Web consulting project helps users prep for language test
Computools created a website for users preparing for the International English Language Testing System exam, which helps people study in, or migrate to, English-speaking nations.
The International English Language Testing System wanted to offer users a test preparation website for its English proficiency exam.
Demand for testing materials is high. In 2018, the most recent year for which statistics are available, 3.5 million people worldwide took the IELTS test. The IELTS organization, co-owned by the British Council, cited the internationalization of higher education and a more mobile international workforce as factors driving the volume of test-takers. The British Council is a public corporation in the United Kingdom that focuses on cultural relations and educational opportunities.
IELTS hired Computools to provide web consulting, development and hosting services for its test preparation platform. The company has offices in the U.S., Israel and Europe. Computools' Ukrainian operation worked on the IELTS project.
A multistage project
Computools' effort started with a consulting phase to learn about IELTS' goals, propose a project approach and define the scope of work. The company then built prototypes and worked with IELTS to select the optimal design option. Following the Scrum management framework, Computools worked through several project stages, including website design, initial DevOps, business analysis and, eventually, WordPress development and QA, according to the company.
Other elements of the project included user research, UX and service design, portal development, website hosting setup, analytics and project lifecycle management. Computools accommodated the British Council's branding requirements, provided email notification functionality and delivered a responsive web design to support multiple types of devices.
IELTS hired Computools to provide web consulting, development and hosting services for its test preparation platform.
Computools worked closely with IELTS to manage tight deadlines and coordinate development, website release stages and deployment. The organizations used a range of tools to communicate and meet project milestones -- Microsoft Teams, Skype and Atlassian's Jira project management tool among others.
Revenue boost
The test preparation site, now live, lets users learn about IELTS exams, review study materials and take online tests. Those online resources have increased IELTS user traffic by 56%. The platform also helped IELTS boost orders and sales -- revenue from IELTS language services has increased 45%, Computools said.
