Overview

A single group workspace for the tools students already rely on

The problem

Quercus had collaboration tools, but students weren’t using them

Our research revealed fragmented information, unclear organization, and missing features students expected.

What we found

Design goals

Three goals, one for each problem we found

Exploration

Research synthesis, ideation and early concepts. Select an image to enlarge it.

Solution

A unified workspace that streamlines files, communication, and submissions into one clear, collaborative flow

One workspace, connected to the tools students already use

Bring files from tools students already use into one shared space, with automatic syncing and file sharing so nothing gets lost across platforms.

Actionable group status and controls

Give students clear visibility and control over their group, including status updates, group locking, and the ability to move between groups.

Group-friendly submission options

Allow groups to select and submit files together, either as a shared copy or the original document, so submissions match how teams actually collaborate.

Conclusion

Small, focused changes can transform underused tools into an effective shared workspace

This project shows the impact of focused, research-driven design changes. Here are some takeaways.

Overview

Training students to think before they prompt

The problem

Students know the downsides of AI, but keep relying on it

Our brief asked how we might encourage responsible AI use that strengthens critical thinking rather than replacing it. Every survey respondent said people around them use generative AI.

What the research showed

Why students use it

What would change their habits

Choosing a direction

Awareness alone doesn’t change behaviour, so we chose to build skills

Key takeaway: students are using AI more than they understand it, creating a need for tools that support mindful use without replacing critical thinking. Each of us spent 15 minutes sketching, then we synthesized the ideas into three directions.

Exploration

Research synthesis, ideation and early concepts. Select an image to enlarge it.

Solution

A clean, trustworthy app with structured exercises that encourage active thinking before AI interaction

A dashboard that makes daily practice easy

Students see their daily goal, streak and score, and pick an exercise such as Quality Check, Who wrote it?, Prompt Lab or Spot the Bias.

Personalized training from the first screen

Onboarding asks which AI skills a student wants to train, from prompt engineering to spotting bias, so the dashboard reflects their goals.

Interactive exercises that reinforce mindful use

Students tell human and AI writing apart, spot a biased prompt, improve a vague prompt, and tag the flaws in an AI response, such as hallucinations or weak reasoning.

Impact

The future isn’t about avoiding AI, but about learning how to exist with it

AIBoost aims to make mindful AI use a habit. Here is what it supports.

Overview

Shake Shack’s look, with the ordering habits people already know

The research

Good kiosks put simplicity, speed and clarity first

Design pitch

Keep the Shake Shack identity, follow fast-food conventions

Iteration

Five user tests shaped four changes

Solution

From “Order here” to “Thank you” in a few clear screens

Design system

One typeface, a small palette

Images and text from shakeshack.ca/menu. Also referenced: Shack Kiosk case study and McDonald’s self-order kiosk.