Learn Tech with Friends
Small Group Learning “Squads”
Since the beginning of the pandemic, iD Tech shifted from an in-person model to a fully online experience. While enrollment remained strong, engagement dropped off after purchase, and there wasn’t a clear path for students who wanted a more personalized, social way to continue learning beyond core programs.
To address this, I explored a new concept: small-group “Squads,” designed to make online learning feel more engaging and connected. Students could create their own group and invite friends or join an existing one.
The goal was to combine structured learning with meaningful social interaction, increasing engagement while opening up a new path for repeat participation and revenue.
Role: Lead Designer • UX/UI
Cross-functional partners: Director of Innovation, ENG, PM, Data Analytics, Content
Goals of the project: Create a learning product with a social aspect to improve user adoption and retention rates to generate more revenue
Project status: Live (“Squads” was replaced with the Small Groups format)
Losing the Social Experience in a Fully Online World
THE PROBLEM
With in-person camps shut down, iD Tech moved online but lost the social experience that made learning engaging. At the same time, students were already burned out from virtual school, making it difficult to sustain engagement after enrollment.
User Insights
DESIGN PROCESS: RESEARCH & DISCOVERY
To better understand how to make online learning more engaging, I spoke with students and parents and shared early sketches to explore potential directions.
What I learned:
Students were excited about the idea of learning in smaller, more social groups
Many liked the ability to create their own Squad and invite friends
Parents wanted an easy way to coordinate and share with other families
There were concerns around privacy when sharing student information
Parents needed a clear understanding of the value of an after-school program
Key insight:
A successful solution needed to balance social engagement for students with trust, clarity, and coordination for parents.
DESIGN PROCESS: RESEARCH & DISCOVERY
Concept Exploration
I explored what small-group learning could look like:
Group size and dynamics
Structured vs flexible sessions
How students discover or form a Squad
Instructor-led vs peer-driven interaction
Through early concepts and feedback, I refined toward:
Small, consistent groups
Light structure with social interaction
Clear expectations for participation
DESIGN PROCESS: INTERACTION DESIGN FOR CREATING YOUR SQUAD
Let’s make this fun for the kids
The goal for this UI was to make it fun and engaging for the kids. Using drag gestures for creating their squad was a great way for the user to interact and visualize their squad being created.
Incorporating visual aesthetics
DESIGN PROCESS: UI/VISUAL DESIGN
Since Roblox was one of our most popular courses, I decided to incorporate the image of the Roblox characters on the home screen. Even though the color scheme was playful, I kept the UI design clean and modern.
DESIGN PROCESS: MVP
Shipped product for immediate user value
Students could create a Squad and invite friends or join an existing one
Clear scheduling and expectations
Instructor-led sessions with space for peer interaction
The small-group Squads format boost engagement and impact revenue!
OUTCOME
The new small-group format achieved 60% adoption, directly contributing to $4.5M revenue in 2021.
The company needed to get this to market ASAP so there were a few small tweaks made to the Squads product, which resulted in the small-group class format with similar curriculum and schedule but without the friends invite feature. This is an example of how to ship sooner to meet market needs, deliver user value, and make the company money!
DESIGN PROCESS: REFLECTION
This project required working in an undefined space where both the problem and solution were still taking shape.
Instead of jumping directly to a solution, I focused on understanding user needs, exploring multiple directions, and testing early ideas before committing to a path.
That early learning phase was critical in shaping a product that felt both engaging for students and viable for the business.
