Multi-Platform Multi-Discipline Accountability App for Music Lessons

Project Type

Music App Development

Industry

Education

Tech Stack

ABOUT THE CLIENT

After achieving recognition as a concert pianist across the US, Asia, and Europe, a renowned musician returned to Hyderabad, aiming to bring his expertise in Western classical music to his hometown. Drawing from years of collaboration with acclaimed global artists, he launched the Resonance Music Festival in 2018, the first in a series of concerts and events he proudly organized, leading up to the official launch of his music academy.

*All names and logos have been changed to respect NDA

OVERVIEW

We worked under a fixed-cost model, turning the client’s clear vision and extensive music industry experience into a fully functional app. The app includes key features like task management, audio recording integration, and performance tracking, built using React, React Native, and Firebase. Extensive QA and user acceptance testing were conducted at every stage to ensure high quality. The result is a robust application that meets the client’s expectations and needs.

BUSINESS
REQUIREMENT

The client required a web and mobile application designed to help users complete tasks by setting accountability partners. The app enables teachers, students, and parents to monitor progress in classes and assignments, providing a comprehensive overview of performance. By generating reports, users can easily visualize and evaluate progress, helping them stay on track and improve their learning outcomes.

SOLUTION

We designed a fully functional iOS and web-based music learning application that enables users to manage tasks and track progress with accountability partners.

The app would encourage users to develop discipline, consistency, and timeliness in their daily routines, boosting productivity and helping them achieve their goals.
Students would have the flexibility to practice and record sessions at their convenience, enabling teachers to review and provide valuable feedback.
The built-in accountability system would help users recognize the long-term benefits of disciplined learning.

CHALLENGES

Every project of this scale presents unique challenges, and this one was no exception. Through ongoing research, development, and experimentation with various tech stacks, we were able to address and overcome the issues that arose during the course of development. Below are the key challenges we faced and how we approached each one.

As we needed to obtain OTPs for each new login from the client. This created some bottlenecks during testing and development.

A faster refresh rate was requested which required transitioning from Firebase to Node.js. However, this switch would incur additional costs.

OUR APPROACH

Our team swiftly divided the work into eight milestones to develop both a web and iOS mobile application, aiming to support efficient learning for music students. We chose React, React Native, and Firebase for fast delivery, ensuring the app provided robust performance across platforms. Initial milestones focused on student and task management for the web app, while the mobile app scaffolding progressed in parallel. Subsequent stages included audio recording integration, home screen design, and features that allowed teachers to review student progress through visual reports and shared recordings.

Once the front-end features were established, we shifted focus to the backend, choosing Firebase for the server and database infrastructure.

At the end of each sprint, extensive manual QA testing was conducted to ensure quality, and User Acceptance Testing involved the client in reviewing the progress after each sprint. This approach allowed us to continuously refine the application based on feedback and ensure a smooth, efficient learning experience for users.

Initial Setup Audio Integration Backend and Infra QA Testing

Initial Setup

The project kicked off with the setup of both the web and iOS mobile applications. Our primary focus was to implement the core student and task management features for the web app, allowing teachers, students, and parents to track class progress.

Simultaneously, we began scaffolding the mobile app, including setting up essential components like navigation, Redux, and the boilerplate structure. This milestone laid the foundation for both platforms, ensuring a seamless start to the development process.

Audio Integration

In this milestone, we focused on integrating the audio recording feature, a critical functionality for music students to practice and record their sessions within the app.

We also worked on designing and implementing the home screen UI for both mobile and web apps, allowing users to track task statuses effectively. Additionally, Sentry was set up for real-time error tracking and performance monitoring, ensuring the stability of the application as new features were added.

Backend and Infra

Once the front-end components were in place, we shifted focus to the backend, selecting Firebase as the infrastructure for both the server and database. This milestone included setting up user authentication and managing backend scaffolding for both web and mobile applications.

We also implemented graphical progress reports, allowing teachers to monitor student performance visually. This provided a comprehensive view of student activities, ensuring the app met the needs of both educators and learners.

QA Testing

The final milestone involved rigorous manual QA testing at the end of each sprint to ensure all features were working as expected and bugs were promptly resolved. We introduced User Acceptance Testing (UAT), keeping the client involved after each sprint to review progress and provide feedback.

This collaborative approach allowed us to refine the application further, making necessary adjustments based on client input and ensuring the app was polished for its final delivery.

PROJECT RESULTS

We created a web and mobile application designed to help users complete tasks by setting accountability partners, allowing teachers, students, and parents to monitor progress in classes and assignments. The app generates detailed reports to enable users to visualize and evaluate their performance, fostering timeliness, discipline, and consistency in repetitive tasks, which boosts productivity and sets goals in motion.

Over time, the app's built-in accountability systems encourage users to appreciate the value of discipline. Additionally, we provided students with the flexibility to practice and record sessions at their convenience, allowing teachers to review and provide feedback as needed.