Case study · 2026
Scaffold Writing Assistant
A collaborative writing assistant that decomposes rubrics into tasks and gives feedback as a document evolves.
- Discipline
- AI product · Developer tooling
- Technology
- TypeScript · Claude API · Browser Extension · Google Docs
WRITING PLAN
Interpret the prompt Build an argument Support with evidence Revise for clarity68% completeOverview
Built with a hackathon team, Scaffold used the Claude API inside a document extension to support the writing process without generating the entire report for the student.
System map
How the pieces connect
The challenge
What made the problem worth solving
Many AI writing tools optimize for generating final text. That can remove the planning and revision work that helps students develop as writers.
The approach
Turning the problem into an engineering plan
- 01
Parsed rubric expectations into smaller, trackable writing tasks.
- 02
Connected feedback to the evolving document so guidance could update as the user wrote.
- 03
Designed the AI as a scaffold for the process rather than a replacement for the author.
Result
The prototype demonstrated a more responsible interaction model for AI-assisted writing: structure, feedback, and progress without taking ownership of the work away from the student.