Problem
In Pakistan, millions of people never get the chance to learn. School is too expensive, too far away, or simply out of reach, and many leave early to work or help at home. Without skills, they stay stuck in low-income work they can’t escape.
WorkUX Design
SkilLender
SkilLender is a skill-sharing platform that connects artisans, educators and learners in Pakistan through free hands-on workshops, then sells what students make to help fund the next class.
Solution
SkilLender offers free, hands-on workshops taught by local artisans and business owners. In exchange, each student makes three quality products that are sold online and in stores, so the system pays for itself and keeps growing.
The Challenge
Our brief was the UN’s SDG 4: Quality Education. We focused on target 4.4, increasing the number of youth and adults with real job skills, and chose Pakistan as our case study.
- 258Mchildren and youth worldwide are not enrolled in school
- 773Madults around the world cannot read
- <60%enrollment and literacy rates in Pakistan
- ~2%of Pakistan’s GDP is spent on education
Benchmarking
We studied existing education services and community programs in Pakistan and abroad to find what works and where the gaps are. Most focus on school subjects and need devices many people can’t afford.
Self-Help Groups
Works well
Peer-led, community-owned and personal. Members teach each other relevant skills.
Could improve
Irregular meetings and weak organization.
Taleemabad
Works well
National-standard textbooks, AI teaching support and modular training.
Could improve
Teaches subjects more than skills, and needs digital access.
WWOOF
Works well
A digital platform that connects people in person around hands-on skills.
Could improve
The same model could work for education with a standard program.
Stakeholders
Primary users
Learners
Underprivileged teens and adults who never went to school and want income-generating skills.
Secondary users
Instructors
Artisans, craftsmen, professionals, NGOs and community service organizations.
Tertiary users
Community
Locals who provide space, program directors, store owners in cities and customers.
How It Works
We built a circular system inspired by equipment rental, sliding pay scales, fair-trade shops and the glassblowing “make one, give one” model.
- 01
Learn for free
Students join hands-on workshops at no cost.
- 02
Taught by experts
Artisans and business owners teach and rent out their tools.
- 03
Make three
Each student makes three quality products to “pay” for the class.
- 04
Sold to fund more
Products sell online and in stores on a sliding pay scale.
↻ Sales and donations fund the next workshop, so the system sustains itself.
Sketch Exploration
We each sketched a pamphlet, then tested one combined layout. Feedback pushed us further: a brochure alone couldn’t build a market, so we expanded SkilLender into a website that connects learners, artisans and customers.
Pamphlet prototype
Pamphlet prototype
Pamphlet prototype
Moodboard
We looked for bright but cohesive colors, subtle layering that relates to the place being served, easy-to-read icons, and clear titles with action statements.
User Journey
A learner hears about SkilLender through the website, a community representative or word of mouth, learns a skill in a free workshop, makes three products, and takes the skill into a better job or their own business.
Hear about it→Learn a skill→Make three products→Build a livelihood
Low Fidelity Prototype
HomeMission
Featured vendors
Featured vendors
AboutOur story
Our impact
Our impact
WorkshopsFind a class
Meet the makers
Meet the makers
ProductsBrowse work
Support the next class
Support the next class
CommunityAsk a question
Share a skill
Share a skill
EARLY WEBSITE WIREFRAME STRUCTURE
Usability Study
We shared the wireframes in critique to see how clearly the workshop schedule came across.
Insights
- The overall wireframe worked well.
- Workshops were hard to scan and plan around as a list.
Improvements
We added a calendar with a different color for each workshop, so learners can tell sessions apart at a glance and plan ahead. The color-coded meetups appear on the Community page.
Logo
We explored several marks before landing on a simple, warm symbol that pairs the green of growth with the orange and yellow of handmade craft.
SkilLender
Color Palette
We chose warm, bright colors that feel hopeful without being childish. #0B966C stands for growth and drives every action, #FF7C4B and #FBBA4E bring the warmth of handmade craft, #313484 anchors headlines, and #F7F4F1 keeps everything soft and readable.
- #0b966cGrowth
- #ff7c4bCraft
- #fbba4eWarmth
- #313484Headlines
- #b2c3f7Calm
- #f7f4f1Base
Typography
The reference pairs bold Montserrat headlines with a clean body face. This page keeps the site’s Montserrat typography and fluid text sizing throughout.
MontserratAa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz1234567890 .,;’!@#$%^&*
UI Kit
The brand mark, palette, type and reusable interface pieces come together as one toolkit for the platform.
High Fidelity Website
The final concept brings the learning journey, shop and community into a single connected experience.
Home page
A clear mission up front, featured vendors, and the story behind SkilLender.
Workshops page
Filter by craft, see who’s teaching and when, and register in one tap.
Products page
Every product is handmade by a workshop learner, with the maker’s name on each card.
Product details
Photos, specifications, price in rupees and related items from other makers.
Community page
A learning inquiry board, a form to share a skill, and color-coded meetups.
Brochure
A tri-fold brochure brings SkilLender offline, where many learners can’t access the internet. It explains the SDGs, the Pakistan case study, and how students, instructors, stores and donors fit together.
Learn a skill.
Build a future.
Free, hands-on workshops with local makers.
Learn · Make · Share
Student-made products help make the next class possible.
Be part of the community.
Teach a skill, join a workshop, or support a learner.
SKILLENDER · UX DESIGN & BRANDING
Learn a skill.
Make it matter.
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