LernSax
better communication for schools, students, and parents
“Extremely cumbersome platform.”
– Anonymous OpenPetition Participant
status quo
LernSax is widely used by public schools in the German state of Saxony, but the platform is cumbersome to navigate, has limited features, and lacks modern appeal.
challenge
Parents want an easy way to stay up to date with their kids’ academic activities and requirements in order to help them succeed at school, but the outdated design and feature limitations leave parents feeling helpless and under-informed.
core issues
unintuitive features
confusing navigation
unclear hierarchy
lack of visual language
non-responsive design
objectives
modernize UI
replace clutter with value
improve navigation
limitations
limited access to target users
time/resource constraints
unclear privacy boundaries
vision
Transform LernSax into a modern communication tool to help parents stay connected, informed, and confidently involved in their child’s school life.
user research
After identifying three parent user groups—the first-time school parent, parent representative, and part-time parent—I was able to better understand their unique needs and make initial design decisions around the core issues.
I had to make a tradeoff early in the process and focus on parent users despite the experiences of teachers and parents being undeniably intertwined. But due to a lack of access to educator user groups and limited time, I chose to use AI tools to provide an educator's perspective during the process.
Alma, 32
"As a first-time school parent, I want to understand what is expected of me so that I can help my child succeed."
sketches and wireframes
The iterative process addressed parents’ needs by focusing on core feature design.
Feature highlights: HOME
notifications/reminders
interactive calendar
task management
educational blog for parents
school news
simple navigation
Feature highlights: CLASS
task management
teacher announcements
education and course materials
design system
Rethinking the visual language for LernSax meant striking the ideal balance between trustworthy and playful—a highlight of this project for me.
With limited time to research and design for regulatory compliance, I omitted security and privacy features. In reality, I would need to take GDPR guidelines into account, especially around uploading and sharing images of students.
responsive design
It was important that LernSax be accessible on all devices, as users are accessing the platform at home and on-the-go.
With limited access to users, I did not have enough data on the digital literacy of the target group and therefore assumed a medium level while making design decisions. With more time, I would add translation, plain language, and accessibility features to meet key requirements and provide an all-around inclusive experience for every family.