Reflecting on Growth and Challenges: Proctorio’s Journey in 2020

Published: August 13, 2024

The year 2020 presented unprecedented challenges and opportunities for many companies, especially those in the realm of online education technology. As we look back on the past year, it is clear that Proctorio faced both extraordinary growth and significant hurdles. This reflection provides an in-depth look at our achievements, challenges, and the path forward as we continue to innovate and support our global community.

Unprecedented Growth Amid Global Challenges

In 2020, Proctorio experienced a surge in demand that far exceeded our initial expectations. By March, we had already surpassed our annual targets, experiencing a staggering 900% year-over-year growth in proctored exams. Over 20 million exams were conducted across more than 1,200 institutions worldwide, with our reach extending to nearly every country.

This explosive growth continued throughout the year, with our weekly active user count rising from 250,000 in January 2020 to nearly 3 million by March 2021. The rapid shift to distance learning drove institutions to rely on our services, and we responded by scaling our operations while maintaining the quality and reliability that our users expect.

Reflecting on the early days of the pandemic, our team exhibited remarkable resilience and creativity. We swiftly adapted to the changing landscape, offering free LockDown services and emergency training sessions to help our partner institutions navigate the transition to online education. These efforts, born out of necessity, have since become integral parts of our service offerings and will continue to be available as we move forward.

Commitment to Data Privacy and Security

As the pandemic accelerated the adoption of our services, we recognized the critical importance of data privacy and security. Proctorio took proactive steps to enhance our platform, prioritizing test-taker security, accessibility, and anti-bias improvements. We understand that trust is paramount, particularly when dealing with high-stakes exams, and we are committed to ensuring that test-takers can focus on their assessments without worrying about their data.

One of our key initiatives was the introduction of a new data privacy feature that provides transparency regarding the storage of encrypted exam recordings. In partnership with White Oak Security, a leading information security firm, we conducted a comprehensive assessment of our data security practices. The results confirmed the effectiveness of our Zero-Knowledge Encryption approach, ensuring that only institution-approved representatives have access to encryption keys for audio or video recordings.

Our dedication to data privacy extends beyond compliance; it is a core principle of our operations. Proctorio does not use biometric identifiers, does not require additional personally identifiable information beyond what is necessary, and does not sell test-taker data. We only share data with trusted sub-processors, ensuring that all information is handled with the utmost care and security.

Continuous Improvement and Self-Evaluation

Proctorio’s commitment to excellence extends beyond data privacy and security. We have also focused on ensuring that our software remains free from discrimination in both accessibility and bias. To achieve this, we engaged with two third-party organizations to conduct thorough audits of our platform.

Our collaboration with BABL AI is an ongoing effort to evaluate and update Proctorio’s algorithms, ensuring a fair and inclusive learning environment for all users. Additionally, we partnered with My Blind Spot, a New York City-based nonprofit consultancy, to enhance our software’s accessibility. Through regular accessibility audits and updates to our Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates (VPATs), we are committed to making our platform accessible to all learners.

Feedback from our users has been invaluable in guiding our improvements. In response to requests for better communication and understanding of our platform, we launched Proctorio Academy in 2020. This resource provides exam administrators with comprehensive training modules, sample materials, and collaborative message boards to ensure they can effectively use our platform.

Strengthening Our Team

The rapid growth we experienced in 2020 required us to expand our team significantly. Despite a 28% increase in employee headcount, we maintained our close-knit culture, demonstrating our ability to scale without compromising our values or overextending our staff. Many of our employees transitioned to remote work, reinforcing our empathy and understanding of the needs of remote learners.

As we move forward into 2024 and beyond, we remain focused on our mission to provide secure, accessible, and reliable online proctoring services. Our journey through 2020 has been a testament to the strength and dedication of our team, and we are excited to continue supporting educational institutions and learners around the world.