Engineering Engagement in Digital Education
For the education startup Skumani, in partnership with Żak - Poland’s leading education provider - we built a revolutionary EdTech platform from the ground up, transforming primary school learning and eighth-grade exam preparation into a deeply engaging experience.
How do you create a product that genuinely levels the educational playing field and motivates students to keep coming back?
The client faced a dual challenge. First, they wanted to fulfill their mission of combating educational exclusion by providing premium learning materials in an accessible, digital format. Second, they understood that to make this mission successful, the platform had to compete for students’ attention against the giants of entertainment. Traditional online learning methods simply cannot hold the focus of students who are immersed daily in the fast-paced world of gaming and social media. The challenge was to create a product that not only delivers knowledge but does so in a way that motivates consistent engagement and builds strong, positive learning habits.
A comprehensive educational ecosystem powered by AI and engagement psychology.
As a technology partner, we were responsible for turning the client’s vision into a fully functional, scalable product capable of serving thousands of users. We designed and implemented a comprehensive educational platform built on three pillars: premium content, AI-driven personalization, and advanced gamification. We delivered not only the student-facing application but also the entire technological infrastructure, empowering the client to create unique educational experiences at scale.
About the Project
Project Description
Skumani.pl is the embodiment of the client’s mission: to create education that is accessible everywhere and truly effective. Our solution provided the client with full autonomy in course creation, while giving students a tool they genuinely want to use.
Challenge
Build an MVP of a platform in just 4 months that seamlessly integrates education, gamification, and artificial intelligence. A platform combining a comprehensive course creation and management module-including video lessons, interactive exercises, tests, and flashcard sets-with a sophisticated gamification system that fosters consistent learning habits. Additionally, it required a RAG architecture with dedicated AI “teachers” aligned with the curriculum, all integrated with a purchasing flow designed to meaningfully boost conversion.
Result
The e-learning platform we delivered is more than just a foundation for a strong EdTech brand-it is a tangible tool for realizing the client’s groundbreaking vision. A vision where online learning finally meets the real needs of students and actively transforms the landscape of digital education in Poland.
- Lightning-Fast Time-to-Market: By delivering the MVP in just 4 months, the client was able to immediately begin market validation, attract initial users, and start generating revenue.
- Full Operational Independence: The CMS panel we developed provided the client with complete autonomy in managing content, eliminating the need to involve developers in daily operations and significantly reducing long-term costs.
- Strategic Advantage: Innovations such as dedicated AI Teachers and advanced gamification became key marketing differentiators and a unique value proposition for users.
Project Scope
Foundations of Intelligent Education: How We Did It?
Our goal was not to create just another e-learning app. We took on the challenge of building a complete, intelligent ecosystem from the ground up-one that truly engages, educates, and supports learners. To bring this vision to life, there were no shortcuts. Our scope included the development of deeply integrated modules, each presenting its own technological and conceptual challenges.
Dedicated AI Teachers – Precision and 24/7 Support
We rejected the idea of a single, generic AI bot. Our challenge was to create a team of specialized AI experts-separate, dedicated Teachers for each subject. We implemented an advanced RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) architecture, “feeding” the AI exclusively with knowledge from the approved curriculum. Unique personas were created for each Teacher, with their communication styles iteratively refined to be natural, supportive, and fully understandable for teenagers.
Gamification That Builds Habits, Not Just Points
We implemented a motivational loop that genuinely supports the learning process. The Skumani platform features a system based on daily challenges (“daily streaks”), experience points (XP), achievement badges, and leaderboards. This system was carefully calibrated to foster positive habits and maximize long-term user engagement.
Powerful CMS Panel – The Command Center for Education
The key to the platform’s success is its flexibility and scalability. Built on our proprietary CMS for educational platforms, we provided the client with full autonomy. This command center allows for independent creation and management of the entire course structure-from dynamic video lessons, through interactive tests and flashcard databases, to managing content for AI Teachers.
Interactive Test and Quiz Engine – Flexibility Without Compromise
We developed a powerful engine capable of handling any exam scenario. From simple question types (single choice, true/false) to complex formats (fill-in-the-blank, matching pairs, open-ended questions). The real challenge was implementing specialized formats and full LaTeX support, essential for math problems.
Intelligent Video Lessons with "Moments" System
Inspired by top streaming platforms, we implemented a “moments” system in the video lesson interface. This allows students to instantly jump to specific topics covered in a lesson. While seemingly simple, this solution dramatically speeds up review sessions and enables targeted learning, letting students focus precisely on what they need at any given moment.
User Architecture
A System Designed for Everyone
When designing the platform, we went far beyond the standard administrator-user division. Our goal was to create a flexible ecosystem that supports both the commercial growth of the product and the client’s core mission: combating educational exclusion. The system accommodates diverse access paths and roles, precisely addressing the needs of every user segment.
Student
The Heart of the Experience
The primary user and the core of the entire platform. The engagement system, interactive tests, and AI Teacher support were all designed with the student in mind. Whether accessing the platform commercially or through sponsored support, students enjoy full functionality: watching video materials, completing exercises, earning experience points (XP) and badges, and, most importantly, genuinely improving their skills.
Guardian / Parent
Partner and Decision-Maker
The parent is a key partner in the learning process and the primary purchasing decision-maker. We created a simple, secure pathway that allows them to manage their child’s access to the platform and support their progress. They can choose the most convenient payment model—either a flexible subscription ensuring continuous learning or a one-time purchase (e.g., via BLIK). Everything is accessible through a single, intuitive guardian panel.
Administrator / Editor
The Operational Brain of the Platform
A powerful role designed for the client’s team. Thanks to the advanced CMS panel we built, Administrators and Editors have full control and autonomy over content management. They can independently create and publish entire courses, add video lessons with “Moments,” configure complex quizzes and tests (including those with LaTeX formulas), and manage the knowledge base for AI Teachers.
Non-Governmental Organization / Foundation
Mission Enabler
Technology in the service of equalizing opportunities. To support the fight against educational exclusion, we created a dedicated module for the client’s partners. System administrators have access to a special panel that allows them to generate and distribute unique access codes for organizations and foundations. This enables them to provide free platform-based learning to their beneficiaries in a simple, measurable way.
Check out the next project
