Reduce wasted friction. Protect human judgement. Restore capacity.
Services
Three ways into the work, and how to choose
Universities are responding to AI, workload, student expectations and complex digital systems all at once. I help teams convert that pressure into workable change: clearer evidence of learning, better marking and moderation, stronger LMS workflows, and practical guidance staff and students can actually use.
Working across academic teams, professional services, digital education, quality, accessibility, students and suppliers, I help institutions make sure their AI-era assessment decisions are practical, fair and implementable.
In practice, that almost always means separating wasted friction from useful effort.
Friction:
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Handoffs between teams that aren't clearly owned.
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Quality checks that get duplicated across stages.
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Grade handling done manually outside the system of record.
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Workflows fragmented across departments and platforms.
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Platform processes propped up by local workarounds.
Reduce where possible
Effort:
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Assessment design that holds up to AI-era scrutiny.
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Marking that exercises academic judgement.
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Feedback that supports student learning.
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Moderation that holds fairness across markers.
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Guidance that students can actually use.
Design for, support and sustain
What this work protects:
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Evidence of learning.
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Student agency.
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Academic and faculty judgement.
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Staff capacity.
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Trust between staff and students.
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Policy-to-practice alignment.
In brief
Most work begins in one of three ways: a diagnostic to clarify the problem, a redesign sprint to make workflows and requirements more workable, or fractional support where a live programme needs ongoing senior input.
Within those routes, the work also covers AI-era assessment design, pilot workflow planning, Moodle assessment workflow review, staff guidance and professional learning. No single approach fits every institution. Every engagement is shaped by the context.
Table 1: Services Quick Start
Need | Best starting point | Typical outputs |
|---|---|---|
The issue is unclear | Assessment & AI Workflow Diagnostic | Workflow map, friction analysis, risk summary, 90-day priorities |
The workflow needs redesign | Assessment Workflow Redesign Sprint | Future-state workflows, requirements, user stories, pilot plan |
A live programme needs continuity | Fractional Assessment Transformation Partner | Senior advisory input, workshops, decision papers, adoption support |
Assessment itself needs attention | Assessment Design for the AI Era | Assessment purpose/evidence review, brief refinements, AI-use guidance |
A tool or process needs testing | Assessment Pilot Workflow Support | Pilot design brief, success criteria, communication and evaluation materials |
Moodle/platform processes need support | Moodle Assessment Workflow Support | Moodle process review, marking/moderation workflow recommendations, guidance |
Three ways to work together
1. Assessment & AI Workflow Diagnostic
"Naomi has the rare talent for taking diffuse ideas and turning them into useful, pedagogically rich content with structure."
Damian Bebell, Assistant Research Professor, Boston College
A focused review to clarify what is working, what is not, and where your institution should focus next.
Who this is for
This is for universities, faculties, departments or programme teams that need a clear starting point before committing to a larger assessment, AI, workflow or platform change project.
It is especially useful for:
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digital education teams reviewing assessment and feedback practice;
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assessment, registry, quality or academic development teams managing inconsistency or workload concerns;
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programme or department leads trying to understand where friction sits;
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institutions responding to AI-related uncertainty in assessment and feedback;
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teams that need a practical 90-day plan rather than a long abstract report.
What you get
A diagnostic can include:
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stakeholder conversations;
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assessment and feedback process review;
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workflow mapping;
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marking, moderation and feedback friction analysis, including where effort is being lost to avoidable admin, unclear handoffs or inconsistent platform use;
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Moodle/platform use review where relevant;
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AI-era risk and opportunity scan;
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quick wins and deeper redesign priorities;
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a practical 90-day action plan.
Typical timeline
3–6 weeks, depending on scope, number of stakeholder groups and whether the review is focused on a programme, department, faculty or institution-wide process.
When this fits
This is a good fit when something needs to change, but the real problem, priorities or next step are not yet clear enough.
Typical outputs
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Diagnostic findings summary
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Workflow and friction map
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Risk and opportunity analysis
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Prioritised recommendations
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90-day action plan
2. Assessment Workflow Redesign Sprint
"She found the 'sweet spot' between a process too narrow to flex and so flexible that standardisation was impossible. The QA team was far more synchronised."
Matthew Noesen, QA Team, Aula Education
Hands-on support to redesign assessment, marking, moderation, feedback, Moodle and platform-related workflows so they work better for staff, students and institutional teams.
Who this is for
This is for institutions that already know a workflow, process or platform problem needs active redesign.
It is especially useful when:
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marking, moderation or feedback workflows vary significantly by department;
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Moodle or another platform is being blamed for problems that are partly process-related;
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staff rely on local workarounds because the official process is unclear or impractical;
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platform procurement or configuration decisions need clearer functional requirements;
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pilot planning needs better workflow thinking before implementation;
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academic, operational and technical stakeholders need help getting aligned.
What you get
A redesign sprint can include:
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workflow mapping and redesign;
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requirements gathering;
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functional and technical requirement development;
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user stories and role-based process mapping;
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platform/vendor input;
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options analysis or business case support;
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pilot planning;
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staff guidance and adoption planning.
Typical timeline
6–12 weeks, depending on complexity. A narrower workflow sprint may be shorter; a multi-department or platform-related sprint may need a longer timeline.
When this fits
This is a good fit when the workflow problem is already visible, and the institution needs redesigned processes, clearer requirements and practical implementation foundations.
Typical outputs
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Current-state and future-state workflow maps
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User stories and stakeholder requirements
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Functional requirements
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Pilot plan
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Decision-support material
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Implementation and adoption recommendations
3. Fractional Assessment Transformation Partner
"Naomi brings energy and calmness to everything she does, engaging at level with external exec stakeholders whilst building immense trust with the people reporting to them."
Anders Krohn, Co-founder and CEO, Aula Education
Ongoing senior support for institutions managing live assessment, feedback, AI, Moodle, platform or implementation change.
Who this is for
This is for universities or education organisations that need experienced support over time but do not need, or cannot yet justify, a full-time internal role.
It is especially useful for:
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digital education or assessment teams delivering a live programme of change;
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institutions moving from recommendations into pilots and rollout;
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teams coordinating academic, professional services, technical and supplier stakeholders;
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leaders who need a trusted external partner to maintain momentum;
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projects where assessment, AI, workflow and platform decisions are interdependent.
What you get
Fractional support can include:
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strategic advisory support;
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programme and project shaping;
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stakeholder facilitation;
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decision papers and briefing materials;
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requirements and workflow review;
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implementation planning;
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pilot support;
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staff adoption and training input;
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supplier and platform conversation support;
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constructive external perspective and momentum between meetings
Typical timeline
Usually 1–3 days per month for 3–6 months, or a bespoke pattern depending on the programme.
When this fits
This is a good fit when a live programme of change needs continuity, senior thinking and practical delivery support over time.
Typical outputs
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Ongoing advisory input
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Decision and briefing papers
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Stakeholder workshops
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Implementation plans
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Adoption and training support
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Regular progress and priority reviews
Specialist support areas
The three core offers are the main ways to work together. Within those projects, I also support specific assessment, platform and implementation challenges.
Note: Workflow is not just administration. It is the infrastructure that determines whether evidence, feedback, moderation, student guidance and academic judgement can be trusted.
Table 2: Specialist assessment support areas
Specialist support | Best fit | Typical focus |
|---|---|---|
AI-era Assessment Support | For institutions trying to move beyond broad AI policy into practical assessment, feedback, workflow and staff adoption decisions. | AI-era risks, academic integrity, feedback practice, marking workload, student guidance, human oversight and practical next steps. |
Assessment Design for the AI Era | For departments and teams reviewing the clarity, rigour and trustworthiness of assessment tasks in the context of AI. | Assessment briefs, authentic or staged assessment, expectations around AI use, assessment-for-learning opportunities, process evidence and Moodle/platform workflow implications. |
Assessment Pilot Workflow Support | For universities preparing to pilot an assessment tool, AI-supported feedback approach, Moodle workflow change or redesigned assessment process. | Pilot scope, workflow, workload, human oversight, student communication, grade return, exceptions, accessibility, support, success criteria and evaluation. |
Moodle Assessment Workflow Support | For universities reviewing Moodle-based assessment and feedback processes. | Submission, marking, moderation, offline marking, feedback release, grade handling, requirements, staff guidance, pilots and adoption. |
Staff Adoption, Guidance & Professional Learning | For teams that need assessment, feedback, AI or platform change to land in everyday practice. | Staff guidance, workshops, adoption planning, training materials, online or blended professional learning, PD course design and rollout support. |
Frequently asked questions
How long does a typical engagement take?
A diagnostic runs 3 to 6 weeks. A redesign sprint runs 6 to 12 weeks. Fractional engagements are usually 1 to 3 days per month for 3 to 6 months. Bespoke patterns are possible.
How is the work priced?
Day rate or fixed scope, depending on the engagement. Diagnostics and redesign sprints are usually fixed scope; fractional support is day rate. Indicative ranges shared after a scoping conversation.
Who is the work for?
UK and international universities, faculties and departments, especially digital education, assessment, registry, quality, academic development and senior leadership teams. Selected work with schools, colleges and education organisations where the challenge fits.
Do you work in-person or remotely?
Remote across the UK and internationally.
How do we start?
A 30-minute scoping conversation. No prep needed: a paragraph of context is enough. If the brief is clearer, an outline is welcome but not required.