Sqwads: Connecting learners to real-world projects that build practical experience.
A platform that bridge the gap between learning and doing by connecting interns & career-transitioning people to projects.
My Role
Product Designer (UX/UI Designer), UX Researcher, Design System
Collaborators
Designer, PM, CEO & Engineers
Platform
Webapp and Website
About Sqwads
Many people struggle to gain real-world experience while learning. Traditional courses often teach theory but don’t give students or career-switchers the chance to work on real tech projects.
Sqwads changes that by connecting learners, designers, developers, AI specialists, PMs, and even CTOs to live projects where they can collaborate, practice real skills, and create actual work they can show to recruiters.
The Challenge
Sqwads needed to support multiple user types; learners, mentors, and administrators, without creating confusion or friction.
Learners needed access to meaningful projects and visible progress, mentors needed tools to guide and track teams effectively, and administrators required oversight across users and projects. At the same time, collaboration, fairness, and skill growth had to remain central to the experience.
Understanding User Needs
Research highlighted clear differences in motivation and responsibility. Learners focused on gaining experience and building portfolios, mentors prioritised guidance and progress tracking, and all users needed simple, reliable ways to collaborate.
Across roles, users valued clarity, feedback on growth, and outcomes they could measure and present.
Design Direction
The platform was structured around clearly defined roles, each with a focused interaction model.
Learners are guided toward discovery, collaboration, and portfolio building; mentors are equipped to support teams and track progress; administrators maintain visibility and platform integrity, all within a shared system.
Core Features & Solutions
Homepage
The homepage provides a clear overview of projects, mentors, chats, and skills. It’s designed to prevent confusion and ensure users know where to start, avoiding overwhelm common in multi-role platforms.
Project Page
Users can browse and join real-world tech projects. This feature focuses on practical outcomes rather than theory, helping learners gain skills that matter in actual work settings.
Mentor Section
Learners can book sessions, while mentors track progress and manage mentees. This ensures guidance is structured and measurable, avoiding the common problem of unorganized mentoring.
Portfolio Page
Completed projects feed directly into a portfolio visible to recruiters. This addresses the critical challenge of translating learning into tangible career outcomes.
Admin Platform
Gives oversight of users, projects, and mentors. This prevents mismanagement and ensures the platform scales while keeping operations smooth and transparent.
Settings Page
Centralizes account and preference management, reducing friction and allowing users to focus on projects instead of administrative tasks.
Other Favourite Screens
Website Design
