The Commudemy Podcast

Learning That’s Felt, Not Delivered: Adrian Duke on Designing Immersive, Interactive Experiences

• Farhan Quasem • Season 3 • Episode 1

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0:00 | 32:10

🎙️ In this episode, I sit down with Adrian Duke — Co-Founder & CEO of iX Labs — to kick off Season 3 of the Commudemy Podcast with a deep dive into immersive, gamified, and experiential learning.

Based in Vancouver, Adrian leads iX Labs at the intersection of storytelling, spatial design, gaming, and emerging technology. His work challenges traditional approaches to learning by designing experiences that are felt, not just delivered.

Adrian shares his unconventional journey - from building extreme amusement rides and escape rooms to architecting XR-powered learning environments for global brands - and explains why interactivity, emotion, and shared experience are the real drivers of engagement and retention.

We explore:

  •  🎮 How gamification and interaction design transform how teams learn and collaborate
  •  🧠 Why technology should support learning, not distract from it
  •  🌍 The difference between AR, VR, and XR — and how blending physical and digital worlds unlocks deeper engagement
  •  🤝 How experiential learning reveals leadership styles, communication gaps, and team dynamics in real time
  •  📊 What engagement really means — and how data, metrics, and self-reflection shape better learning outcomes
  •  ✨ Why storytelling and emotional connection matter as much as content

Follow and explore more of Adrian’s work:
 🔗 LinkedIn: Adrian Duke
 🌐 iX Labs: ixlabs.ca
📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ix_labs_studio/
 

🎧 Podcast produced by Riti Suresh.