Transparent Late Assignment Path
Design a classroom submission flow that applies a clear late policy while supporting extensions and documented exceptions.
The brief
Understand the problem
Background
A single due date can hide grace periods, approved extensions, penalties, and institutional support. Students need to understand the consequence of submitting now, and teachers need a consistent record without exposing private circumstances.
User context
Kim finishes an essay four hours after the deadline because of a documented accessibility issue. Her instructor has granted an extension, but the course portal still shows the standard late warning.
Product problem
Submission status must reflect the policy that actually applies to each student while keeping exception details restricted.
Objective
Create assignment detail, late-state calculation, extension request, and submission receipt for one course policy.
What to design
Define the experience
Required experience
- Review due time, grace period, and personal extension
- Preview the current submission consequence
- Request an extension with minimum necessary information
- Submit work and receive a policy-aware receipt
Screens and states
- Assignment detail
- Late-status review
- Extension request
- Submission receipt
Core user flow
Follow the critical path
- 01
Kim opens the essay and sees her approved extension beside the standard date
- 02
The review confirms that submitting now carries no penalty
- 03
She uploads the final file and checks its readable preview
- 04
The receipt records her applicable deadline and on-time status
Product rules
Requirements and constraints
Requirements
- Calculate status from the student's applicable policy, not only the class default
- Explain penalties with exact dates and worked examples
- Keep accommodation reasons hidden from peers and unauthorized staff
- Record file version, upload time, policy state, and receipt number
Constraints
- Teachers cannot retroactively change a submitted student's visible policy without an audit event
- Timezone and daylight-saving handling must be explicit
- The flow cannot require medical details for an initial extension request
Reality check
States worth considering
Ready-to-use content
Mock data
Use this content to test hierarchy and realistic data states. You can expand it when the concept needs more depth.
Policy dates
- Class due date: October 12 at 23:59
- Grace period: 12 hours
- Approved extension: October 14 at 17:00
Finish line
What to deliver
- Four responsive screens showing a personalized deadline and verifiable receipt
Optional direction
Visual resources
Use these as a starting constraint if you want one. They are not part of the required solution.
Theory to review
UX principles for this brief
Use these as decision lenses, then validate the design with the people and context in the brief.
