DIGITAL BRANDING AND OPERATIONAL PROCESS DESIGN IN A LEARNING FACTORY PROJECT: A CASE STUDY OF NASI KULIT AYAM SAMALA

Abstrak

This article reports a fourth-semester Learning Factory (LEFA) project that integrated digital branding development with operational process design. The project used two complementary objects: a simulated culinary business, Nasi Kulit Ayam Samala, and an observation-based analysis of a real Japanese workforce placement company, referred to in this article as Partner Company A. A descriptive project-based approach was used to document branding decisions, digital content development, process-flow design, and external observation of the partner company’s public digital presence. For the simulated business, the project produced a brand name, revised logo, visual identity, Instagram-based communication plan, promotional content, and online and offline purchasing flowcharts. For Partner Company A, the project examined brand identity, brand voice, unique selling proposition, SWOT/TOWS, website and social-media presentation, and search-oriented content. The results show that the LEFA project connected brand decisions with customer-facing processes rather than treating digital branding and operations as separate activities. The operational design translated customer contact, ordering, production, payment, packaging, and delivery into explicit process steps, while the branding work provided a consistent identity for digital communication. The project also identified limitations, particularly the absence of direct interviews with the partner company, limited product photography for the simulation, and the student’s limited experience with process mapping. Therefore, the outcomes should be interpreted as learning and design outputs rather than evidence of commercial performance. The study demonstrates the value of Learning Factory activities for developing applied digital-business competencies through structured, practice-oriented work.