We live in a world obsessed with scores. From credit ratings to performance reviews, from social media likes to ride-share ratings, numbers increasingly define our worth, opportunities, and relationships. But what happens when quantification replaces genuine human judgment?

This research poster explores how scoring systems have infiltrated modern life across three domains: qualification evaluation, commercial evaluation, and social evaluation. I traced their cyclical nature—limited resources create competition, intensifying the need for metrics, which further restricts opportunities and perpetuates the cycle.

Through user personas Kate and Amir, I illustrated real human impact. Kate hesitated to leave negative feedback because a low rating could devastate a small seller. Amir realized his casual Uber rating carried unexpected weight when his driver seemed anxious. These scenarios reveal invisible pressure on both sides of every transaction.

The poster maps positive impacts—reducing bias, bridging trust gaps—alongside negative consequences: performative behavior, chilling effects on honest feedback, and algorithmic inequality. What emerges is how measurement systems, designed for objectivity, often strip away nuance and humanity.