The point of any e-learning solution is to make e-learning more efficient and easy to manage. However, the way you get there matters no less. For our team, it’s all about reinventing and finding ways to empower users against the biggest current issue.
In search of a flexible solution: An introspective
Back in the early 2010s, when comprehensive training platforms weren’t really a thing, we wanted to disrupt the e-learning market by offering a universal but versatile solution. We wanted it to cover all the learning management bases, from content delivery to analytics and reporting, and so that it could be adjusted for companies of all sizes and domains.
We put all our Drupal experience into creating an LMS that is modular, secure, and accessible. That’s how Opigno 1.0 came to be: an open-source web-based platform that had all the necessary features and could be customized and built upon to suit each specific customer best.
Opigno 1.0 quickly got traction across all industry sectors, from governments to schools to enterprises, as an all-encompassing and customizable solution, with over 8000 implementations in three years. Then, guided by customer feedback, we released Opigno 2.0 in 2018, which not only combined all the fundamental tools on one platform but made using them an excellent experience.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it became apparent that the modern e-learning platform should provide more user interaction options to substitute in-person learning as fully as possible. So, in 2021, the Opigno HYBRID 3.0 version brought brand new social features enabling people to connect and build communities within the LMS.
Yet, it still felt like there were more ways to make Opigno more versatile and flexible.
Moving forward: Cloud technology and headless architecture
We chose to build Opigno on Drupal CMS with the idea that it’s a perfect middle ground between flexibility and implementation difficulty: it’s relatively easy to roll out, integrate with a customer’s existing systems, adjust the design, and play around with modules to create different features.
Still, rolling out, modifying, and hosting Drupal-based LMS instances require time and expertise that not all companies are willing to spend. So, in 2024, we launched Opigno Cloud — a version of Opigno 3.0, where we shoulder all the hosting and maintenance responsibilities. It’s an excellent option for those wanting to run Opigno 3.0 completely hassle-free with new premium features.
On another spectrum of Opigno customers are companies that are too limited by the monolithic Drupal-based LMS and expect a greater freedom of integration and customization while retaining a standard core maintained by the editor. Addressing their needs is our next step. A new installment of our LMS planned for release in 2025 — Opigno Enterprise — will further propel LMS flexibility and customization capabilities with the help of a headless architecture.
Why did we decide to make this technological jump?
The headless architecture separates the front end (the interface part) from the back end (the data and all the functionalities) so that they are developed and managed as independent entities and communicate via an API. Opigno Enterprise will offer a hybrid architecture with the backend part — the core of Opigno — fully managed by our team as a cloud.
This configuration has many benefits for clients, the first being the freedom to use any custom front end. The client can integrate the functionality of Opigno into any of their preferred front ends, whether existing intranets or custom-built. They can use any technology for their platform’s front end, like VueJS, and deliver training to any device they want, from a desktop to a smartwatch.
However, the flexibility of headless architecture is not limited to the interface design. Having the core of Opigno managed by our team on the cloud allows the customers to:
- Save time on customer-side development as the backend with the core functionalities is enterprise-ready.
- Rid of any worries regarding scaling the system, managing multiple tenancies, adding new features, or developing a structure for data storage and analysis.
- Store sensitive user data on their own servers and ensure the highest security level for the whole system.
- Split the front and back offices (administration) for straightforward platform design and user experience management.
- Implement a storybook for the front end to manage styles and customizations centrally.
In a nutshell, headless architecture allows Opigno to be transformed into any form you need while providing all the features you can expect from an LMS and then some more. It can manage extremely high loads with thousands of users, support large-scale deployments with multiple instances, and integrate into however complex ecosystems you have.
Join us in this upcoming chapter
The driving force behind all Opigno developments has always been a commitment to adaptability, user empowerment, and innovation in learning experiences. At each phase of our LMS transformation, we tried to respond to market and technology shifts, all while staying true to its core as a customizable, versatile platform that not only provides functionality but also the flexibility for clients to shape their unique learning environments while reducing the technical overhead.
Opigno Enterprise was designed to make learning accessible and customizable at every level — from content management to front-end personalization. If you want to explore its possibilities in more detail, don’t hesitate to contact our team today!
Published on November 5, 2024.