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Project Schedule

Overview

This schedule outlines the proposed timeline for delivering Conference Expo Portal v2.0. All dates are provisional and subject to refinement during project planning and execution. Development commences on Monday, 3 November 2025, with a scheduled break for the holiday period (22 December 2025 - 5 January 2026).

Key Milestones

Specification Phase

  • Specification completion: 31 October 2025
  • Client review and feedback: 31 October - 31 October 2025
  • Final specification sign-off: 31 October 2025

Development Phase

  • Project kickoff: 3 November 2025
  • Holiday break: 22 December 2025 - 5 January 2026 (no work)
  • Backend development complete: 6 February 2026
  • Frontend development complete: 6 March 2026
  • System integration complete: 13 March 2026

Launch Phase

  • User acceptance testing: 16-18 March 2026
  • Production deployment: 19 March 2026
  • Go-live: 20 March 2026

Detailed Timeline

Phase 1: Backend Development

3 November 2025 - 6 February 2026 (14 working weeks, excluding 22 Dec - 5 Jan)

This phase focuses on establishing the core system architecture and business logic:

  • Weeks 1-2 (3-17 Nov): Environment setup and database design
  • Weeks 3-6 (18 Nov-15 Dec): Core API development and user management
  • Week 7 (16-21 Dec): Event and stand configuration systems (partial week)
  • Holiday break: 22 December 2025 - 5 January 2026 (no work)
  • Weeks 8-11 (6 Jan-2 Feb): Event and stand configuration systems (continued)
  • Weeks 12-14 (3-6 Feb): Artwork workflow, payment integration, testing, and documentation

Phase 2: Frontend Development

9 February 2026 - 6 March 2026 (4 weeks)

Development of the user interface and client-side functionality:

  • Week 1 (9-16 Feb): Project setup, design system, and core components
  • Week 2 (17-23 Feb): User interface implementation
  • Week 3 (24 Feb-2 Mar): Integration with backend APIs
  • Week 4 (3-6 Mar): Testing, optimisation, and polish

Phase 3: Integration and Testing

9 March 2026 - 13 March 2026 (1 week)

System integration and comprehensive testing:

  • Days 1-3 (9-11 Mar): End-to-end testing and critical bug fixes
  • Days 4-5 (12-13 Mar): Performance optimisation and security review

Phase 4: Launch

16 March 2026 - 20 March 2026 (1 week)

Final preparation and deployment:

  • Days 1-3 (16-18 Mar): User acceptance testing and final adjustments
  • Days 4-5 (19-20 Mar): Production deployment and go-live

Risk Considerations

Timeline Buffers

The development timeline accounts for the holiday break whilst maintaining project momentum:

  • Holiday break (22 Dec - 5 Jan) explicitly excluded from working time
  • Backend development adjusted to 14 working weeks
  • Limited buffer time in development phases requiring disciplined execution
  • Critical path management essential due to compressed timeline
  • Early risk identification and mitigation crucial for success

Critical Dependencies

Several factors could impact the proposed timeline:

  • Specification approval: Delays in sign-off (due 31 October) will push all subsequent phases
  • Holiday period: No work scheduled between 22 December 2025 and 5 January 2026
  • Third-party integrations: Stripe and Nimlogix API development
  • Infrastructure setup: DigitalOcean service provisioning and configuration
  • Work resumption: Smooth restart of work on 6 January 2026
  • Tight timeline: Limited buffer time requires disciplined execution and early risk identification

Milestone Flexibility

The launch date is now scheduled for 20 March 2026, accounting for the later start and holiday break:

  • Backend development comprises 14 working weeks (excluding holiday break)
  • Frontend development maintains 4 weeks requiring parallel work where possible
  • Integration phase comprises 1 week - critical issues must be identified early
  • Launch phase maintains 3 days of user acceptance testing
  • Risk: Any significant delays in backend completion could impact the entire schedule
  • Holiday impact: 2-week break requires good handover documentation before 22 December

Resource Allocation

Development Team

The timeline assumes a core development team comprising:

  • Senior full-stack developer (lead)
  • Frontend specialist
  • Part-time DevOps/infrastructure support

Client Involvement

Key client engagement points are built into the schedule:

  • Weekly check-ins during active development phases
  • Milestone reviews at the end of each major phase
  • User acceptance testing participation in the final week
  • Go-live support during launch week

Success Metrics

Progress will be measured against:

  • Feature completion: Delivery of all specified functionality
  • Quality gates: Passing automated tests and code review
  • Performance benchmarks: Meeting non-functional requirements
  • User acceptance: Successful completion of acceptance testing
  • Launch readiness: Production environment stability and monitoring

Next Steps

Following specification sign-off on 31 October 2025, the immediate priorities are:

  1. Finalise resource allocation and team assignments
  2. Set up development and staging environments
  3. Establish project management and communication protocols
  4. Begin Phase 1 backend development on 3 November 2025

This proposed schedule starts development on 3 November 2025 and accounts for a two-week holiday break (22 December 2025 - 5 January 2026), targeting a go-live date of 20 March 2026. The timeline is achievable with disciplined execution, requiring careful coordination between phases and early identification of potential risks. Good documentation before the holiday break will be essential to ensure smooth work resumption in January.