Overview
I redesigned digital solutions to help educators improve literacy in the classroom. Using ISTE 2019 as a launch point, we created a testing group of in-classroom users who could provide real feedback during feature development, iterating across both admin and student-facing areas of the application.
Redesigned book checkout for classroom libraries
Challenge
Teachers and students spent too much time on library logistics instead of reading. Checkout was slow, book discovery was limited, and admin tools required repetitive single-title edits that didn't scale for busy classrooms.
- Students waited too long to get new books between sessions
- No ratings or reviews to guide peer book selection
- Teachers lacked bulk editing for classroom inventory
Approach
In partnership with executive staff and our ISTE testing cohort, we ran rapid iteration cycles on checkout, discovery, and admin flows. Research sessions happened in live classrooms so we could observe friction under real time pressure, not just in lab settings.
The student experience got a streamlined checkout path and social proof through ratings and reviews. Admin tools gained multi-title edits and batch operations for library management.
Multi-title library management for teachers
Outcome
- Faster checkoutReduced time for students to get new books through a redesigned checkout process.
- Peer discoveryAdded book ratings and reviews so students could choose titles classmates recommended.
- Admin efficiencyMulti-title edits and batch tools saved teachers hours on library upkeep.