CONTEXT
UofTHacks is a large-scale student hackathon with 800+ participants and 160+ teams. I led the design of a structured judging system to improve efficiency, reduce timing overruns, and ensure a fair evaluation process.
Role
Mobile Design Lead
Duration
2 Months
Tools
Figma
Teams
1 Designer
3 Developers
The Problem
Judging consistently ran overtime
In past events, judging at UofTHacks ran over time by 30 minutes to 2 hours, making it difficult to stay on schedule while maintaining fairness across 200+ teams and multiple rooms.
IMPACT
Despite initially anticipating 130 projects, the system scaled to support 160+ submissions, and judging still ended on time for the first time in years.
UNDERSTANDING THE SYSTEM
Before designing the system, I first mapped how judging operated across different roles and formats.
General Judging
3 Judges per presentation
All teams are in one place, and judges rotate between them
7 minutes per presentation
Sponsorship Judging
3 Judges per a presentation
Teams move between sponsor rooms
5 minutes per team
Session Structure
Mapping the judging structure helped identify where delays and coordination issues occurred.
Research
Reviewed previous event feedback, organizer notes, and judging workflows, while speaking with 10+ organizers involved in past UofTHacks events.
Pain Points
Lack of Time Enforcement
Judges and participants often become deeply engaged in conversations, causing sessions to run over time and making it difficult to stay on schedule.
Unclear and Fragmented Tools
Scoring criteria and evaluation processes were unclear. Admins relied on manual timers, and scheduling was managed through spreadsheets, making coordination difficult.
DESIGN DECISIONS
Design Challenge
How might we ensure judges stay within strict time limits while maintaining a fair and structured evaluation process?
To address these challenges, two potential system approaches were explored before selecting a final direction. The admin-controlled timer approach was ultimately selected to provide flexibility while still enforcing structure.
SYSTEM DESIGN
Flow Chart
Maps how different roles interact within the system, including how admins control timing and how judges progress through evaluations.
LOW - FI
Explored early concepts of how the judging system could function across different roles and workflows.
USER TESTING
Conducted usability testing with 5 organizers, alongside reviews with VPs and engineers to ensure the system met operational needs and was technically feasible. Key improvements are outlined below
FINAL DESIGN
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