Yasar Shehzad

Graphic designer turned product builder, taking ideas to production with AI and systems.

WORK

18 PROJECTS / 2025—2026

My career started in graphic design. AI-assisted development changed what I could create independently, moving the work from designing experiences into building the products behind them.

Today that thinking extends into software, AI, automation and digital systems.

ABOUT ME →

ABOUT

01 PERSONAL PROFILE // 02 HOW I BUILD

Who I Am

I’m Yasar Shehzad—a product builder, designer, and systems specialist based in London. I operate at the direct intersection of aesthetic craft, software engineering, and organisational workflows.

I don’t belong to the conventional divide between a designer who stops at static mockups or an engineer who treats typography and spatial rhythm as an afterthought.

I believe the most compelling digital experiences happen when high visual standards and technical execution are held by the same hands.

Background & Evolution

My foundation was forged in graphic design, visual identity, and independent publishing. Over several years, I directed brand communications, designed complex editorial publications, and founded publishing imprints that reached global readerships.

That background instilled an obsessive discipline for typography, spatial balance, and visual restraint—core instincts that directly elevate digital software.

When generative AI and modern development tools emerged, I embraced them as ultimate leverage—moving from concept to shipping and maintaining 18+ live products across the iOS App Store and the web.

What I Do & What I Care About

Today, I lead digital innovation and systems infrastructure at Here For Youth. I direct bespoke partner CRMs, internal staff portals, and automated evaluation pipelines that streamline operational delivery across youth programmes.

Concurrently, I build independent software—ranging from computer vision athletic coaching tools like Padel Coach to daily utility companions and cultural web applications.

My ethos is strictly pragmatic: I never chase technology for its own sake.

Whether solving a challenge calls for a native iOS app, an event-driven automation, a clean data schema, or simply a clearer human operating procedure, my goal is always to create tools that feel genuinely useful.

02 // PROGRESSION

HOW I BUILD

The natural progression across visual design, product engineering and system architecture.

01 // FOUNDATION

DESIGN

Rooted in visual design, typography, and layout. Working across brand identities and interfaces established the core instincts I bring to software: visual judgement, spatial balance, and user-centred clarity.

  • Visual judgement & typography
  • Design systems & interface aesthetics
  • Brand identity & creative direction
02 // EXECUTION

PRODUCTS

AI-assisted development permanently removed the prototype handoff barrier. Leveraging modern workflows, I independently architect, build, and deploy full-stack applications across React Native and modern web stacks.

  • Independent full-stack shipping
  • AI-assisted software development
  • React Native & modern web applications
03 // ARCHITECTURE

SYSTEMS

Lasting impact requires operational engines behind the interface. At Here For Youth and in my own work, I design partner CRMs, internal portals, and AI pipelines that streamline organisational delivery.

  • Custom Partner CRMs & internal portals
  • Workflow automation & AI pipelines
  • SOPs & pragmatic process design

"Designing the interface became designing the product. Designing the product became designing the system."

CURRICULUM VITAE

YASAR SHEHZAD // EXPERIENCE, CAPABILITIES & TRACK RECORD

PROFILE

Product builder, designer, and systems specialist with a degree in Multimedia Technology (BSc Hons 2:1) and 15+ years of craft across visual design, independent publishing, mobile/web software, and operational systems.

Leveraging AI-assisted workflows to build and launch 18+ live products across the App Store and web. Currently directing digital systems, mobile apps, and partner infrastructure at Here For Youth (previously Senior Designer & Lead Creative).

EXPERIENCE

Independent Product Builder & Software Developer 2025 — PRESENT
Personal Product Studio · London, United Kingdom

Designing, coding, and launching commercial mobile applications and web products across sports AI, utilities, lifestyle, and culture.

  • Full solo lifecycle ownership: concept, UX/UI interface design, software architecture, and production deployment.
  • Shipped 18+ live products across the iOS & Mac App Store and web with active users and paying subscribers.
  • Engineered Padel Coach, a sports video analysis app using Gemini multimodal AI vision pipelines and prompt engineering for technique grading.
  • Built native iOS and macOS utilities on the Apple App Store (including Prayer Hours for Mac with WidgetKit, BrewLog, Sadaqafy, and WF Muslims) using Swift, React Native, TypeScript, local persistence, and RevenueCat subscription APIs.
  • Developed local-first web platforms and simulation apps including English Khutbah Project (Astro, TypeScript research & case-study platform), My 11 (340+ Legends draft & multi-season Premier League career simulator), and Editor Text (PWA text, code, Markdown/CSV diff & photo editor with native File System Access API).
Digital Innovation & Systems Lead (previously Senior Designer & Lead Creative) 2020 — PRESENT
Here For Youth · London, United Kingdom

Joined in 2020 heading creative direction and brand design; expanded into directing digital transformation, data systems, and technical innovation across youth programmes.

  • Leading ongoing development of bespoke partner CRM and youth data infrastructure supporting 110+ cohorts, structuring relational data schemas and access permissions.
  • Developing automated self-evaluation scoring pipelines and assessment workflows to streamline reporting (ongoing), transforming raw evaluations into real-time metrics.
  • Designing and deploying internal staff platforms, secure resource portals, and digital knowledge libraries.
  • Integrating AI-assisted workflows and supporting standard operating procedures (SOPs) to enhance organisational productivity.
  • Designing and developing cross-platform mobile applications and digital tools to support youth engagement and programme delivery.
  • Previously Senior Designer & Lead Creative: directed the full organisational rebrand to Here For Youth ↗ (identity, logo, print collateral, and corporate website) and led creative teams across all design initiatives.
Founder, Author & Publisher 2019 — PRESENT
House of Guidance & Jolly Muslim · London, United Kingdom

Founded and directing two educational publishing imprints—House of Guidance and Jolly Muslim—producing faith-based literature, children’s books, and media distributed worldwide.

  • Author and designer of an Amazon Bestseller in children’s religious education (How to Pray for Kids), published in partnership with Darussalam Publishers.
  • Founded Jolly Muslim ↗, producing illustrated children’s storybooks (such as Ramadan Tales and 30 Bedtime Stories) utilizing custom generative AI illustration workflows and digital colour grading.
  • Directed complete publishing supply chain: manuscript authoring, typographic grid layout (InDesign), prepress CMYK colour management, Amazon KDP on-demand manufacturing specs, and digital distribution.
Creative Director & Digital Designer 2008 — 2019
Independent Practice · London, United Kingdom

Over a decade of independent client practice and entrepreneurial ventures spanning multidisciplinary design, full-lifecycle product development, digital marketing, and web delivery.

  • Delivered comprehensive visual branding, design systems, editorial print collateral, and responsive websites (HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, PHP/WordPress) for diverse UK and international clients across corporate, educational, and charitable sectors.
  • Conducted end-to-end product development and e-commerce experimentation, managing concept research, product manufacturing, packaging design, and logistics for products launched and sold on Amazon.
  • Planned and executed digital marketing strategies, social media campaigns, and conversion funnels to drive organic engagement, audience growth, and customer acquisition.
  • Advised businesses and non-profit leaders on brand positioning, user experience (UX), typographic hierarchy, and visual communication standards.

EDUCATION & QUALIFICATIONS

BSc (Hons) Multimedia Technology 2005 — 2008
University of Greenwich · London, United Kingdom

Graduated with Second Class Honours (Upper Division 2:1). Comprehensive three-year degree programme combining computer science principles, digital multimedia architecture, and interactive interface design.

  • Core Technical Curriculum: Web technologies, software engineering fundamentals, relational database management (SQL), and object-oriented programming.
  • Interface & Media Systems: Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), interface usability heuristics, computer graphics, audio/video digital signal editing, and 3D digital modelling.
  • Dissertation / Final Year Project: Researched, produced, and edited a multimedia documentary project exploring dynamic, non-linear storytelling structures as an alternative to traditional linear documentary filmmaking.