We started Fladriv because hiring felt broken
Back in 2018, tech companies around Kaohsiung kept telling us they couldn't find designers who actually understood modern interfaces. Not just people with certificates—people who could think through a user flow and build something that worked. So we decided to teach that ourselves.
How We Got Here
2018
Started with twelve students
Ran our first cohort in a borrowed office space. Half the students were career changers, the other half were junior developers tired of bootstrap templates. We taught them component thinking and how to actually talk to users.
2020
Moved everything remote during lockdown
This forced us to rethink how we taught. Turns out screen sharing made code reviews more effective. Students started collaborating across cities. We kept the remote format even after restrictions lifted.
2022
Added advanced interaction modules
Companies needed people who understood animation performance and accessibility. We brought in guest instructors from product teams at Taiwanese tech companies to teach real-world constraints.
2025
Opening spots for autumn programs
We're planning three cohorts starting September 2025 through early 2026. Same hands-on approach, but we've refined the curriculum based on what actually helped past students land roles.
What Matters to Us
These aren't corporate values we printed on posters. They're decisions we made when designing how this program works.
Real projects only
We don't do hypothetical exercises. Students work on interfaces for actual local businesses and nonprofits. Sometimes the work goes live. Sometimes it doesn't. Either way, they learn what happens when real people use what you build.
Small cohorts on purpose
We cap groups at eighteen people because that's how many we can actually give feedback to each week. Code reviews take time. Answering questions properly takes time. We're not trying to scale this into some massive operation.
Flexible pacing options
Some students have full-time jobs. Some are between roles. We run evening sessions and weekend workshops so people can fit this around their lives. You'll still need to put in around ten hours a week, but when those hours happen is up to you.
Who Teaches Here
We're designers and developers who spent years working in product teams before we started teaching. Most of us still take freelance projects to stay current with what's actually being used.
Linnea Vesterholm
Lead Instructor
Spent eight years at a fintech startup building admin dashboards that processed millions of transactions. Now I teach the interaction patterns I wish someone had shown me when I was starting out—particularly around form validation and error states that don't make users feel stupid.
Visiting Industry Mentors
Guest Instructors
Each term we bring in designers from local product companies to run specialized workshops. Past sessions covered design systems at scale, mobile-first responsive patterns, and how to present work to stakeholders who don't understand design terminology.
Want to Know More About Our Programs?
contact@fladriv.com
Phone
+886426866138
Location
Kaohsiung, Taiwan