STRS – Student Teachers Rating System App

Product:
STRS is a mobile app that allows students to rate their lecturers and teachers based on key teaching performance metrics such as teaching effectiveness, classroom management, and communication skills. It empowers students to provide anonymous, constructive feedback to help improve the quality of teaching.

Project Overview

Duration:
October 2023 – November 2023 (1 month)

My Role:
Product Designer (UI/UX, Research and Branding)

Responsibilities:

• Conducting user research and surveys with students
• Creating wireframes and prototypes
• Performing usability tests
• Designing intuitive flows for course feedback and payment
• Ensuring the app is easy to use for students of all technical skill levels

The Problem

• Teachers rarely receive regular performance feedback from students.
• Traditional evaluation methods are often influenced by popularity or leniency in grading.
• Evaluation results are not easily accessible or actionable for teachers.

The Goal

To build a platform that enables:

• Students to give anonymous, unbiased feedback
• Lecturers/teachers to improve their teaching based on specific insights
• A transparent and constructive evaluation process

Understanding the User

User Research Summary

User research was conducted through student interviews and surveys. Key assumptions were validated, such as students’ willingness to provide feedback especially when anonymity was guaranteed.

Key Insights:

• Students are more likely to provide honest feedback if anonymous.
• Students are capable of offering detailed, constructive feedback on teaching performance.
• Feedback tools need to be simple and quick to use.

User Personas

Key Takeaway

Linda - Student, Awka ("I want to provide feedback that can improve quality teaching")

Aisha - Student, Nsukka ("I want to provide honest feedback without confronting anyone")

Design Process

 I conducted user journey mapping, created wireframes and mockups, and iterated based on early-stage feedback and usability testing.

Empathize → Define → Ideate → Prototype → Test

User Journey Mapping

Starting the Design

Paper Wireframes

I sketched out ideas focused on simplifying course review and creating a seamless payment flow for academic services.

Digital Wireframes

Digital wireframes reflected personalized course review screens and easy access to payment.

Low-Fidelity Prototype

The prototype enabled users to:

• Submit course feedback
• Rate lecturers on specific criteria
• Access payment features with fewer steps

Usability Study Findings

Participants:
5 students and 5 lecturers

Key Findings:

Refining the Design

Mockups

Design changes included:

• Clear visual sections for navigation and feature access
• Streamlined UI for adding courses and submitting reviews

Accessibility Considerations

• High-contrast colors for visual clarity
• Screen reader compatibility for visually impaired users
• Large font sizes for readability

Takeaways

Impact:
The app was well-received by both students and lecturers. A lecturer noted it helped them track teaching effectiveness and improve engagement based on real student insights.

What I Learned:
Designing STRS taught me the importance of empathy in UX — especially for students hesitant to speak up. It also emphasized the need for anonymity, simplicity, and clear value for both users.

Next Steps

• Conduct another round of usability testing
• Refine the feedback flow and feature navigation
• Publish the app on Google Play Store and Apple App Store

Tools Used

Figma • User Testing• Google Forms