BUTUAN CITY, Philippines — Digital design is more than making a poster look good. For entrepreneurs promoting their businesses and freelancers building their creative skills, it is also about understanding an audience, communicating an idea, and turning that idea into a visual experience.
This was the premise behind Digital Poster Design for Humans, a free, four-hour experiential workshop conducted by One Tadhana Inc. through its Tadhana Skills Lab on October 24, 2026, at the Digital Transformation Center – Butuan, DICT Caraga.
Held in collaboration with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Caraga, the activity involved the ICT Industry Development Bureau (IIDB) and Balangay Tech Tribe in the broader collaborative effort to bring practical digital learning opportunities closer to local communities.
The workshop welcomed participants interested in improving their digital design capabilities, including micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) owners seeking to strengthen their business branding and freelancers looking to further develop their design skills.
Using Canva as a practical design tool, participants explored the fundamentals of creating digital graphics and promotional posters while engaging with design thinking concepts that help connect visual choices with communication goals.
Learning design by doing
Rather than a conventional lecture on graphic design tools, the session was structured as an experiential learning activity. Participants were encouraged to explore ideas, make design decisions, experiment with visual elements, and consider how their outputs could communicate more effectively to their intended audiences.
The workshop brought together two complementary disciplines: digital design, which provides the tools and techniques for producing visual materials, and design thinking, which encourages people to understand the needs of their audience, frame problems, explore possibilities, and develop solutions.
This approach helped place design in a broader context. A business poster, for example, is not simply a collection of images, colors, and text. It is a communication tool that must help the intended audience understand a message and decide what to do next.
For MSMEs, these skills can support product promotion, brand visibility, and customer engagement. For freelancers, they can strengthen their ability to approach creative assignments with greater intention and communicate the thinking behind their design decisions.
The workshop reflected One Tadhana’s philosophy that meaningful learning happens when participants can connect new concepts with practical application.
“Digital design should not feel intimidating or exclusive to people with a creative background. We want people to realize that with the right guidance, they can communicate their ideas, promote their businesses, and tell their stories more effectively,” said Owen Jaen, Chief Experience Officer of One Tadhana Inc.
Strong interest signals demand for practical learning
The response to the free pocket session was immediate. The initial 25 participant slots were filled in less than two hours after the event announcement was published, prompting the organizers to open a second batch to accommodate additional interested learners.
The response reflected interest in accessible, hands-on learning opportunities that go beyond introducing software features and instead help participants develop skills they can apply in their businesses, freelance work, and other professional pursuits.
The workshop was facilitated by Owen Jaen of One Tadhana Inc., together with Aldwin Roble, the creative lead of both Tadhana’s The Brand Kolektiv, and Diseño, was supported through collaboration with DICT Caraga, the ICT Industry Development Bureau (IIDB) and Balangay Tech Tribe.
Continuing the learning journey in 2027
Building on the positive response to the October workshop, One Tadhana and its collaborators are lining up additional free pocket sessions for 2027, continuing the collaboration between the institutions.
The upcoming sessions are envisioned to provide more opportunities for entrepreneurs, freelancers, and other interested learners to explore practical skills relevant to their work and evolving digital needs. Specific topics, schedules, and registration details will be announced as plans are finalized.
The continuing initiative highlights the potential of collaboration among public institutions, private organizations, and local practitioners to make relevant learning experiences more accessible.
For One Tadhana, the objective is not simply to teach participants how to operate a digital tool. It is to create experiences that help people think differently about challenges, explore possibilities, and turn what they learn into something useful beyond the training room.
As digital communication becomes increasingly important to how businesses and independent professionals connect with their audiences, the ability to combine thoughtful design with practical digital skills can help more people participate confidently in the digital economy.
Designing experiences that make learning meaningful
The workshop forms part of One Tadhana’s broader commitment to experience design and capacity-building through Tadhana Skills Lab.
As an experience design company, One Tadhana approaches learning as more than the delivery of information. It designs experiences that bring people into the process of discovery, participation, experimentation, and application.
Through its pocket sessions, the company aims to make relevant skills more approachable and actionable, helping individuals, organizations, and communities translate learning into meaningful outcomes.
With further free sessions being planned for 2027, One Tadhana and its collaborators look forward to extending these learning opportunities and exploring more ways to connect digital capabilities, creative thinking, and practical community needs.
About One Tadhana Inc.
One Tadhana Inc. is a Philippine experience design company that develops experiences, learning programs, and creative solutions for people, organizations, and communities. Through Tadhana Skills Lab, the company delivers practical, experiential learning opportunities designed to translate knowledge into meaningful real-world applications.