How we work
The following is straight from our employee handbook.
Values
Prioritize the Person
We believe in the dignity and unique potential of every person. We respect and care for every person on an individual level, striving for the success of every user, student, teacher, and staff member we connect with.
Innovate through Iteration
We aim high in all that we do, recognizing that the journey to the top begins with the first step. So we act! Then we learn, listen, and grow as we go.
Collaborate Constructively
We do things collaboratively, believing that by listening, sharing, and disagreeing charitably, we build on each other and forge a stronger product. We bring our ideas to the table with humility and subject them to critique and criticism for the sake of those we aim to serve.
Insist on Integrity
We value truth and responsiveness in our relationships, and we seek excellence in all that we do. We take responsibility for our work, honestly pursuing quality without cutting corners.
Things We Say
Slow is stable, stable is fast.
We want to avoid rushing to deploy as it builds technical debt which ultimately slows us down.
If you see something, say something.
Everyone on the team is responsible for the quality of the product.
If you aren't sure, ask.
It's okay not to know the answer to everything. We help each other grow and learn.
Put the thing through the thing.
We have systems because they keep us honest and bring consistent performance. Use them!
Project Management
We use a common sense mix of the best project management methodologies:
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We have a waterfall-style roadmap where we try to develop features in a strategic order to minimize redevelopment.
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We have agile-ish 2-week “sprints” that keep us in a good cadence, while not adopting Agile religiously. (We have a lot of the same meetings, but sometimes have different focuses than developers using Agile might be used to.)
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We schedule our features into sprints using “Kanban”-ish methodology to ensure consistent flow of releases.
Meet the Team
We have fun, enjoy each other, and work hard — because we know it matters.
Executive Director
Richard Bitgood
Richard has worked in online learning for 20+ years. He started his career developing curriculum and teaching for Heritage Christian Online School, where he went on to lead their curriculum development and start the StudyForge project. His unique skillset in the intersection of technology and education led him to found Spero Learning to help bring worldwide impact through digital education.
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