Google Classroom, Reorganized
Aligning digital course organization with real classroom rhythms.
This project explores a weekly-based structure for organizing course materials, helping students find what they need faster and follow the flow of class more clearly.
Studio-based, laptop-centric courses rely on predictable weekly structure.
SOLUTION overview
PROBLEM
Structural Friction
When digital structure does not align with classroom rhythm:
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Time is spent searching rather than learning.
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Weekly continuity is disrupted.
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Navigation patterns must be relearned.
RESEARCH
Research Methods
Think Aloud Interviews · Observations · Upload Pattern Review
problem_01
Mental Model Mismatch
Students recall coursework week-by-week, while Google Classroom organizes content by file type and chronology.
“When I try to review Week 5, I end up scrolling through everything.”
— MDes Student Interview
This misalignment leads to:
→ Fragmented navigation across materials and assignments
→ Increased scrolling
→ Reduced clarity in weekly workflows
Problem_02
Cross-Instructor Inconsistency
“Every professor organizes things differently.”
— MDes Student Interview
When upload structures vary across instructors, students need to relearn navigation patterns each semester.
→ Naming conventions
→ Grouping logic
→ Posting order
Goal
Redesign course organization to align digital structure with classroom rhythm and reduce cross-course variability.
solution
Standardized Upload Structure
A unified upload pattern that organizes materials by:
Week → Topic → Materials → Assignments
Three behavioral patterns
01. Students recall coursework week-by-week.
02. Upload variability reduces predictability.
03. Materials and tasks are experienced as a
continuous flow.
Three structural shifts:
01. A week-based primary navigation
02. A standardized weekly hierarchy
03. A milestone-aligned project structure
Design decisions
Redesign course organization to align digital structure with classroom rhythm and reduce cross-course variability.
Key Insights_01
Students recall coursework week-by-week.
Design Decision_01
Introduce Week-Based Navigation Tabs.
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Weekly tabs surface content chronologically.
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Each week acts as a predictable unit of organization.
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Reduces reliance on scrolling through mixed content.
Key Insights_02
Upload patterns vary across instructors, reducing predictability.
Different naming conventions, grouping logic, and posting orders force students to relearn navigation patterns each semester.
Design Decision_02
Create system-level consistency,
Standardize the upload hierarchy:
Week → Materials → Assignments
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Materials and assignments follow the same structure across courses.
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Weekly grouping reduces structural variability.
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Predictable layout improves navigation clarity.
Key Insights_03
Digital structure should align with in-class workflow.
Studio courses follow a natural rhythm: research, iteration, critique, presentation. Digital organization should reflect that progression.
Design Decision_03
01.
Bundle materials & assignments within each week
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Maintains in-class continuity
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Prevents fragmentation between resources and tasks
02.
Introduce Milestone-Based Project Structure
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Aligns project phases with academic progression
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Makes long-term work reflect classroom pace
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Separates project flow from weekly content
Impact
Before
Content grouped by file type and chronology
After
Content structured by week and milestone progression
REFLECTION
Structural Thinking
Within Product Constraints
This project reshaped how I approach usability problems. The friction students experienced was not a surface-level interface issue, but a structural misalignment between classroom rhythm and digital organization.
Designing within the constraints of an existing SaaS platform required focusing on structural consistency rather than visual redesign.
What I learned
01. Consistency can reduce cognitive effort without increasing complexity.
02. Alignment with real-world behavior creates more intuitive systems.
03. Meaningful improvement can emerge from reorganizing existing
components, not expanding functionality.