AcadComp
KAUST Program Companion
Reducing uncertainty in attendance validation and meal transactions.
Overview
AcadComp is an operational system designed for KAUST Academy programs that helps students, faculty,
and store staff manage attendance validation and meal transactions efficiently during short-term
academic programs.
The problem
Students, faculty, and store staff experienced operational friction during attendance scanning and
meal purchases due to unclear feedback, slow interactions, and navigation interruptions.
Why it matters ?
- Attendance uncertainty — Students lacked confirmation that their session attendance
was successfully recorded
- Operational delays — Manual verification slowed attendance tracking and meal
service during busy program hours
- Balance confusion — Students could not clearly track remaining meal allowance
after transactions
Who it impacts ?
- Students attending academy programs — Needed quick QR validation for attendance and meal
access
- Faculty conducting sessions — Required uninterrupted scanning to record attendance for
large student groups
- Store staff processing meals — Needed fast QR transactions to handle high-volume meal
purchases
Existing Approaches
-
Manual Attendance –
Faculty recorded attendance manually or through spreadsheets,
slowing the process and increasing errors.
-
Unstructured Meal Access –
Students relied on verbal confirmation or staff checks to access
meal allowances.
-
Limited Balance Visibility –
Students could not clearly track remaining daily allowance or
previous purchases.
-
Operational Delays –
Faculty and store staff experienced delays when managing large
groups during sessions.
-
Lack of Real-time Feedback –
Students were unsure whether attendance scans or transactions
were successfully recorded.
Ideation & Process
How I approached it
- Studied the academy program workflow
- Mapped real-world operational scenarios
- Focused on reducing navigation during time-sensitive tasks
Key decisions Made
- Introduced context-aware home screen
- Made scanner the primary operational interface
- Added real-time feedback for validation and transactions
Design Execution
Overall App is summarized to 3 main steps:
Attendance Check-in
A Student can..
- Scan faculty-provided QR codes
- Verify presence in real-time
- View subject-wise attendance
Meal Allowance Access
A Student can..
- Generate unique QR for meals
- Check daily allowance status
- View menu and transaction logs
Transaction Tracking
A Student can..
- View detailed history of all logs
- Monitor balance and usage
- Get instant digital receipts
Also the features for Faculty & Store staff
The system also supports faculty and store staff with tools for scanning
attendance, tracking sessions, and reviewing transaction summaries efficiently.
Usability Testing & Validation
Who tested it ?
Tested with a small group of students and faculty members in the
acad program.
What I observed ?
Early tests showed students sometimes struggled with
understanding QR scanning success vs. meal allowance verification.
What changed ?
I introduced explicit confirmation screens and haptic feedback
for successful scans to improve confidence.
Final Outcome – A unified operational ecosystem for campus life.
- Replaced manual papers with automated QR check-ins
- Integrated meal allowance tracking into a single app
- Positive feedback from academy staff and students
