Brainstorm Session 10: Development Roadmap & Phasing¶
Date: 2026-04-16 Objective: Concrete build plan turning 9 brainstorming sessions into execution Depends on: All previous sessions
Techniques Used¶
- Starbursting — Who/what/where/when/why/how for execution
- Reverse Brainstorming — "How would we guarantee project failure?"
- Mind Mapping — Phase breakdown and dependencies
Phase Overview¶
| Phase | Duration | Focus | Team | Deliverable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0: Foundation | Weeks 1-4 | Architecture, core, CI/CD | 1 + AI | Empty platform with auth + agent chat |
| 1: Core HR | Weeks 5-12 | 5 core domains, MCP, migration start | 2 + AI | Functional HR + recruitment + rostering |
| 2: Operations | Weeks 13-20 | Payroll, CRM, safety, mobile, automation | 2-3 + AI | Full operations + mobile app |
| 3: Full Platform | Weeks 21-32 | Remaining modules, IRAP prep, integrations | 3 + AI | Feature-complete, 18 modules |
| 4: Maturation | Weeks 33-44 | LMS, benefits, native awards, IRAP cert | 2-3 + AI | IRAP certified, v2 decommissioned |
Total: ~44 weeks (11 months) to full platform with IRAP certification
Phase 0: Foundation (Weeks 1-4)¶
Build¶
- Elixir umbrella project (20 OTP app structure)
- finnest_core: auth (email/password, MFA), organisations, users, roles, offices, feature flags, audit log, event store, notifications
- PostgreSQL: all 18+ schemas created, core tables migrated
- finnest_web: Phoenix scaffold, LiveView, DaisyUI 5, command bar (Cmd+K)
- finnest_agents: orchestrator, Claude client (hexagonal), MCP infrastructure, basic agent chat UI
- finnest_compliance: credential_types table seeded (~100 types), 2 industry profiles (labour_hire, construction)
- CI/CD: GitHub Actions, Docker build, basic deployment
Validate¶
- IRAP pre-assessment meeting with assessor (Elixir + Go proxy approach)
- KeyPay API evaluation (test award interpretation endpoint)
- KMP/React Native evaluation for mobile (if not Flutter)
Deliverable¶
Empty platform: login → org setup → agent chat working → command bar navigates.
Effort: 1 person + AI, ~4 weeks¶
Phase 1: Core HR + Recruitment (Weeks 5-12)¶
Build¶
finnest_people: - Employee CRUD (lifecycle state machine: onboarding → active → leave → terminated → rehired) - Leave management (requests, approvals, balances, accruals) - Contracts (employee × client × award × classification) - Qualifications (linked to credential registry) - Employee self-service views
finnest_recruit (port Scout from Laravel): - Job orders with category-specific requirements - Candidate pool management (sourcing, bucketing) - Deterministic scoring engine (weighted matrix) - Assessment system (category-specific questionnaires) - Three-track pipeline - Outreach (email + SMS via SES/provider) - Approach: Use Laravel tests as requirements spec. Write Elixir tests first, then implement.
finnest_onboard (port Verify from Laravel): - Onboarding workflow management - Document verification pipeline (4 AI agents: classify, extract, validate, cross-reference) - Identity checklist auto-population - Induction records - Approach: Same as recruit — tests as spec, rewrite to OTP patterns.
finnest_roster: - Shift creation (CRUD, copy, duplicate, rollover) - Assignment with availability checking - Roster rules and constraints - Shift codes and templates - Notifications
finnest_timekeep: - Timecard entry (individual and bulk) - Timecard calculation and processing - Approval workflows - Geo-location tagging - Clock event recording (API for mobile NFC/QR/GPS)
Infrastructure: - MCP servers for all 5 domains (typed tools, registered) - Agent tools for all 5 domains - LiveView UI for all 5 domains - Agent dashboard (home screen with curated summary) - Command bar with navigation + actions + queries
Integrate¶
- KeyPay API (award interpretation for rate lookups)
- AWS SES (email delivery)
- SMS provider (MessageBird or Sinch)
Migrate (for ASG)¶
- Strangler Fig Phase 1-2: reference data + people domain
- ID mapping table populated
- Data quality audit on v2 admin_central
Deliverable¶
Functional platform: employees, recruitment, onboarding, rostering, T&A. Agent chat works across all domains. ASG can pilot non-critical workflows.
Effort: 2 people + AI, ~8 weeks¶
Phase 2: Operations + Mobile (Weeks 13-20)¶
Build¶
finnest_reach: - Full SMS + email agent orchestration - Basic voice integration (Twilio) - Message threading and history - Communication templates - Human handoff records
finnest_pulse: - Timesheet anomaly detection (Tier 3 agent) - Credential expiry alerts (Tier 3 agent) - Basic roster optimisation suggestions - Automation run tracking
finnest_payroll: - KeyPay integration for rate calculation - Pay run management (create → calculate → review → approve → finalise) - Pay line generation per employee per period - STP Phase 2 event generation and submission - Basic invoicing (client billing)
finnest_clients: - Client CRUD with contacts - Sites and agencies - Rate cards and rate configuration - Basic job costing
finnest_safety: - Incident reporting and tracking - Safety inspections - Basic WHS compliance checks - SWMS document management
Mobile (Flutter): - Adapt existing app for Finnest API (/api/v1/*) - Agent chat interface - Offline event queue (SQLite) - One app, role-based navigation - Updated UI (Finnest design system)
Platform: - Actionable notification system - Additional industry profiles (mining, logistics, retail) - Conversational forms (agent pre-fill) - 3 more compliance profiles seeded
Migrate¶
- Strangler Fig Phase 3-5: clients, roster, timekeep
- Clock data from actatek (timezone conversion)
Deliverable¶
Full operational platform + mobile app. Most v2 features matched or exceeded. ASG transitions primary workflows.
Effort: 2-3 people + AI, ~8 weeks¶
Phase 3: Full Platform + IRAP (Weeks 21-32)¶
Build¶
Remaining domain modules: - finnest_assets (equipment, fleet, maintenance, work orders) - finnest_quotes (leads, quotes → jobs → tasks) - finnest_fatigue (NHVR rules, FIFO/DIDO, EWD, CoR) - finnest_clearance (DISP, AGSVA, clearance lifecycle)
Agent maturation: - Tier 3 autonomous agents: - Compliance Monitor (nightly credential scan, regulatory alerts) - Roster Optimiser (overnight optimisation, proposes to humans) - Anomaly Detector (timesheet fraud, payroll discrepancies) - Data Quality Agent (incomplete records, stale data) - Voice agents via Twilio (Reach) - Advanced agent-generated reports
Integrations: - Job boards (SEEK, Indeed, LinkedIn APIs) - Xero/MYOB accounting sync - Google Maps (geofencing for clock-in) - Cal.com or native interview scheduling
Platform: - Full 10 industry profiles - Industry-adaptive UI theming - Demand forecasting in roster - Progressive disclosure by role
IRAP prep: - Go boundary proxy (~500 LOC) - IRAP VPC on AWS Sydney (Terraform) - Separate RDS, S3, CloudHSM - SAST/DAST in CI pipeline - Security documentation (SSP, SoA, SRMP) - Penetration testing (third party)
Migrate¶
- Strangler Fig Phase 6-7: messaging history, payroll data
- v2 set to read-only for migrated domains
Deliverable¶
Feature-complete 18-module platform. IRAP assessment-ready.
Effort: 3 people + AI, ~12 weeks¶
Phase 4: Maturation (Weeks 33-44)¶
Build¶
- finnest_learn (LMS: courses, tutors, certifications, progress tracking)
- finnest_benefits (recognition programs, perks, enrollment)
- Native award engine for top 15 Awards (Phase 2 of award strategy)
- E-signatures for contracts and onboarding
- WhatsApp integration
- Advanced analytics dashboards
- Performance optimisation (caching, query tuning, load testing)
IRAP¶
- Formal assessment: Stage 1 (documentation review) + Stage 2 (technical testing)
- Remediate findings
- Achieve IRAP certification at OFFICIAL:Sensitive
Operations¶
- v2 fully decommissioned (after 3-month read-only period with no reads)
- New client onboarding process + import wizard
- Multi-industry sales collateral
- Second client acquisition campaign
- Team knowledge documentation
Effort: 2-3 people + AI, ~12 weeks¶
Team Composition¶
| Phase | People | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 0 | 1 | Gautham: architecture, core, agents |
| Phase 1 | 2 | + Dev 2: strong backend, train on Elixir (2-4 weeks) |
| Phase 2 | 2-3 | + Dev 3: Flutter mobile (contract or hire). Or retained v2 dev trained on Elixir. |
| Phase 3 | 3 | Full team. Consider Dev 4 if IRAP prep demands it. |
| Phase 4+ | 3 | Steady state. Core team + AI assistance. |
Hiring from Restructured Team (15→3)¶
If 1-2 retained devs can learn Elixir: - 2-4 week training period - Qualification gate: build and test a complete feature independently - Start on simpler domains (leave management, client CRUD) - Graduate to complex domains (payroll, compliance)
v2 Maintenance During Transition¶
| Phase | v2 Status | Maintenance |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 0-1 | Production (all features) | Offshore team: bug fixes only, no new features |
| Phase 2 | Production (some domains migrating) | Reduced team: critical fixes only |
| Phase 3 | Read-only for migrated domains | Minimal: keep running, monitor |
| Phase 4 | Decommissioning | Backup data, terminate services |
v2 maintenance is a SEPARATE stream. Issues never interrupt Finnest sprints.
Commercial Alignment¶
Plan A (Phased Build)¶
| Plan A Deliverable | Maps to | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| P1 Scoping ($20K) | Phase 0 | Weeks 1-4 |
| P1 Build ($100K) | Phase 1 | Weeks 5-12 |
| P2 Build ($315K) | Phase 2 | Weeks 13-20 |
| P3 Build ($1,590K) | Phase 3-4 | Weeks 21-44 |
| Total: $2,025K | ~44 weeks |
Deliver each phase 30-40% ahead of quoted timeline.
Plan B (Subscription-First from July 2026)¶
| Month | Phase | Client Milestone |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 2026 | Phase 1 complete | Platform demo, subscription starts ($35K/month) |
| Sep 2026 | Phase 2 complete | Operations + mobile live |
| Dec 2026 | Phase 3 complete | Full 18-module platform |
| Mar 2027 | Phase 4 complete | IRAP certified, second client |
Risk Register¶
| Risk | Likelihood | Impact | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elixir learning curve | Medium | Medium | AI assistance, pair programming, 2-4 week training |
| IRAP assessor rejects Elixir | Low | High | Pre-assessment Phase 0. Go proxy fallback. |
| KeyPay API limitations | Low | Medium | Hexagonal adapter. Switch or build earlier. |
| v2 breaks during transition | Medium | High | Separate maintenance stream. Bug fixes only. |
| AI costs exceed budget | Medium | Medium | Local-first routing, budgets, circuit breakers |
| Migration data corruption | Low | Very High | Data quality audit, dry-run, validation, rollback |
| Scope creep | High | Medium | Strict phase scope. Backlog for next phase. |
| Client loses patience | Medium | High | Deliver early. Show progress every 4 weeks. |
Key Insights¶
Insight 1: MVP in 12 Weeks with AI Assistance¶
Phase 0 (4 weeks) + Phase 1 (8 weeks) = functional platform. PoC proved patterns. This is "fill features," not "invent architecture." Impact: High | Effort: High (but scoped)
Insight 2: Phases Align with Commercial Delivery¶
Plan A phases = Finnest phases. Revenue funds development. No separate "migration project." Impact: High | Effort: Low
Insight 3: Rewrite to Patterns, Don't Translate¶
Laravel code = requirements spec. Elixir tests first. OTP patterns. No line-by-line PHP translation. Impact: High | Effort: Medium
Insight 4: IRAP Is Phase 3, Not Phase 0¶
Don't slow core build with IRAP process. Validate approach in Phase 0. Build in Phase 3. Impact: High | Effort: Low
Insight 5: 3-Person Team + AI Is Sufficient¶
AI provides 55% productivity boost. Atomic architecture bounds per-feature complexity. Each dev owns 3-6 domains. Impact: High | Effort: Medium
Insight 6: v2 Maintenance = Separate Stream¶
Bug fixes only. No new features. Offshore team pre-restructure. Never interrupts Finnest sprints. Impact: Medium | Effort: Low
Summary: 44 Weeks to Full Platform¶
Week 1 ──── Phase 0: Foundation ────── Week 4
Week 5 ──── Phase 1: Core HR ──────── Week 12 ← MVP
Week 13 ──── Phase 2: Operations ────── Week 20 ← Mobile
Week 21 ──── Phase 3: Full Platform ─── Week 32 ← 19 modules + IRAP prep
Week 33 ──── Phase 4: Maturation ────── Week 44 ← IRAP certified + Performance module
19 modules │ 8 AI agents │ ~190 tables │ ~365 features │ 10 industries │ 1 mobile app
1 codebase │ Elixir/Phoenix │ PostgreSQL │ AWS Sydney
Note: Performance Management (finnest_performance) added in Phase 3-4 from competitor audit (Employment Hero/ELMO/Humanforce gap). See 08-master-feature-inventory.md for full feature breakdown.
Statistics¶
- Phases: 4 (+ foundation)
- Total timeline: 44 weeks
- Team peak: 3 people + AI
- Modules at MVP: 8
- Modules at completion: 18
- Key insights: 6
- Techniques applied: 3
Generated by BMAD Method v6 - Creative Intelligence