1. Now that the school year is underway, do requests vary from your customers in different countries and what is most important to them? Has anything surprised you in what’s happening in your market(s) in general during this most unusual COVID environment (beyond what you would normally expect)?

COVID-related disruptions, like transitions to hybrid or all-online learning, aren’t being felt as acutely by our customers—those who are already using our Edsby learning management system for K-12. Our district and regional customers have what they need to teach, assess and report online with Edsby.

In the wider global market, the pandemic continues to accelerate digital transformation in K-12. Countries, states, provinces and districts that had once seen digital learning as a nice-to-have are racing to put in solutions as quickly as they can. And when it comes to selecting software systems to manage online learning, assessment and parent engagement, they’re increasingly looking for comprehensive, all-in-one systems built for K-12 like Edsby.

2. What does the new normal for Edsby look like and do you see this continuing or do you think education will go mostly back to what was ‘normal’ prior?

Post-COVID, K-12 education will never be the same. Never.

The pandemic is making educators just as fluent with digital tools as they were with blackboard and chalk. The days of paper gradebooks will never return. Parents will never again be satisfied with anything but the instant insight into the academic achievement of their kids that they get from mobile phone apps today. Hybrid learning in some form is likely here to stay, so educators in K-12 are investing in the digital infrastructure like learning management systems to support it long term.

3. How long do you expect your employees to work remotely (or were most of them always working remotely)? What are your plans for using your office space going forward?

​​​​​​​​Even pre-pandemic, we were a distributed organization with staff in remote locations in North America and New Zealand. So, we had the systems and internal disciplines to know remote work was possible. Now, with most employees at our Toronto-area headquarters working from home, we’re obviously thinking about our office space. But it’s a unique building, overlooking a lake and nature preserve—so we’re in no hurry to give it up!

4. How has your leadership style changed – or not – during this period? What might you be doing differently now with your team?

Our overall leadership style has not changed but has been modified to the new remote working realities brought on by COVID. With team members working from a distance, the loss of impromptu, in-person strategic and tactical discussions have been minimized. It required a more organized effort to schedule effective team interactions by leveraging the strength of virtual communication tools and learning new competencies for driving collaboration, creativity and entrepreneurial thinking.

And then there’s our ace in the hole: our own product. We are fortunate in that the same Edsby system driving engagement for millions of students, teachers and parents around the world has been helping our team work effectively, even from our own homes.

ROBIN WARNER Managing Director r.warner@dp.oaklins.com	JACK NOBLE Partner j.noble@dp.oaklins.com	NEAL GOFF Senior Advisor n.goff@dp.oaklins.com
ERICA GRUEN Senior Advisor e.gruen@dp.oaklins.com	COLTON T. SMITH Associate c.smith@dp.oaklins.com	ANDREW EADDY Analyst a.eaddy@dp.oaklins.com

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