PrepClass: EdTech MVP with 15K Users & 4.8 Rating

PrepClass is a Nigerian company that uses technology to connect students with tutors. They cover a wide range of subjects, from early education to formal learning. Most of the subjects PrepClass covers involve standardized tests as the final exams. This means a big part of learning involves practicing practicing past years' test materials. The challenge is that these tests come in different formats, which makes things messy when tutors want to check students' progress.
The objective was to develop an application that streamlines and automates communication between tutors and learners during the practice of standardized tests. Additionally, this application was designed to offer convenient access to educational courses and serve as an easy platform for learners to ask questions and for tutors to provide answers. The plan involved the rollout of the product in two phases: the initial Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and the primary phase of the project. Project Overview:

• Location: Nigeria
• Product: Website and mobile application
• Scope of our work: Back-end, Front-end, Mobile Development
• Technologies: React Native, React.js, Redux, Flow, Laravel, CSS, SASS, HTML, JavaScript, jQuery, Bootstrap
• Team: Back-end Developer, Front-end Developer, Mobile Developer, Project Manager
• Timeline: 4 weeks

During the first phase, we faced challenges like defining what the MVP should include, working with a tight budget, and having limited time. After several rounds of discussions and investigations, we established a clear list of features for the MVP and a plan for how to build them. Once the client gave the green light, we managed to develop a fully functional application along with an administrative site in just three weeks.
In the second phase, we expanded the application's capabilities by:

• Simplifying the process of adding courses, making it quicker with a custom module.
• Incorporating analytics for both users and tutors to monitor progress and identify areas where users need improvement.
• Creating a Q&A section where users and tutors could easily communicate.
• Integrating the application with the local payment system for convenient transactions.

To showcase our accomplishments on the project, here are some of our complex yet efficient solutions:
PrepClass faced the need to incorporate dynamic formulas, similar to the LaTeX format, into their courses and exam questions. However, there was no existing solution for React Native, with limited libraries available for browser use. In response, we developed a custom module to render such formulas within React Native and implemented a specialized plugin for the WYSIWYG editor on the administrative site. This innovation streamlined the process of adding or editing courses by allowing tutors to easily input formulas in the desired format.

Another challenge arose when our client required the integration of a local payment system based on the MTN Nigeria cellular network. Unfortunately, the cellular operator lacked both an SDK and comprehensive documentation for their payment API. We dedicated two weeks to communicating with the operator's technical support, investigating their API description, and compiling our own complete documentation. Subsequently, we developed a client SDK for the API, making it compatible with both the React Native app and the administrative site. This effort resulted in the successful integration of the payment system, enabling users to make payments through the familiar MTN Nigeria service. The entire process, from the initial investigation to the release of the final SDK version, alongside the application and admin site, took four weeks.

The MVP was delivered within the established time frame and budget, and it proved to be highly successful. Its presentation enabled our client to secure funding for subsequent phases. Notably, within the initial two weeks following the release, the app garnered 15,000 active users and achieved an impressive overall feedback rating of 4.8.