the team to dynamically organize course chapters, upload video content, and manage downloadable resources without needing to write a single line of code.
We also focused heavily on performance and responsiveness. Since the design relies on specific animations and high-quality video content, the code had to be optimised to ensure fast loading times. We utilised a responsive grid layout that automatically adjusts the "reversed" visual elements to fit any screen, ensuring that the learning experience is just as fluid on a smartphone during a commute as it is on a desktop in the office.
From Development to Community
Perhaps the most important step came at the end: opening the Training Suite to its users.
As the launch got closer and closer, more refinements and specifications were required, especially on the layout: at this stage, the mock up had to remain behind as the real world information started to fill in the blanks. Some of the sections have been resized, some others have been totally moved elsewhere. The layout for the Training Suite has been tailored specifically for its purpose, up to the smallest detail. For example, originally the Level and Key topic paragraphs have been inverted to improve readability.
Training does not truly exist until people engage with it. Feedback, usage patterns and real-world questions are essential to refining both content and delivery. The IAM4RE Training Suite is therefore not a finished product, but a living environment, one that grows through interaction with its community.
By registering on the platform, users are not just accessing training materials; they are becoming part of a broader ecosystem of knowledge sharing and collaboration.
Ready to Explore?
What you see when you enter the IAM4RE Training Suite is the result of many decisions, and conversations that happened on a technical, editorial and human level. It is designed to guide, not overwhelm; to inform, not intimidate.
If you are curious about Intellectual Asset Management and Standardisation, or if you simply want to learn how to translate research results into impact, the Training Suite is the best place to start.
Sometimes, one of the most interesting parts of learning is discovering what happens behind the scenes.
