US digital strategy for a leading provider of K-12 STEM products

Our role

Our work, which included significant in-person interaction with key stakeholders to achieve alignment on the most critical issues and an implementation plan, was conducted over nine weeks.

To support the launch of the new digital STEM product, we defined the business model and go-to-market strategy, along with a clear marketing plan and KPIs. For the medium-term digital strategy, we reviewed the digital resources landscape to identify and determine the best adjacent digital STEM products to complement their existing product portfolio. Bringing together these short and medium-term approaches, we assessed a number of strategic scenarios to identify the best one to take forward in terms of revenue maximisation, synergies with the existing business, customer needs, and harmonisation with the company’s vision.

Underpinning our work was an extensive primary research programme to better understand US high school STEM teachers’ goals and challenges in their classrooms, as well as feedback from US STEM teachers and school / district leaders on demand for various STEM digital tools and resources and their willingness to pay for such resources. We conducted three market surveys (each with c.350-400 respondents), four teacher focus groups, product demonstration sessions, and over 40 interviews with teachers, school / district leaders, competitors, and potential partners across the edtech landscape.

The impact of the strategy was quantified in a five-year financial model detailing base case and upside scenarios.

To build a trusted-partner relationship with the client and critical to the overall success of the project, we spent three weeks embedded in the client’s US office and conducted a week’s worth of in-person workshops with key stakeholders to agree on financial forecasts and an actionable implementation plan.

The outcome

Acting as a trusted partner of our client, our work resulted in the creation of a comprehensive digital strategy supported by a detailed implementation plan to set the company’s US business up for future success.