Classroom Connect
Redesigning a smart-classroom experience with a projected 30-40% gain in satisfaction through streamlined process flows & a scalable UI built on Atomic Design Principles
Background
From Visual Refresh to Full System Redesign for a Smarter Classroom
The IoT-based Smart Classroom system aims to reduce energy, paper, and labor inefficiencies by automating classroom electrical components and replacing the traditional roll-call attendance system in Indian educational institutions.
Classroom Connect serves as the mobile interface for users to interact with the Smart Classroom system.
The project began as a visual refresh to modernise the mobile application, but discovery research revealed deeper usability gaps. This shifted the scope into a complete system experience redesign.
Target Users
The Humans in the Automation Loop
The system’s value isn’t just in the automation but also in how it reduces friction for the people using it every day.
Classroom Connect is the interface through which professors and students interact with the Smart Classroom system, making it the core touchpoint for the user experience.
Rekha Ganitkar
The Professor
I need a reliable and efficient way to track classroom attendance, manage sessions, and reduce manual reporting. What matters most is clarity in the dashboard and quick access to student records.
Rohan Chhuttiwale
The Student
I just want quick access to my attendance stats and class updates. The app should be easy to navigate, with clear visuals that help me stay informed.
Initial Problem Space
Outdated UI Needed Modernization
The application’s interface didn't meet the expectations of modern mobile design. Its look and feel were dated, with no clear design language or consistency across screens. The absence of a structured component system made it difficult to scale or maintain, resulting in a fragmented user experience.
Initial Research Approach & Methods
Auditing the System to Uncover Experience Gaps
A combination of UI audit and heuristic analysis was used to evaluate the existing mobile application. The goal was to assess visual consistency, information hierarchy, and the completeness of critical user flows.
UI Audit
Current Mobile Application
Evaluating visual consistency and clarity across the interface
Heuristic Analysis
Current Mobile Application
Identifying usability issues and missing functionality in essential flows
Initial Research Insights
Identifying Key Pain Points and a Critical Flow Disruption
Students lacked visibility into how missed classes affected attendance and eligibility
No options for recovery from biometric hardware failure
Lack of color harmony, information hierarchy & reusable component system.
Lack of Visibility into System Status Stood Out as Critical
Among the insights from heuristic analysis, the absence of system status visibility stood out. It required deeper analysis to understand why it wasn’t implemented in the original design and whether it could be introduced in the new redesign.
New Research Approach & Methods
Investigating Visibility Issues and Key Workflow
To explore the lack of system status visibility, I first analyzed system UML diagrams and modeled workflows, then used semi-structured interviews with students and professors to surface insights and pain points along the process flows.
Workflow Modeling
System UML Diagrams
Identifying usability issues and missing functionality in essential flows
Semi-structured Interviews
9 Students & 6 Professors
Evaluating visual consistency and clarity across the interface
New Research Insights
Understanding Friction in Session Management
The system only offered live start/stop for sessions, with no options for pre-scheduled classes
Professors reported having to manually start each class, adding administrative burden
Students reported that missing start notifications caused them to miss classes altogether
Goal
How Might We...
Enable professors and students to manage and track class sessions without relying on live-only activation, reducing missed attendance and improving visibility into schedules and eligibility.
