The two main qualitative system characteristics for the Grader Tool are security/privacy and the simplicity vs. power spectrum.

The Grader Tool provides security and privacy by having a user name and password system. For professors to use the tool, they sign in to the tool with a user name and password which is authenticated. Another important security feature of this tool is that student emplids will never be displayed to other students, as part of Cal Poly's policy. Our Grader Tool does not have a different view for students, but professors use the tool to show student's their grades and how their performance matches up to the rest of the class. For these features, the other student's emplids will not be displayed. These are the main security and privacy features for the Grader Tool

The Grader Tool fits somewhere near the middle of the simplicity vs. power spectrum. The Grader Tool has many basic features, which are very easy to use for professors. The simple features include adding an assignment to the gradebook, adding students, entering scores, etc. The Grader Tool also provides some more advanced features, which are powerful but more complicated to use as well. These features include the Grade Prediction tool, histogram grading scheme changing feature, and hierarchical student and assignment groups. In this way, the Grader Tool provides ease of use for less sophisticated users with it's basic and essential functionalities, as well as providing more advanced and powerful tools for more advanced users.