Custom E-learning Platform Development for a Japanese Language School
Custom E-learning Platform Development for a Japanese Language School
Coto Academy is a language school with four locations across Japan, dedicated to helping students learn authentic Japanese and offering practical business courses since 2000.
TECHNOLOGY STACK
PHP
RESTFUL
BACKPACK
The company contacted the OTAKOYI team to enhance their online presence by updating their website. Once our experts successfully revamped the website — resulting in high client satisfaction — Coto Academy management set plans to expand their operations globally.
They approached OTAKOYI again with a request to develop a comprehensive online learning platform capable of supporting thousands of users from around the world.
For this project, we adopted a methodical, iterative approach to develop a robust, user-centric online learning platform. We began by addressing core functionalities to establish a stable foundation, then progressively added advanced features and enhancements.
Let’s take a closer look at each stage.
The website’s outdated interface, incomplete information about courses, and subpar technology led to poor user experience and performance in terms of lead generation. Our objectives included enhancing the site's informativeness, optimizing user navigation, and adopting current technologies to improve performance and support future updates.
We conducted extensive research — including stakeholder interviews, competitor analysis, and user surveys — to identify user needs. This research directly informed the redesign, leading to a new information architecture, interactive prototypes, and a refined UI design with a comprehensive UI kit.
This step centers on creating a dependable online learning platform.
Our business analysts identified the platform's key functionalities, analyzed competitors and developed a Business Requirements Document.
The team conducted client interviews to grasp unique business processes and collaborated with designers on a prototype.
Leveraging insights from our business analysts, our UI/UX designers crafted an intuitive and visually appealing platform design that aligned perfectly with client expectations.
As our development team began implementing the platform, our tech specialists encountered challenges in managing interconnected processes, including time zone synchronization, course automation, and payment handling through an internal point system. To tackle these complexities, we prioritized the development of robust core logic that would seamlessly integrate these processes.
Quality assurance team established a robust quality assurance framework by implementing regular regression testing and a shift-left approach. It helped to enhance sprint planning and reduce testing time. Moreover, our QA engineers automated API testing and prioritized early requirement testing, allowing us to identify discrepancies at early stages and improve overall efficiency.
The final steps involved addressing time zone discrepancies with a centralized time management system for accurate class scheduling. We optimized cloud infrastructure using Elastic Container Service with Fargate, enabling efficient container orchestration, automatic scaling, and high availability. Through diligent quality control and change management, we resolved critical issues, resulting in a stable platform ready for initial user testing.
| For Students | For Teachers |
| Students have access to a variety of features that enhance their learning journey. They can effortlessly book or cancel classes, communicate with peers and teachers, submit assignments, access course materials, receive lesson notifications, and manage payments seamlessly. | Teachers are equipped with a streamlined set of tools designed to support their teaching activities. They have access to a user-friendly dashboard and calendar for scheduling classes, engaging with students, providing feedback, and reviewing assignments, fostering an efficient and effective learning environment. |
We received extensive user feedback that played a crucial role in enhancing the platform. It resulted in improved user retention, ensuring steady growth for the Coto Academy.
Following the successful launch of the platform, we shifted our focus to enhancing the platform with additional features:
Internal Statistics
This feature provides administrators with insights into platform usage and user engagement.
Improved User Onboarding
We refined the user onboarding process by integrating a new form that included navigation tips, and a Japanese proficiency test, ensuring a smoother initial experience for new users.
Automated Email Notifications
We integrated SendPulse for email reminders about lessons, account balance updates, promotions, and service alerts, helping users stay engaged and organized.
Homework Management
A built-in system for quizzes and questions, providing automatic feedback to students. Also, an advanced essay submission feature allows teachers to give detailed feedback on written assignments.
No hidden costs, and more affordable than any other vendor we've seen at their level of quality. This for what we were quoted by other vendors in the market. They have a collaborative design process and they listen well and can react and interpret client needs quickly. They also fix things quickly whenever they go wrong. Highly recommend them.
Our experience with Coto Academy has been incredibly fulfilling. Developing a complex, custom online learning platform presented its challenges, but the results were worth it. We’re grateful for the opportunity to modernize our client’s website and create an e-learning platform, which now supports thousands of users daily with enhanced functionality and a seamless user experience.
We have a proven track record of building high quality solutions for customers all over the world.
