What are the biggest criticisms faced by any institution with regard to the evaluation of its students? It is how to try and evaluate students in both curricular activities and out-of-the-classroom involvement. Following the educational journeys of learners using traditional methods tends to be very restrictive as such as most of the existing approaches are compartmentalized. This is where Darshit Thakkar’s “Pathways” project comes in, changing the way educational institutions conduct assessments on their students. In less than a year, over 100 universities have adopted the platform developing it into one of the most powerful advancements in academic evaluation and transformation.
Thank you for joining us today, Darshit. Your "Pathways" project has been making significant waves in the education sector. Can you share what inspired you to develop this platform?
Darshit: Thank you for having me. The inspiration behind Pathways came from a deep awareness of the challenges institutions face in assessing students holistically. One of the main issues I observed was the fragmented nature of traditional assessment systems. Evaluations were often siloed—academics were tracked in one system, extracurricular activities in another, and there was little to no integration between them. This compartmentalization made it difficult for educators to get a comprehensive understanding of a student's overall development.
Moreover, the lack of a unified platform led to data inconsistencies and inefficiencies. Different departments used various tools and metrics, which resulted in a disjointed view of student progress. Educators and administrators spent a significant amount of time manually compiling data from multiple sources, which not only increased their workload but also delayed critical interventions that could benefit students.
Another challenge was the inability to effectively identify and support students who might be struggling in less obvious ways. For instance, a student might excel academically but face challenges in social engagement or leadership skills. Without a holistic assessment system, these nuances often went unnoticed, and opportunities to support the student's overall growth were missed.
These challenges highlighted a pressing need for a solution that could bring all aspects of student evaluation under one roof. I wanted to create a platform that not only integrated academic and extracurricular assessments but also provided actionable insights to educators.
What makes Pathways different from traditional assessment systems?
Darshit: Pathways revolutionizes student assessment by unifying all evaluation procedures—academic and co-curricular—into a single, cloud-based platform. Unlike traditional systems that compartmentalize these areas, Pathways provides educators with a comprehensive view of each student's overall development, combining academic achievements with extracurricular involvement.
This holistic approach greatly benefits students by recognizing and valuing all aspects of their education. It encourages them to engage more fully in both academic and extracurricular activities, knowing that their efforts contribute to their overall growth and are acknowledged by the institution. This not only motivates students but also helps them develop a more well-rounded skill set, preparing them for future challenges.
For teachers, Pathways eliminates the need to manage co-curricular assessments in isolation. By integrating all data into one platform, educators save time and reduce administrative burdens. They can more easily identify areas where students excel or may need additional support, enabling them to personalize instruction and provide targeted interventions. This unified system also fosters better collaboration among faculty members, as everyone has access to the same comprehensive student information.
At the institutional level, Pathways enhances the overall educational system by promoting a more interconnected and efficient approach to student assessment. It enables data-driven decision-making, helping institutions allocate resources effectively and design programs that better meet student needs. By bridging the gap between various aspects of student life, Pathways contributes to a more cohesive and supportive educational environment for all stakeholders
What were some of the biggest challenges you faced while developing Pathways?
Darshit: One of the most significant challenges was designing a system flexible enough to accommodate the diverse needs of different educational institutions. Each institution has its own unique goals, academic disciplines, extracurricular activities, and administrative structures. Balancing these varied requirements without compromising usability or performance was a complex task.
We had to ensure that Pathways was highly customizable yet remained intuitive for users. This meant creating a platform adaptable to different assessment methods and curricula while providing a seamless user experience. Achieving this balance involved extensive collaboration with educators and administrators, gathering feedback, and iteratively refining the system to meet their specific needs.
Another major challenge was integrating Pathways with existing legacy systems. Many institutions had significant investments in their current software, so Pathways needed to work seamlessly with these infrastructures. Developing robust interoperability solutions and ensuring data security required innovative engineering and thorough testing to provide a unified and efficient experience for educators and administrators.
How did you address these diverse requirements?
Darshit: We tackled these diverse requirements by embracing a user-centered design approach that really put educators and administrators at the heart of the process. I spent a lot of time collaborating directly with professionals from various institutions—holding workshops, meetings, and open discussions. This hands-on engagement helped us truly understand their unique challenges and what they needed from the platform.
One of our key strategies was to make Pathways highly customizable while keeping it intuitive and easy to use. We knew that each institution had its own way of doing things, so the platform had to be flexible enough to adapt without overwhelming users. By continually refining the system based on their feedback, we were able to prioritize features that offered the most value and felt natural to them.
We also recognized that many institutions were already using legacy systems and were concerned about how Pathways would fit in. To address this, we focused on making the platform seamlessly integrate with their existing software. We developed solutions to ensure smooth data exchange and compatibility, which eased the transition and allowed educators to continue their work without disruption. This way, we could enhance their capabilities without forcing them to abandon the systems they were comfortable with.
Were there technical hurdles you had to overcome?
Darshit: Absolutely. Designing a feature-rich system like Pathways required creating an architecture scalable enough to handle complex workflows across multiple universities while ensuring data security. We developed an efficient information management system capable of accommodating various assessment types and storing large volumes of data. Another critical objective was ensuring Pathways could seamlessly integrate with existing applications since many institutions had invested heavily in legacy systems.
Integration can be a significant barrier. How did you make it seamless?
Darshit: That's a great question. We recognized early on that many institutions have existing systems they've invested in over the years, and asking them to replace or overhaul their infrastructure would be a huge obstacle. To address this, we prioritized interoperability from the very beginning of the development process.
My team and I focused on creating a flexible and adaptable platform. We developed comprehensive wireframes and flowcharts that mapped out how Pathways could interact with other commonly used systems in educational institutions. This involved designing open APIs and integration points that allowed for easy data exchange between Pathways and existing software like student information systems, learning management systems, and administrative tools.
Ultimately, our goal was to ensure that adopting Pathways wouldn't require institutions to abandon or heavily modify their current systems. By making interoperability a core feature, we enabled a smooth transition that minimized disruption and encouraged widespread adoption of the platform.
How has Pathways impacted the institutions that have adopted it?
Darshit: The impact has been significant. Institutions using Pathways report improved ability to track and manage student development. Educators can diagnose complex student needs more effectively by considering both academic and non-academic factors. Moreover, by simplifying data access, educators can focus more on student development rather than administrative tasks, leading to enhanced student participation and engagement.
What do you envision for the future of Pathways?
Darshit: Building on its success, I see Pathways becoming the standard for holistic student evaluation. We're planning to enhance the platform's analytics capabilities, incorporating predictive models that allow institutions to anticipate student needs proactively. The goal is to not only show where students are in their development journey but also to predict their next steps and provide strategies to improve outcomes.
Are you considering expanding Pathways beyond higher education?
Darshit: Yes, absolutely. We're actively exploring possibilities in K-12 education and corporate training programs. By customizing the platform to different learning contexts, we aim to make holistic assessment accessible across various educational and professional settings.
Expanding into K-12 education would enable us to support students from an earlier age, providing teachers with comprehensive insights into both academic performance and social-emotional development. This could help educators identify learning gaps or behavioral issues sooner, allowing for timely interventions and personalized learning plans. It promotes a more nurturing environment where each student's unique needs are recognized and addressed.
In the corporate training arena, integrating Pathways can revolutionize employee development programs. Companies could use the platform to assess not just technical skills but also soft skills, team collaboration, leadership potential, and engagement in company culture. This holistic view enables organizations to tailor professional development initiatives more effectively, enhancing employee satisfaction and productivity. It also aids in succession planning by identifying employees who are ready to take on greater responsibilities.
By extending Pathways to these new sectors, we're aiming to foster a culture of continuous, holistic development. Whether it's helping a child build foundational skills or enabling professionals to reach their full potential, the expanded platform would empower educators and organizations to make more informed, impactful decisions that benefit individuals and communities alike
Your background is in software engineering. How did you transition into product management, and how has that influenced Pathways?
Darshit: My technical background laid the groundwork for everything I do in product management. Having a deep understanding of system and database design was instrumental when developing a robust platform like Pathways. I could anticipate the technical challenges we might face and work proactively with the engineering team to ensure that our architecture was scalable and flexible enough to meet different institutions' needs. This foundation gave me the confidence to navigate complex technical decisions, which is crucial when you're building a product meant to support diverse users.
Transitioning into product management was driven by a desire to not only build solutions but also ensure they meet real market needs. I wanted to be involved in the full cycle—from identifying the problem to delivering the solution. This shift allowed me to bridge the gap between technical feasibility and user value. Understanding the product from both the technical and user perspectives has been invaluable. I could communicate effectively with engineers about constraints while also advocating for features that users truly needed, ensuring that Pathways was both technically sound and genuinely helpful for educators.
Working on Pathways, I found that my engineering experience allowed me to empathize with the development team and actively participate in the technical discussions, while my product management skills ensured we kept the user's needs front and center. It also helped me make more informed trade-offs between feature sets, timelines, and technical complexity. This dual perspective ensured that we built a product that not only solved key challenges in education but was also easy to use, reliable, and adaptable to the specific needs of each institution. The transition to product management was, in essence, about connecting the dots—turning complex technical possibilities into impactful user experiences, which has made Pathways a more complete solution.
It's evident that your approach combines technical expertise with strategic vision. What do you hope will be the lasting impact of your work with Pathways?
Darshit: My hope is that Pathways will fundamentally transform how educational institutions view and support student development. By offering a holistic perspective that integrates academic and extracurricular assessments, I want Pathways to help institutions recognize that education is more than just grades—it’s about nurturing all aspects of a student’s growth. I hope this approach inspires a shift towards more personalized and supportive learning environments, where every student's unique talents and challenges are acknowledged and addressed.
For educators, I want Pathways to ease the burden of data management and administrative tasks, allowing them to focus on what they do best—teaching and mentoring students. Ultimately, the lasting impact I envision is an educational system that is more connected, efficient, and empathetic, where technology is used not just to automate processes but to enhance the human element of education.
Thank you for sharing your insights. It's inspiring to hear how Pathways is reshaping student assessment.
Darshit: Thank you for the opportunity to discuss this important work. I'm grateful for the chance to contribute to the future of education.
Conclusion: Imprint of Innovation and Impact
There can be no doubt as to the strong leadership and managerial skills that define Darshit Thakkar Pathways. He has expanded the horizons of how educational programs measuring student development can be implemented. He has successfully designed an educational platform that is both effective and cutting edge due to her focus on the end user and knowledge of the education system.
If one thing is to be taken away from this report, it is that Darshit will definitely change more than the institutions that have up to this moment adopted the use of the Pathways platform. For how long will you take to solve a problem in the real world as opposed to believing in the future of technologies in education? This is why he is destined to remain a voice in the education technology space for quite a number of years.
The opinions reflected here are Darshit’s own and not of his current or previous employers
