The National Commercial Real Estate Association (NCREA)
Bringing in-person expertise into scalable online learning
The Challenge
The National Commercial Real Estate Association (NCREA) had long delivered training through in-person experiences. During the pandemic, offerings shifted online via Zoom but as in-person events returned, NCREA saw an opportunity to expand its reach through asynchronous online learning.
However, this was new territory.
NCREA needed to:
- Translate instructor-led content into structured online courses
- Develop a second course entirely from scratch
- Support subject matter experts with deep industry experience—but no formal training in education
- Build a scalable approach to online learning without an established LMS
The challenge was establishing a new model for delivering education.
The Partnership
Six Red Marbles partnered with The NCREA to guide its transition into online learning. Acting as both instructional design partner and strategic advisor, SRM worked closely with NCREA stakeholders to shape content, align learning experiences, and build a foundation for future course development.
The Strategy
SRM applied a learning experience design approach focused on both course development and capability building:
This approach ensured that The NCREA was not only developing courses, but building the internal understanding needed to sustain online learning efforts.
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What SRM Designed & Developed
Working collaboratively with The NCREA, SRM supported the development of two online courses:
In addition, SRM provided learning experience design review and production support for course-related assets, including short screencast videos to showcase course content.
The Learning Experience
The courses were designed for adult learners, balancing practical industry insights with structured learning design.
Content was organized into clear modules with defined objectives, supported by a mix of learning activities, discussions, and assessments. SRM worked closely with The NCREA’s subject matter experts to shape personal experience–driven content into cohesive, engaging learning experiences.
The result is a structured yet flexible learning environment that reflects the real-world nature of commercial real estate while supporting learner understanding and progression.
The Impact
Through this engagement, The NCREA established its first foundation for asynchronous online learning.
- Developed two online courses to expand beyond in-person and live delivery
- Transformed expert-driven content into structured, learner-centered experiences
- Created a repeatable approach to course development
- Built internal confidence in designing and delivering online learning
By combining instructional design expertise with close collaboration, SRM helped The NCREA move from concept to implementation in a new modality.
Why It Matters
For organizations rooted in in-person instruction, moving online requires more than content conversion—it requires a shift in how learning is structured and delivered.
By partnering with Six Red Marbles, The NCREA was able to translate its expertise into scalable online learning while building the internal capability to continue evolving its offerings.
SRM took great care to not only help me create my product but also listened to and applied my vision for my company. In addition, they were able to break down my business person jargon into learning objectives making it easier to understand.
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