When we think about the future of EdTech, it’s no longer enough to have great content and a clean interface – the next leap comes from instant interaction, live analytics, and global scalability. Real-time systems aren’t just a technical upgrade – they are a business imperative.
From April 1st to May 20th, the Product Mindset audience was offered the opportunity to join a special 8-part webinar series, expertly led by Mikhail Filimonov, BigTech’s Director of IT.
Within eight weeks, Mikhail led the participants in the exciting world of EdTech, where strategy and nimbleness blended effortlessly. Their dialogue moved beyond exceptional content and user engagement, into the realm of real game changers: real-time interactions, live analytics, and the vast potential for global scalability. His words struck deep – within today’s environment, real-time functionality had transformed from niceties to indispensable resources for those seeking to rule the marketplace.
His credibility is born of an impressive 17-year background in high-performance application development across the domains of social networking and leading-edge game development. Currently, he is instrumental in devising core capabilities and optimizing the performance of the WebSocket protocol of the commonly used messaging application, Telegram, in its macOS variant. This unique combination of experience enables him to communicate fluidly with both the CTO and the CFO, establishing an unbroken link between the technical and financial results.
Each of the eight sessions explored a critical aspect of real-time transformation in the world of EdTech, from strategic necessities and technical fundamentals to monetization tactics and phased roll-out roadmaps. This set of conversations intertwined real-life case studies, actionable frameworks, and insights oriented around return on investment, arming attendees with a clear roadmap for what’s next.
While recordings are not publicly available at the expert’s request, the response from the Product Mindset community was resoundingly positive with attendees praising the balance of strategic vision and technical depth.
📌 Disclaimer: All opinions and insights shared in this series were Mikhail’s personal views, drawn from his own experience, and did not represent the views of his employer. Please email us if you’d like to request access to the recordings.
Session highlights and event timeline
📅 April 1 – May 20, 2025
Week 1 – April 1
1. The Strategic Imperative for Real-Time in EdTech
💡 Why real-time is a market-winning move
- The “speed gap” in current EdTech platforms
- Competitors gaining share via instant capabilities
- ROI models linking speed to engagement & retention
Week 2 – April 8
2. Architectural Foundations of Real-Time Systems
💡 Scalable, low-latency platforms made practical
- Event-driven architectures & low-latency design
- Elasticity for global classrooms
- Resilience without complexity
Week 3 – April 15
3. Cost-Benefit Analysis: Real-Time vs. Near-Time
💡 The CFO’s decision framework
- 3–5 year TCO comparison
- Monetization unlocked by real-time
- Phased budgeting strategies
Week 4 – April 22
4. Data Flow & Analytics in Real-Time Learning
💡 Data as a driver for personalised learning
- Adaptive learning algorithms
- Predictive churn reduction
- Feedback loops boosting lifetime value
Week 5 – April 29
5. Security & Compliance in Real-Time Environments
💡 Maintaining trust at high speed
- FERPA & GDPR in real-time contexts
- Secure transport & zero-trust
- Real-time anomaly detection
Week 6 – May 6
6. Monetization Strategies for Real-Time EdTech
💡 Turning tech into revenue
- Freemium & microtransaction models
- Premium real-time services (tutoring, grading)
- Cross-selling via engagement analytics
Week 7 – May 13
7. Scaling Globally Without Sacrificing Performance
💡 Speed at scale
- Edge computing & CDN strategies
- Latency benchmarks & SLAs
- Cost-optimized infrastructure partnerships
Week 8 – May 20
8. The Roadmap to Real-Time: Phased Implementation Plan
💡 Your board-ready transformation blueprint
- 6, 12, 24-month milestones
- Change management for all stakeholders
- Measuring & optimizing success
