Meenakshi Bose

Background

I joined Feedback Forward in May 2023 as a full-time in-house designer, collaborating directly with the Director of Product Strategy to spearhead a complete redesign of the platform.

Feedback Forward is a powerful tool that transforms classroom dynamics by providing teachers and students with real-time, actionable feedback.

The Challenge

As the team prepared for the upcoming school year, there was an urgent need for design expertise to execute a comprehensive rebrand and develop a thoughtful user experience.

My role was pivotal in ensuring that these objectives were met on time and to a high standard.

One of my key tasks was to set up and manage a new Design System. This was crucial in maintaining consistency across the platform and ensuring that the redesigned met the needs of both teachers and students.

Before & After Design System

Details

While working on the browser extension, I recognized the need to update the website UI to ensure consistency, especially since it was the primary platform for user account setup. To achieve this, I started by creating a component library that included new buttons, typography, and color schemes.

However, as the project expanded and more complex features were introduced, the component library naturally evolved into a comprehensive design system. This system became the backbone of the redesign, ensuring consistency and efficiency across the entire platform.

The Design System needed to scale quickly as new use cases emerged, requiring constant rethinking and expansion. To approach this challenge strategically, I collaborated closely with the Director of Product Strategy and Front-End Engineers to establish short and long-term priorities.

Rapid scalability and modularity were key guiding principles, especially as we worked towards the tight deadline for the MVP launch. This meant prioritizing reusable components and adopting a templated approach to layouts.

Results

In under three months since starting the role, I successfully completed the redesign of Feedback Forward in time for its MVP launch. The Design System I developed was instrumental in ensuring this success:

• Cohesive Rebrand: It established a unified look and feel across the platform, aligning with the new brand identity.
• Decision-Making Framework: The Design System provided a structured set of principles, helping me navigate and resolve conflicting requests from the wider team.
• Streamlined Process: As a solo designer, it allowed me to work efficiently, ensuring that the design process remained smooth and focused.
• Faster Time to Market: By providing developers with a single source of truth and a set of reusable components and patterns, the Design System significantly accelerated the design-to-market timeline.