Design projects • • • GradeCraft
GradeCraft
GradeCraft is a learning management platform that supports gameful instruction, a pedagogical approach inspired by techniques and methods found in well-designed games. I worked on GradeCraft during my time at the University of Michigan’s Center for Academic Innovation.
As lead designer on this project, I was in charge of:
- Refreshing the visual brand and unifying the inconsistencies
- Designing the platform’s UI for all audiences—instructors, teaching assistants, and students
- Advising on all user experiences and best design practices
- Leading a small team of student interns
Over 4 years, I also:
- Redesigned multiple features and improved the user experience
- Actively implemented front-end code (HTML/HAML/SASS/CSS/Vue.js) to build my designs with the software development team
- Coordinated with our UX research team
Animation
The brand refresh focused on condensing the color palette and making it more color-contrast accessible, applying typography and information hierarchy, and leaning into being gameful via visual and animated assets.
Mountains are an existing important theme since GradeCraft’s inception. During the brand refresh, I introduced subtle animations to add a touch of fun discovery while not overpowering the information across the platform.