Client Story: Craft
Craft, a startup, was developing software to track and report academic credits for continuing education programs. The software will have distinct functionality to meet the different needs of administrators, instructors, and learners, while adhering to educational guidelines for continuing education.
The CTO at Craft needed a trusted partner to help scale their platform. Having collaborated with this individual successfully on a high-risk account previously, the CTO knew our team possessed the architectural expertise and development support necessary to transform Craft from an early-stage concept into a fully realized product.
Initially our role involved providing high-level architectural guidance. We established repositories, designed a scalable architecture, and carefully selected technology choices that aligned with Craft’s business needs. Close collaboration with internal teams, stakeholders, and external contractors ensured the platform was not only functional but also optimized for accessibility, speed to market, and user experience.
As the engagement progressed, Craft expanded our involvement, integrating us into day-to-day development efforts.
We played a key role in delivering the initial product release. Helping the team navigate early growth phases, stabilizing the platform, and prioritizing feature development based on user feedback were also critical tasks. Once Craft achieved a stable growth phase, they began consolidating costs internally, and we ensured a smooth handoff to their in-house team.
Craft’s main platform is built on Next.js with TypeScript. Material UI provides front-end components, supplemented by custom elements where necessary. Hosted on AWS Fargate, the backend utilizes PostgreSQL, managed through Prisma. A GraphQL API and REST API facilitate external integrations
Given the application's need for secure data handling, we implemented field-level access controls, encryption at rest, and signed URLs for secure asset sharing. Ensuring SOC 2 compliance was a critical requirement. We actively maintained security audits and best practices throughout the engagement. As Craft expanded, we also supported the development of real-time engagement features, such as email and push notifications.
This tool streamlined academic credit tracking, enabling efficient educational reimbursements and accommodating both mobile and desktop user needs.
Craft’s platform serves as a vital tool for administrators, instructors, and learners in continuing education programs. It simplifies the process of tracking and reporting academic credits, a historically cumbersome task due to complex data requirements. By streamlining data collection and automating reporting, Craft enables organizations to claim valuable educational reimbursements efficiently.
As a web-based application, learners can access the platform on mobile devices, while administrators and instructors typically engage via desktop interfaces. Our contributions—ranging from architectural guidance to feature development—helped Craft evolve from a scrappy startup to a mature, acquisition-ready organization.
What sets our relationship with Craft apart is the ability to seamlessly enter and exit their development process as needed. We provided guidance, gathered domain knowledge without creating bottlenecks, and adapted to the team’s evolving needs. This flexibility allowed Craft to leverage our expertise on demand, ensuring continuous progress without disruption.
From building the original data model and GraphQL API to supporting multiple growth phases, our partnership with Craft exemplifies the power of strategic, adaptable collaboration. We’re proud to have played a key role in their journey from startup to acquisition, and beyond.
