Case Study
School messaging:
enabling rich education conversations
This classroom management app connects teachers, students, and families to foster strong relationships and supportive communities. the platform boasts over 10 million app installations, making it an essential tool for education communication. I was hired to elevate its communication capabilities by revamping the user-to-user instant messaging features while aligning the design closely with the product strategy to promote paid feature adoption.
Senior designer
2020 – 2022
The challenge
- improve the usability of the existing chat system to better meet the needs of teachers, students, and families
- integrate micro-interactions within the messaging feature to subtly promote upsell opportunities for premium features
- introduce new messaging functionalities while maintaining high UX standards and ensuring alignment with the company’s brand vision
- conduct user testing to validate design decisions and prioritize the most impactful features for development
- address challenges of scalability and reliability, given the platform’s large user base
The solution
- product strategy alignment: collaborated with product managers to ensure the messaging redesign supported the broader product goals, including driving adoption of premium features. designed subtle yet effective micro-interactions to highlight the benefits of paid features, such as group messaging and advanced message filters.
- discovery phase: began by analyzing the existing chat feature to uncover usability pain points and technical constraints. collaborated with cross-functional teams to align on priorities and product goals.
- user research: conducted user interviews and remote usability testing with teachers and parents, leveraging tools like Maze to collect actionable insights. analyzed test results to uncover key patterns in user behavior, challenges, and expectations.
- insight-driven prioritization: synthesized findings from user research and communicated them to the product team to drive data-informed decisions. prioritized features that addressed core user needs while aligning with the company’s business objectives.
- prototyping and testing: created low and high-fidelity prototypes to explore solutions, including enhanced navigation, read receipts, and group chat capabilities. conducted iterative testing to refine designs and ensure they delivered both user and business value.
- feature enhancements:
- optimized usability by streamlining chat navigation and simplifying workflows
- introduced micro-interactions to promote upsell opportunities for premium features without disrupting the core experience
- added new functionalities, including read receipts, group chat, and message tagging, to improve usability and engagement
- ensured responsive design for seamless experiences across mobile and web
impact and results
this project exemplified the value of integrating user feedback with product strategy to create a feature that balanced usability, engagement, and business goals. by leveraging user research and tools like Maze, I was able to ensure the designs resonated with real users while supporting the broader goals of the platform. collaborating across teams and iterating based on feedback was key to delivering a messaging experience that strengthened communication and fostered community.
- delivered a revamped chat feature that significantly improved usability and increased engagement among teachers, students, and families
- drove increased awareness and adoption of premium features through well-placed micro-interactions that aligned with the product strategy
- enabled the product team to make user-centered decisions by providing actionable insights from user research and testing
- ensured the final designs adhered to the company’s high UX standards and brand vision, maintaining user trust and satisfaction
other projects
see project
→
see project
→
see project
→
lead ux/ui specialist—
about me
→
f.clstn
OFFICE
Digital nomad, all over
CONTACT
+55 11 99954 - 4450
work@fredcelestino.comSOCIAL
Behance
Spotify
Dribbble
© 2026 fredcelestino.com.
All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy
Case Study
School messaging:
enabling rich education conversations
This classroom management app connects teachers, students, and families to foster strong relationships and supportive communities. the platform boasts over 10 million app installations, making it an essential tool for education communication. I was hired to elevate its communication capabilities by revamping the user-to-user instant messaging features while aligning the design closely with the product strategy to promote paid feature adoption.
Senior designer
2020 – 2022
The challenge
- improve the usability of the existing chat system to better meet the needs of teachers, students, and families
- integrate micro-interactions within the messaging feature to subtly promote upsell opportunities for premium features
- introduce new messaging functionalities while maintaining high UX standards and ensuring alignment with the company’s brand vision
- conduct user testing to validate design decisions and prioritize the most impactful features for development
- address challenges of scalability and reliability, given the platform’s large user base
The solution
- product strategy alignment: collaborated with product managers to ensure the messaging redesign supported the broader product goals, including driving adoption of premium features. designed subtle yet effective micro-interactions to highlight the benefits of paid features, such as group messaging and advanced message filters.
- discovery phase: began by analyzing the existing chat feature to uncover usability pain points and technical constraints. collaborated with cross-functional teams to align on priorities and product goals.
- user research: conducted user interviews and remote usability testing with teachers and parents, leveraging tools like Maze to collect actionable insights. analyzed test results to uncover key patterns in user behavior, challenges, and expectations.
- insight-driven prioritization: synthesized findings from user research and communicated them to the product team to drive data-informed decisions. prioritized features that addressed core user needs while aligning with the company’s business objectives.
- prototyping and testing: created low and high-fidelity prototypes to explore solutions, including enhanced navigation, read receipts, and group chat capabilities. conducted iterative testing to refine designs and ensure they delivered both user and business value.
- feature enhancements:
- optimized usability by streamlining chat navigation and simplifying workflows
- introduced micro-interactions to promote upsell opportunities for premium features without disrupting the core experience
- added new functionalities, including read receipts, group chat, and message tagging, to improve usability and engagement
- ensured responsive design for seamless experiences across mobile and web
impact and results
this project exemplified the value of integrating user feedback with product strategy to create a feature that balanced usability, engagement, and business goals. by leveraging user research and tools like Maze, I was able to ensure the designs resonated with real users while supporting the broader goals of the platform. collaborating across teams and iterating based on feedback was key to delivering a messaging experience that strengthened communication and fostered community.
- delivered a revamped chat feature that significantly improved usability and increased engagement among teachers, students, and families
- drove increased awareness and adoption of premium features through well-placed micro-interactions that aligned with the product strategy
- enabled the product team to make user-centered decisions by providing actionable insights from user research and testing
- ensured the final designs adhered to the company’s high UX standards and brand vision, maintaining user trust and satisfaction
other projects
see project
→
see project
→
see project
→
lead ux/ui specialist—
about me
→
f.clstn
OFFICE
Digital nomad, all over
CONTACT
+55 11 99954 - 4450
SOCIAL
Behance
Spotify
Dribbble
© 2026 fredcelestino.com. All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy
Case Study
School messaging:
enabling rich education conversations
This classroom management app connects teachers, students, and families to foster strong relationships and supportive communities. the platform boasts over 10 million app installations, making it an essential tool for education communication. I was hired to elevate its communication capabilities by revamping the user-to-user instant messaging features while aligning the design closely with the product strategy to promote paid feature adoption.
Senior designer
2020 – 2022
The challenge
- improve the usability of the existing chat system to better meet the needs of teachers, students, and families
- integrate micro-interactions within the messaging feature to subtly promote upsell opportunities for premium features
- introduce new messaging functionalities while maintaining high UX standards and ensuring alignment with the company’s brand vision
- conduct user testing to validate design decisions and prioritize the most impactful features for development
- address challenges of scalability and reliability, given the platform’s large user base
The solution
- product strategy alignment: collaborated with product managers to ensure the messaging redesign supported the broader product goals, including driving adoption of premium features. designed subtle yet effective micro-interactions to highlight the benefits of paid features, such as group messaging and advanced message filters.
- discovery phase: began by analyzing the existing chat feature to uncover usability pain points and technical constraints. collaborated with cross-functional teams to align on priorities and product goals.
- user research: conducted user interviews and remote usability testing with teachers and parents, leveraging tools like Maze to collect actionable insights. analyzed test results to uncover key patterns in user behavior, challenges, and expectations.
- insight-driven prioritization: synthesized findings from user research and communicated them to the product team to drive data-informed decisions. prioritized features that addressed core user needs while aligning with the company’s business objectives.
- prototyping and testing: created low and high-fidelity prototypes to explore solutions, including enhanced navigation, read receipts, and group chat capabilities. conducted iterative testing to refine designs and ensure they delivered both user and business value.
- feature enhancements:
- optimized usability by streamlining chat navigation and simplifying workflows
- introduced micro-interactions to promote upsell opportunities for premium features without disrupting the core experience
- added new functionalities, including read receipts, group chat, and message tagging, to improve usability and engagement
- ensured responsive design for seamless experiences across mobile and web
impact and results
this project exemplified the value of integrating user feedback with product strategy to create a feature that balanced usability, engagement, and business goals. by leveraging user research and tools like Maze, I was able to ensure the designs resonated with real users while supporting the broader goals of the platform. collaborating across teams and iterating based on feedback was key to delivering a messaging experience that strengthened communication and fostered community.
- delivered a revamped chat feature that significantly improved usability and increased engagement among teachers, students, and families
- drove increased awareness and adoption of premium features through well-placed micro-interactions that aligned with the product strategy
- enabled the product team to make user-centered decisions by providing actionable insights from user research and testing
- ensured the final designs adhered to the company’s high UX standards and brand vision, maintaining user trust and satisfaction
other projects
see project
→
see project
→
see project
→
lead ux/ui specialist—
about me
→
f.clstn
OFFICE
Digital nomad, all over
CONTACT
+55 11 99954 - 4450
work@fredcelestino.com
SOCIAL
Behance
Spotify
Dribbble
© 2026 fredcelestino.com. All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy