Substitute Scheduler
A scheduling tool born from a real problem: substitute teachers coordinated over text, and it showed.
01 · Context
A scheduling mix-up that was hard to un-see
My wife was working as a substitute teacher, and I noticed she'd be asked about scheduling over text, but then she showed up the same day as another sub who'd been booked for the same slot. That struck me as a problem worth solving.
02 · Research
Talking to the people who actually schedule
I talked with my wife, several other teachers, and the Vice Principal in charge of scheduling. The existing tools didn't give the VP the control she wanted, and had no easy-to-use mobile version for scheduling on the fly or checking status at a glance. From those conversations, I took design inspiration from the teachers' fun, playful attitude.
03 · Early concepts
Getting the idea out of my head
I started with wireframes and explored splash screen layouts and app icon directions to find the app's personality early.
04 · Administrator website
Starting with the VP's side of the problem first
I chose to design the admin website next. I started with a quick list of tabs and top-level needs per page, then small wireframes to work out detailed content, followed by a larger paper layout. Competitive research showed me what similar programs included, and my interviews told me what was missing.
05 · Structure & IA
Deciding what's a drawer, a pop-up, or a page
Moving to the computer let me push elements around and see real sizing and color relationships. To keep the structure honest as I laid out pages, I built a full site IA alongside it — working out what should be a drawer, modal, menu, or a new page entirely.
06 · A quick test surfaces a gap
Adding the Home tab everything else was missing
A short test/feedback session made it clear I was missing a Home page — the most important view: today and tomorrow's status at a glance. I added it to the tab layout and updated the IA to match.