Case Study

Adapting a
Global Learning Experience
for the Middle East

A physical and digital simulation tool originally designed for Western audiences, the Scale-Up Simulation was reimagined to resonate with startup founders in the MENA region. Through research, content localization, and UX-driven restructuring, we adapted the experience to be culturally relevant, intuitive, and grounded in real-world context.

Context

In-house design work at Strategy Tools

We redesigned a physical simulation used to teach scaling strategies, applying UX methods to adapt it for founders and facilitators in the MENA region.

Based on real-world feedback from sessions in Dubai and Cairo, we restructured the content, flow, and delivery experience to better align with local contexts and user needs.

While this wasn’t a traditional digital UX project, it required the same core skills — user insight synthesis, information architecture, journey design, and iterative problem-solving — all applied to a hybrid physical-digital learning experience.

The result is a fully localized simulation that’s ready for pilot testing in real-world academic and entrepreneurial settings.

While effective in Western contexts, the Scale-Up Simulation didn’t resonate with founders in the Middle East and North Africa. During sessions in Egypt, participants and facilitators highlighted several friction points:

• Startup examples felt disconnected from their lived realities
• Key terms (e.g. “Series A”, “runway”) were confusing or overly technical
• The simulation pacing was too fast, especially in hybrid formats
• Facilitators struggled to adapt the experience dynamically

These insights revealed a core issue: the simulation wasn’t built for this audience — and users felt it.

The adaptation process was driven by real-world usage and cumulative feedback gathered over multiple simulation runs in Egypt. These sessions, delivered through accelerators and partner programs, offered a rich view into what worked and what didn’t.

Instead of a formal research sprint, insights emerged organically through:

• Live session observations by our facilitation team
• Participant comments shared during sessions
• Interviews with participants after sessions
• Facilitator debriefs and internal reflection

From these, three core patterns stood out:

1. Cultural disconnect: Participants struggled to relate to the fictional startups and scenarios, which were modeled on Western companies and norms.
2. Conceptual friction: Technical terms like “Series B” and “runway” created confusion, especially for founders unfamiliar with venture-backed growth models.
3. Pacing and clarity: The simulation flow introduced concepts too quickly, leaving some participants behind.

These real-user insights became the foundation for the redesign — turning passive feedback into active direction.

Information Flow Redesign

How we did it:
After mapping out the original simulation structure, I reviewed facilitator notes and observed where participants typically got stuck or disengaged. I created a rough journey map of participant engagement over time and identified two key pressure points:

• Concepts being introduced too quickly without context
• Insufficient space for reflection or group discussion

To address them, we redesigned the sequence using a “build, reflect, apply” rhythm:

• Build understanding with brief context and simplified framing

• Reflect through structured pause points and guided questions

• Apply with decision moments that felt earned, not rushed

This staggered structure improved comprehension and made the experience more learner-friendly.

Localized Personas & Startup Cases

How we did it:
We reviewed our existing fictional companies and identified traits that felt foreign or unrealistic in the MENA startup landscape (e.g., overly tech-centric, rapid VC-backed scaling).

We collaborated with facilitators who had deep local knowledge and pulled inspiration from real MENA startups. Together, we:

• Defined a set of archetypes common in the region (e.g. logistics, social enterprises, family-owned ventures)
• Created light personas with founder backstories, team challenges, and funding realities
• Rewrote company missions, financials, and market dynamics to match local context

This process ensured every case still supported the simulation’s learning goals, but now felt recognizable and relevant to the users experiencing it.

Redesigning the company card format improved information clarity, startup relevance, and facilitator guidance. Each change was informed by real-world user feedback and tested in internal simulations.

Structure & Visual Clarity

How we did it:
Using feedback from facilitators about moments where participants lost track of what was happening, we reviewed the physical simulation materials with a usability lens. We audited:

• The visual hierarchy of every board, card, and canvas
• The consistency of instructional language
• How decision points were presented

I applied basic UX writing principles (clear call-to-actions, minimal jargon, progressive disclosure) to improve the design without adding visual clutter.

In Miro, we tested clickable layers and labeling systems to make the experience more self-guided.

Redesigned investor card with a focus on clarity, regional relevance, and facilitator usability.
UX improvements included visual hierarchy, categorization, and contextual language.

Traction in Progress

The redesigned experience is currently preparing for pilot testing with key stakeholders across multiple academic institutions in the MENA region.

• Prototypes have been reviewed by internal teams and localization partners.
• All updated materials are production-ready and structured for immediate testing rollout.
• Early internal feedback from our partner network in the Middle East has been positive, especially around clarity and cultural relevance.

As of now, full-scale testing is scheduled for Q2 2025, with the goal of validating impact on user engagement, comprehension, and flow across the learning journey.

This project reminded me that clarity isn’t one-size-fits-all.
Designing for a different cultural context pushed me to slow down, ask better questions, and rethink what “intuitive” really means. I loved the challenge — and I’m excited to see how it lands in the hands of real users.