Waveyn
Co-Founder & Lead Designer
Connecting aspiring students with experienced advisors through a seamless platform
Project Overview
As Co-Founder and Lead Product Designer at Waveyn, I'm helping build a revolutionary platform that connects aspiring master's students with experienced advisors who can provide valuable insights and guidance in exchange for compensation.
Waveyn solves the information gap problem by creating a marketplace where knowledge seekers can directly connect with knowledge providers through scheduled video calls, using our proprietary currency called "Waves" to facilitate transactions and access premium features.
Waveyn's intuitive dashboard interface for students and advisors
My Role
- •Lead Product Designer
- •UX Research
- •Frontend Development
- •User Testing
- •Product Strategy
Tech Stack
The Challenge
The higher education landscape presents several challenges for aspiring master's students:
- 1Information Gap: Prospective students lack access to personalized insights about programs, application processes, and student life
- 2Time Zone Barriers: Global applicants struggle to connect with current students or alumni across different time zones
- 3Incentive Structure: Current students and alumni lack motivation to share their valuable time and knowledge
- 4Scheduling Complexity: Coordinating meetings between advisors and students across global time zones creates logistical challenges
Our Solution
Waveyn is a comprehensive platform that bridges the information gap by connecting aspiring master's students with experienced advisors through a seamless, incentive-driven marketplace.
Key Features
- Advanced Search
Students can search for advisors by university, program name, or advisor name to find the perfect match
- Smart Scheduling
Timezone-aware scheduling system that displays available slots in the user's local time
- "Waves" Currency System
Proprietary digital currency that incentivizes advisors and unlocks premium features
- Integrated Video Calls
Seamless video conferencing directly within the platform for a frictionless experience
- Verified Advisors
All advisors are verified to ensure authenticity and quality of guidance
- Flexible Scheduling
Book sessions in advance or find immediate availability for urgent questions
For Students
- •Access personalized insights from current students and alumni
- •Make informed decisions about program applications
- •Schedule calls that fit their timezone and availability
- •Purchase "Waves" to access premium advisors and features
For Advisors
- •Monetize their knowledge and experience
- •Set their own availability and pricing
- •Build a reputation through ratings and reviews
- •Help shape the future of aspiring students
Future Integrations
We're actively developing AI-powered features to enhance the Waveyn experience:
- •Generative AI for personalized advisor recommendations
- •Agentic AI assistants to help with scheduling and reminders
- •AI-powered insights from aggregated advisor knowledge
The Waveyn Platform
Connecting knowledge seekers with knowledge providers worldwide
Research & Discovery
User Interviews
Conducted 25+ interviews with students, teachers, and administrators to understand pain points and needs.
Market Analysis
Analyzed 12 competing platforms to identify gaps and opportunities in the educational technology space.
User Personas
Created 5 detailed user personas representing different stakeholders in the educational ecosystem.
Key Insights
Our research revealed several critical insights that guided our design approach:
- •Students prefer interactive content over passive reading
- •Educators need simplified analytics dashboards
- •Personalized learning paths increase engagement by 40%
- •Mobile accessibility is essential for modern students
Development Process
Technical Architecture
We implemented a modern, scalable architecture with separate frontend and backend repositories to enable independent development and deployment cycles. This separation allows our team to work efficiently while maintaining a cohesive product.
The frontend is built with Next.js and hosted on Vercel, while the backend uses Node.js with Express and is deployed on AWS. This architecture provides the flexibility and performance needed for our real-time scheduling and video conferencing features.
Architecture Highlights
- •Microservices: Separate services for user management, scheduling, and payments
- •RESTful API: Well-documented endpoints for all platform functionality
- •MongoDB Atlas: Cloud-hosted database with automatic scaling
- •Auth0 Integration: Secure authentication and authorization
- •Cloudinary: Media management for profile images and content
Solving the Timezone Challenge
One of our biggest technical challenges was creating a scheduling system that seamlessly handles different timezones for users across the globe. We developed a custom solution that:
- 1Automatically detects the user's timezone and displays all available slots in their local time
- 2Handles daylight saving time transitions transparently
- 3Provides clear indicators of the advisor's local time to avoid confusion
- 4Sends timezone-aware notifications and calendar invites
The "Waves" Currency System
How Waves Work
- •Students purchase Waves through our secure payment gateway
- •Waves are used to book calls with advisors at their set rates
- •Advisors earn Waves that can be converted to real currency
- •The system handles all transaction records and payment processing
- •Future plans include using Waves for premium content and events
Our proprietary "Waves" currency system is central to Waveyn's business model. It creates a frictionless transaction experience while providing the necessary incentives for advisors to share their valuable time and knowledge.
The Waves system required careful implementation of secure payment processing, wallet management, and transaction tracking. We built a robust backend that handles all financial operations with appropriate security measures and audit trails.
Technical Implementation
Authentication
We implemented Auth0 for secure user authentication, providing:
- •Social login options
- •JWT-based authentication
- •Role-based access control
- •Secure password policies
Scheduling System
Our custom scheduling system features:
- •Timezone-aware calendar
- •Availability management
- •Conflict prevention
- •Calendar integrations
- •Automated reminders
Video Conferencing
Our integrated video solution provides:
- •In-app video calls
- •Screen sharing capabilities
- •Chat functionality
- •Recording options
- •Fallback mechanisms
Future Technical Roadmap
We're actively developing several technical enhancements to further improve the Waveyn platform:
AI Integrations
- •Advisor matching algorithms based on student preferences
- •Automated scheduling assistants
- •Conversation insights and summaries
Platform Expansion
- •Native mobile applications for iOS and Android
- •API expansion for third-party integrations
- •Enhanced analytics for advisors and administrators
User Experience
Intuitive User Flow
Sign Up
Users create an account and specify whether they're a student seeking advice or an advisor offering guidance.
Find Advisors
Students search for advisors by university, program, or specific expertise using our advanced filtering system.
Schedule Call
Students select an available time slot from the advisor's calendar, displayed in their local timezone.
Connect
At the scheduled time, both parties join the integrated video call platform for their session.
Accessibility & Inclusivity
We've designed Waveyn with accessibility as a core principle, ensuring that users of all abilities can navigate and use the platform effectively. Our commitment to inclusivity extends to:
- •WCAG 2.1 AA compliance across all interfaces
- •Keyboard navigation support throughout the application
- •Screen reader compatibility with ARIA attributes
- •Color contrast ratios that exceed minimum requirements
- •Responsive design that works across all device sizes
Global Accessibility
Beyond technical accessibility, we've designed Waveyn to be globally accessible:
- •Timezone-aware features that work for users worldwide
- •Multi-currency support for Waves purchases
- •Plans for multi-language support in future releases
- •Low-bandwidth options for users with limited internet access
Future Plans
Expanding Our Vision
While we're currently focused on the master's student market, our long-term vision for Waveyn extends far beyond this initial scope. We see Waveyn evolving into a comprehensive knowledge marketplace that connects experts and seekers across various domains.
Our roadmap includes expanding into professional mentorship, career coaching, specialized skill development, and other areas where personalized guidance can make a significant impact on someone's journey.
Near-Term Roadmap
- •Mobile applications for iOS and Android
- •Enhanced advisor discovery with AI-powered recommendations
- •Group sessions and webinar capabilities
- •Expanded payment options and subscription models
Long-Term Vision
- •Expansion into new markets beyond higher education
- •AI-powered knowledge assistants built from advisor insights
- •Community-driven content and resource sharing
- •Integration with educational institutions and corporate partners
Conclusion
Waveyn represents a significant step forward in connecting knowledge seekers with knowledge providers. By creating a platform that incentivizes sharing expertise and makes it accessible across time zones and geographical boundaries, we're helping to democratize access to valuable insights and guidance.
As we continue to develop and refine the platform, we remain committed to our core mission: empowering people to make informed decisions about their education and career paths through direct connections with those who have walked similar journeys.
The journey of building Waveyn has been filled with technical challenges, design iterations, and valuable learning experiences. We're excited about the road ahead and the opportunity to create meaningful impact in the lives of students and advisors around the world.