| Client | Behavior analysis training company, Tampa, Florida (name withheld) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Behavior analysis education and training |
| Our role | Technical and client-facing lead |
| Timeline | About one quarter |
| Status | Platform complete, final production video pending |
The Challenge
The client has wanted to build this since 2019. They had the clinical credibility and the product ideas, but no technical leadership, so the idea sat. Then the rules changed. RBT applicants applying on or after January 1, 2026 must complete a training that meets updated BACB requirements, and the trainer must issue a completed certificate carrying a specific BACB-prescribed statement.
This was not a generic e-learning project. The platform had to deliver the right curriculum, prove completion, and issue a compliant certificate every time. University programs already sell 2026-aligned courses, with one Florida program listed at $90, so the client could not win by being first. It had to win on experience, credibility, and how easily organizations can enroll their staff. Group and organizational enrollment is built in from the start.
What We Built
We chose a hybrid architecture over a fully custom build. WordPress and WooCommerce run the storefront, LearnDash runs the course and gradebook, Vimeo hosts video, and Stripe takes payments. We saved custom code for the one piece where a mistake means a rejected certificate: certificate issuance, built as its own isolated Go microservice. That keeps the compliance-critical piece small, auditable, and separate.
Everything runs on AWS. Deployments go from GitHub Actions through CodeDeploy into separate staging and production groups, and nothing reaches production without passing staging first. Delivery was milestone-based, with written acceptance checklists agreed before each phase started.
Results
| Metric | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Idea to launch | Stalled since 2019 | About one quarter once technical leadership was in place |
| Releases | Manual and ad hoc, taking days | Automated staging-to-production deploys, under an hour |
| Certificate turnaround | Manual, days after completion | Automatic at course completion |
| Certificate compliance risk | Hand-assembled certificates | Required statement and fields generated by the service, not typed by hand |
| Next product line | Months | Weeks, since storefront, LMS, payments, and certificates already exist |
What We Learned
The client asked for a BACB ID field in account settings, which sat outside the original spec. We handled it as a change order, so the client got what they needed and the budget stayed honest. Change orders keep scope changes visible and priced, and they keep the relationship clean.
Where Things Stand
The platform is complete. The one remaining item is replacing placeholder videos with final production video, which does not touch the architecture, the compliance layer, or the deployment pipeline.
Why It Matters
When a regulated product has to launch fast and lean, we use proven tools for most of it and build custom only where compliance demands it.