E-Learning Platform Modernization

Our client is a U.S. company that provides regulatory-compliant training and certification programs across various industries, including Environmental Health & Safety (EHS), Real Estate, Food & Beverage, and Financial Services. One of their primary offerings is an online education platform.

With over two decades of experience in the e-learning sector and millions of learners served, the platform features a robust Learning Management System (LMS), an e-commerce engine, and an extensive legacy course library.

Its mission is to empower individuals and organizations with scalable, digital-first training solutions that support licensing, compliance, and career development. The platform is recognized for its commitment to accessible education and its significant impact on workplace safety and professional growth throughout the country.

1. Full-Cycle Team for System Modernization

Our responsibilities extended beyond development to include shaping the technical foundation, establishing Agile workflows, and implementing best practices in solution architecture and DevOps. This collaborative approach enabled us to incrementally design, build, and deploy backend services, a fully decoupled front-end application, and scalable APIs that support the client’s long-term product roadmap.

The cooperation was structured as a long-term partnership, with a multi-year roadmap spanning nearly three years and growing in scope as the client expanded their project pipeline.

• Assembled a cross-functional team of project managers, business analysts, designers, QA engineers, front-end and back-end developers, and full-stack specialists to support the client’s transformation goals.
• Collaborated with department-specific managers from the client side to ensure alignment with business goals and technical direction.
• Focused on the modernization of three critical areas of the platform: the Learning Management System (LMS), the e-commerce module, and the Course Player. Together with the client’s team, we redesigned and rebuilt the existing monolithic architecture into a modular, microservices-based system, backed by cloud-native services. The new design is optimized for high availability, performance, and future extensibility across multiple brands and platforms.

The engagement began in the middle of 2024, and within the first year, multiple components were already released to internal environments for validation and integration. A public rollout of the new front-end is expected in mid-to-late 2025, with ongoing development and refinement continuing in parallel under a multi-year roadmap.

2. QA Process Overhaul and Integration

Svitla’s QA team was onboarded in August 2024 and immediately began with a deep-dive assessment of the client’s existing testing practices. The team identified key pain points, including inconsistent documentation, a lack of traceability, and manual execution that didn’t scale well with ongoing product development.

To address these challenges, the team delivered a comprehensive QA modernization strategy:

• Dual-format QA coverage: Introduced both lightweight test outlines for early-stage validations and fully documented test cases for complex scenarios.
• Centralized test repository: Migrated all test documentation and case management to BrowserStack Test Management Live, retiring outdated SharePoint-based processes.
• Cross-platform testing standards: Established formal test protocols for device/browser/resolution combinations, covering everything from iPhone and Android devices to tablets and desktop breakpoints.
• Reusable QA structures: Developed flexible test frameworks for new platform modules, enhancing efficiency and regression readiness.
• Agile QA alignment: Fully embedded the QA team into Agile workflows, participating in daily standups, sprint planning, and reviews, ensuring tight feedback loops with developers and product teams.

3. The LMS Solution Rehaul

• Developed a new Learning Management System (LMS) platform from the ground up, utilizing a modular architecture that supports scalability and high performance. Key features of the platform include account management, course delivery, scheduling, notifications, auto-renewal logic, regulatory workflows, and comprehensive commerce integration.
• Designed the system to replace the legacy platform while ensuring compatibility with existing data and users.
• Addressed the complexity of managing dual login systems, licensing rules, and payment processes across multiple states and regulatory bodies.

The solution evolved iteratively, with continuous refinement through sprint-based delivery and collaborative planning. The QA modernization efforts not only stabilized the quality of each release but also positioned QA as a strategic function in the client’s broader modernization effort.

• Accelerated platform development through agile workflows, informed decision-making, and modernized design practices.
• Enhanced QA reliability with the introduction of structured test cases, centralized repositories, and consistent cross-device validations.
• Improved clarity in test documentation by using simplified test case formats, which have reduced manual errors and facilitated onboarding for new QA team members.
• Streamlined regression cycles with reusable test suites that align with sprint deliveries.
• Increased production confidence due to reduced context-switching, improved traceability, and earlier bug detection during testing.
• Achieved faster deployments and fewer rollbacks, resulting from increased trust in QA outputs and smoother collaboration between teams.
• Enhanced regulatory compliance traceability, reducing audit preparation time.
• Since November 2024, we’ve achieved a 25% increase in bug detection rates, along with a significant reduction in production issues, particularly in mobile and multi-device scenarios that had previously been challenging.
• As the platform continues to evolve, the client will benefit from a robust technical foundation and scalable QA practices like greater scalability through the use of microservices, cloud-native infrastructure, and decoupled front-end architecture; cost reduction over time as legacy systems are retired and operations became more efficient; improved time-to-market for new features and integrations; enhanced user experience through stable, well-tested releases and consistent UI behavior across devices; QA process scalability, with plans to introduce automated smoke tests; team development with structured pathways for upskilling Manual QA Engineers into Automation roles.