1 · Project Understanding
What Everest is, why it exists, and who it serves.
Everest is not a school and not a worksheet website. It is a structured online learning system for primary-school children (ages ~6–12, Standards 1–5) in Trinidad & Tobago, built for parents who guide their child's learning at home — with a special focus on children who learn differently (ADHD, dyslexia, executive-function and language-processing challenges), all oriented toward the national SEA exam.
The problem being solved
Parents feel the school system is rigid, exam-driven, and one-size-fits-all. Global sites (Twinkl, Teachers Pay Teachers) target teachers and overwhelm parents with disconnected downloads; local competitor Pennacool focuses on practice drills, not teaching. Everest's gap: a parent-focused, curriculum-aligned teaching system that shows parents exactly what to teach, in what order — with human professionals available when needed.
Who it's for
| Audience | Description |
|---|---|
| Primary | Parents of children 6–12 needing maths, reading, writing & executive-function support |
| Secondary | Families of children with ADHD, dyslexia, or language-processing challenges |
| Tertiary | Teachers & homeschool families wanting structured resources |
Business model & growth
Five revenue streams: subscriptions, one-time purchases (worksheets/test papers), skill workshops, professional consultations (evaluations/support), and companion products. Payments in USD via credit card — client named Shopify / WiPay / PayPal and asked us to advise.
| Phase | Timeframe | Subscriber target |
|---|---|---|
| 1 · Foundation | Year 1 | 200–500 |
| 2 · Expansion | Years 2–3 | 1,500–3,000 |
| 3 · Regional (Caribbean) | Years 3–5 | 5,000+ |
The five offerings
2 · The Platform — Core Requirements
Exactly what we must build, straight from the brief.
The heart of the product — the Learning Pathway
Every topic is a sequence of lessons, and every lesson follows the same fixed flow:
Concept Intro → Guided Examples → Worksheet (PDF) → Interactive Activity (H5P) → Application → Quiz → "Next Lesson". Admins group lessons into a navigable pathway. Reference example in the brief: a 10-lesson SEA Fractions pathway.
Public website pages
Home · About · Services · Learning Library · SEA Preparation · Reading & Writing Support · Support for Learning Differences · Speech Therapy · Educational Evaluations · Contact / Book Consultation.
User portal
- User types: Students, and Parents (parent accounts optional at launch)
- Secure login · dashboard · access to purchased/assigned content · saved resources · progress tracking (may be Phase 2)
- A family pays a separate subscription per child → account model must support multiple children
Learning Library
Organised & filterable by Subject · Grade · Skill · Difficulty · Learning need. Subjects: Mathematics · Reading & Comprehension · Writing · Grammar & Vocabulary · Executive Function · the Learning Pathway System (core feature).
Lesson page template
Every lesson: Title · Objective · plain-language explanation · step-by-step examples · visual supports · downloadable worksheet · embedded H5P activity · quiz · "Next Step" · and a differentiation branch ("if the student struggles…").
Interactive content MANDATORY
- H5P (required): quizzes, drag-and-drop, interactive video, flashcards
- Genially (preferred): interactive lessons, game-based learning
- Must support iframe embeds directly in the lesson page
Payments & access
Subscriptions · one-time purchases · bundles · protected content (preview-then-paywall) · per-child family subscriptions · secure USD card processing.
Admin / content management NON-NEGOTIABLE
What the client does not want
- A basic download-only website
- An overly complex backend
- Any dependency on a developer for simple updates
- A cluttered interface, or content with no structure/progression
3 · Assets & Curriculum Scope
What the client has already provided, and the teaching scope.
Assets already supplied
| Asset | What it is | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Curriculum maps (4 docs) | Full T&T syllabus, Standards 1–4 (Maths, Reading, Writing) | Highlighted = site lessons; non-highlighted = physical "boxes" sold separately |
| 7 teaching slide decks | Std 1–3 maths & grammar samples | Define the house style & lesson quality bar |
| ~40 exam papers | National Tests + SEA (2003–2025) | Source material to build worksheets |
| Testimonials | 8 parent audio clips + 1 video | Marketing / social proof |
Curriculum & pedagogy
- Standards 1–5, with the SEA (Std 4–5 exit exam) as the headline focus
- Subjects: Mathematics · English Language Arts (Reading, Writing, Grammar) · Creative Writing · Executive-function & underlying-skill activities · non-academic foundational skills
- Signature method to preserve in every lesson: Concrete → Visual → Words → Sentences → Abstract, heavily scaffolded
- Marketing tone (empathy-led): "First character, then academics," "The problem is not the child."
4 · Technology Recommendation
The stack decision, judged against the client's non-negotiables.
Two rules disqualify most options outright: admin must edit content without a developer, and H5P is mandatory. Anything failing these is out, regardless of other strengths.
Options compared
| Criterion | A · WordPress + LMS Recommended | B · Headless + custom | C · SaaS course platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| Admin edits content, no dev | ★★★★★ | ★★ | ★★★★ |
| H5P / interactive depth | ★★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★ |
| Pathways / sequencing | ★★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★★ |
| Commerce (per-child, previews) | ★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ |
| Local payment (WiPay) | ★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★ |
| Build cost / speed | ★★★★ | ★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Ownership / data control | ★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★ |
| Maintenance burden | ★★★ | ★★ | ★★★★★ |
Recommendation
Build v1 on WordPress + LMS (LearnDash / TutorLMS) + WooCommerce + H5P. It is the only option that satisfies both disqualifying rules while staying startup-affordable and scaling to the Phase-3 targets. Payments: WiPay (local TTD) + PayPal/Stripe (international USD).
Validation gate: in Phase 2, build the Fractions pathway end-to-end, then have the client add a second lesson themselves on a screen-share. If they can, the architecture has passed its hardest test.
5 · v1 Scope & Delivery Plan
Build one vertical slice deep, not ten features shallow.
Goal of v1: the smallest platform that proves the core promise — a parent lands, sees a structured SEA pathway, pays, and their child works through guided, interactive lessons. The reference slice is the SEA Fractions pathway (10 lessons). Nail that and the rest is content, not engineering.
Scope by priority (MoSCoW)
MUST ships in v1 SHOULD if budget allows COULD Phase 2 WON'T later
| Item | Priority |
|---|---|
| Public site + Learning Library (filter/search/"Start Here") | MUST |
| One complete learning pathway (Fractions) with the full lesson template + H5P | MUST |
| Secure login, dashboard, saved/assigned content | MUST |
| Commerce: subscription + one-time + protected/preview + per-child | MUST |
| Admin CMS — content edits with no developer | MUST |
| Parent-vs-child accounts (family, multiple children) | SHOULD |
| Consultation booking + payment (vs. enquiry form) | SHOULD |
| Progress tracking · Genially · bundles · workshop commerce | COULD |
| Teacher dashboards · badges · mobile app · secondary curriculum | WON'T |
Delivery phases
| Phase | Outcome |
|---|---|
| 0 · Discovery sign-off | Answer the "must-answer-five", lock stack, confirm branding/domain/hosting |
| 1 · Foundation | Platform stood up, themed, content model (taxonomy) configured |
| 2 · Reference pathway | Fractions pathway end-to-end — the go/no-go client demo |
| 3 · Commerce & accounts | Payments, memberships, protected content, per-child, family accounts |
| 4 · Public site & content load | Marketing pages, booking flow, agreed launch content set |
| 5 · Hardening & launch | Mobile/speed/security QA, Terms/Privacy, admin training, pilot, launch |
Definition of done for v1
A parent in Trinidad can find the SEA Fractions pathway → preview it → pay per child → log in → have their child complete all 10 guided lessons with worksheets, H5P activities & quizzes on a phone — and the Everest admin can add the next pathway without calling us.
6 · Client Discovery Questions
Close every gap before we lock scope and quote.
● blocks scope/quote ● shapes design ● good to know
Commercial & payments
- 1 Brief already sets USD card processing, "to be advised by you" → we recommend the processor. Open ask: do you also need local TTD (WiPay) alongside international cards?
- 2 Actual prices (per-child subscription, one-time items, bundles, consultations, workshops)?
- 3 Budget range for the initial build?
- 4 Confirm the free-preview vs. paywall split (mechanism already set in the brief).
Content (the #1 delivery risk)
- 6 They own "a large library" — but how much is in ready-to-load lesson form vs. still to be produced?
- 7 Who produces the content — Everest, or us converting slides/exams?
- 8 Send the specific highlighted list (meaning is known — highlighted = site lessons, non-highlighted = physical boxes; colour didn't survive extraction).
- 9 What's the launch content minimum (e.g. one full SEA pathway)?
Product scope
- 12 Parent accounts — brief already says "optional initially" — confirm only.
- 13 Progress tracking — brief already says "Phase 2" — confirm only.
- 14 Professional services — real booking + payment in v1, or an enquiry form?
Branding, technical & compliance
- 17 Do you own a domain? Who controls DNS?
- 18 Existing logo, colours, fonts, brand guide — or do we design them?
- 21 Do you have H5P/Genially content, or do we build the activities?
- 25 Children's data + payments: any T&T data-protection rules, and do you have Terms/Privacy?
Timeline & success
- 28 Target launch date or fixed deadline (e.g. before a school/SEA season)?
- 29 Definition of success for v1 (e.g. first 200 subscribers, or a working pilot)?
The must-answer-first five
#3 Budget · #6 Content readiness · #7 Who produces content · #9 Launch content minimum · #28 Launch date. (Payment & parent-accounts dropped — the brief already answers them.) With these, we can lock v1 scope and give a real quote and timeline.
7 · Risks & Next Steps
What could derail delivery, and how we move forward.
Key risks
| Risk | Mitigation |
|---|---|
| Content readiness — a structured platform is only as good as the sequenced lessons loaded into it | Start content production in parallel from day one; define a launch minimum (one SEA subject) |
| Scope creep across the five offerings | v1 = Learning Platform + commerce; defer workshops & therapy scheduling |
| "No developer for updates" could fail silently | Verify with a hands-on admin walkthrough before sign-off |
| Local payment (WiPay) integration & USD settlement | Validate merchant eligibility & integration path early in Phase 1 |
Immediate next steps
- Walk the client through this brief and get the must-answer-five answered.
- Lock v1 scope: public site + Learning Library + one full SEA pathway + login + payments.
- Stand up the WordPress + LMS + H5P prototype and build the Fractions pathway as the reference.
- Agree the content-production pipeline (who converts slides/exam papers into lessons).