Solution

We built and managed MTC from Discovery to Live. We utilised Agile Scrum as our delivery methodology in Discovery and Alpha, switching to Agile Kanban during Beta, using a multidisciplinary Agile team.   

We captured user needs and user journeys through qualitative and quantitative user research, interviewing all user types, running focus groups, validating evidence through surveys, then grouping and prioritising these, brainstorming multiple potential solutions to meet each. We built prototypes and shared/tested them with users for feedback. We iterated these designs, testing and building as we went along, always ensuring that the result was what the users needed.    

We manage development, staging, and production environments in Azure, including configuration, monitoring, and deployments. We use Azure DevOps to facilitate Continuous Integration / Continuous Delivery to all environments, using industry-standard blue/green deployment strategies.   

We worked with DfE’s Technical Design Authority and Enterprise Architects to ensure the most suitable products for each solution were chosen. This chosen stack has enabled us to deliver cost-effective, scalable solutions that cope with high traffic on demand.   

We have leveraged browser functionality, preventing common mistakes that would distract or potentially spoil the check for pupils. Every user interaction is recorded and submitted to the database, providing STA psychometricians with detailed stories of each pupil’s experience and accurate timing information reflecting the difficulty of the check, informing key stakeholder decisions. This data provides an understanding of other elements, e.g. individual question timings, other keys pressed, mouse movement, devices used and submission issues. This has been trialled and helped us to iterate the service, providing a robust solution. 

Accessibility is a key aspect of MTC: our team has utilised modern browser features, enabling pupils with additional needs to customise the application, e.g. enabling speech synthesis to read out questions. Our MTC landing page allows contrast and font size customisation to assist users with visual impairments.