Vigilo improves the efficiency of schools and kindergartens with IT assistance from Cegal

– We have a close relationship with Cegal and highly value their expertise, says CEO Øystein Viland of Vigilo. (Photo: Microsoft)

Vigilo helps more than 1000 schools, kindergartens, and municipal child welfare administrations simplify and streamline their daily operations. With Vigilo, you get more time for what matters, whether you're a teacher, administrator, parent, or kindergarten staff. Teachers now have more time to instruct. Parents can access all of their child's information in one spot. Administrative staff use a single platform for communication and information.

Vigilo was established in Karmsund, south of Haugesund, in 2010. The development of a communication system for kindergartens that provided secure two-way communication between the kindergarten and parents was the beginning point. The solution was created in partnership with the municipality of Tysvær, which also spearheaded the project.

Cegal has contributed to development, architecture, testing, and ongoing development since the beginning.

"We have a close relationship with Cegal and highly value their expertise"

Øystein Viland, CEO at Vigilo

For years, Cegal has had full responsibility for the application lifecycle management for Vigilo, and also operates Vigilo's solutions from the operations center in Stord.

Accelerating the coding process

"The biggest advantage with Cegal is their agility. The consultants quickly adapt to market changes. Our needs change rapidly. Customers require new features. New requirements come from the authorities. In such cases, the consultants cannot be locked into a fixed development path, Viland continues."

He states that one of the advantages of Cegal being familiar with Vigilo is that projects can be initiated quickly.

"The onboarding process was quick, and within a few days, the Cegal consultants had started producing code"

Øystein Viland, Vigilo

Addressed capacity issues

One recent project focused on rapidly onboarding a large number of users to Vigilo's systems. This included parents accessing the web parent portal and app, as well as teachers, principals, and inspectors using the employee portal. However, this presented performance challenges that needed to be addressed. Additionally, there were several functional requirements outlined in the agreements with individual municipalities that had to be met within specified deadlines.

According to Viland, Cegal tackled this issue by placing a high priority on resolving the most crucial functionalities while simultaneously limiting the scope. Teams were requested to put in extra hours during specific periods, resulting in remarkable speed in delivering critical outcomes.

In the realm of architecture and performance, a seamless collaboration took place between operational technical resources as a DevOps team, engaging in frequent and concise meetings followed by targeted tasks aimed at enhancing the software's performance. Furthermore, the operational environment was expanded, resulting in the existence of numerous web and database servers that sustain the system for over 500,000 users.

Freeing up time for education

Vigilo, with its inception a decade ago, has steadily expanded its range of products, offering a comprehensive suite of tools to simplify the everyday lives of kindergarten, school, and after-school care staff and parents.

The software developed by Vigilo not only facilitates smarter learning but also accelerates school administration processes, resulting in smoother and more efficient school operations. This, in turn, grants teachers more time to focus on student engagement and learning, aligning with the UN's sustainability goals of promoting effective and efficient education.

Vigilo's team comprises individuals with firsthand experience in kindergarten, school, and after-school care settings. They have an in-depth understanding of the challenges faced and the significance of having a straightforward and user-friendly system that maximizes time availability.

Focus on what truly counts

Vigilo's message is resonating with a growing number of customers, as they continue to make significant strides in the market. Since 2018, Vigilo has successfully partnered with major municipalities such as Bergen, Trondheim, Drammen, Asker, Lillestrøm, Fredrikstad, IKT Agder, and the Værnes region, expanding their reach and establishing a strong presence in both the public and private sectors. This remarkable growth is further supported by Cegal's robust IT assistance, ensuring Vigilo's continued success in meeting the needs of their expanding customer base.