Section 08
Timeline & Milestones
Milestones, phases, and a realistic path to production.
We propose a phased approach that balances speed with thoroughness. Our SDD methodology enables us to compress what would traditionally be an 18–24 month platform rebuild into a significantly shorter timeline, while delivering working software incrementally throughout.
How Our Phases Map to the RFP
The RFP outlines 8 phases. geniant consolidates these into 5 delivery phases — not to reduce scope, but to reflect how modern agile delivery actually works. Phases that the RFP treats sequentially (e.g., User Research and Visual Design) run in parallel in our SDD methodology, compressing the timeline without sacrificing thoroughness. Every RFP phase is fully covered.
| RFP Phase | geniant Phase |
|---|---|
| Discovery | Phase 1: Discovery & Design |
| User Research & Journey Mapping | Phase 1: Discovery & Design |
| Visual Design | Phase 1: Discovery & Design |
| Platform Development | Phase 3: Core Platform Development |
| Data Migration | Phase 5: Testing, Migration & Launch |
| Testing & QA | Phase 5: Testing, Migration & Launch |
| Pilot Deployment | Phase 5: Testing, Migration & Launch |
| Full Deployment | Phase 5: Testing, Migration & Launch |
1
Phase 1: Discovery & Design
6–8 weeks- Stakeholder interviews & journey maps
- Technical architecture specification
- UX wireframes & interactive prototypes
- Design system foundation
- Prioritized feature backlog
- SDD specification repository setup
2
Phase 2: Foundation Build
4–6 weeks- Cloud infrastructure & CI/CD pipelines
- Core data models & API framework
- Authentication & role-based access
- Design system implementation
- Application skeleton (functional shell)
3
Phase 3: Core Platform Development
12–16 weeks- Volunteer registration & profiles
- Agency portal & management tools
- Opportunity discovery & management
- Check-in / check-out system
- Hour tracking & reporting engine
- Search & filtering capabilities
4
Phase 4: Integrations & Advanced Features
6–8 weeks- Background check integrations (JDP, VeriFYI)
- Notification & messaging system
- Admin dashboards & analytics
- Multi-site/market configuration
- Corporate partner features
- Advanced reporting & data export
5
Phase 5: Testing, Migration & Launch
4–6 weeks- Comprehensive QA & performance testing
- Data migration from current VOLY
- User acceptance testing with agencies & volunteers
- Staged rollout (pilot market → full deployment)
- Training & documentation
- Go-live support & stabilization
Phase Summary
| Phase | Duration | Key Deliverables |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1: Discovery & Design | 6–8 weeks | Stakeholder interviews & journey maps; Technical architecture specification; UX wireframes & interactive prototypes; and more |
| Phase 2: Foundation Build | 4–6 weeks | Cloud infrastructure & CI/CD pipelines; Core data models & API framework; Authentication & role-based access; and more |
| Phase 3: Core Platform Development | 12–16 weeks | Volunteer registration & profiles; Agency portal & management tools; Opportunity discovery & management; and more |
| Phase 4: Integrations & Advanced Features | 6–8 weeks | Background check integrations (JDP, VeriFYI); Notification & messaging system; Admin dashboards & analytics; and more |
| Phase 5: Testing, Migration & Launch | 4–6 weeks | Comprehensive QA & performance testing; Data migration from current VOLY; User acceptance testing with agencies & volunteers; and more |
Committed Timeline: July 1, 2027 Go-Live
geniant commits to a July 1, 2027 go-live date for VOLY Next Gen with integrated veriFYI. This timeline aligns with the summer break window — the ideal low-traffic migration window for a K-12 platform, enabling all school partners to implement the system in time for the 2027–2028 school year.
Backward-Scheduled Milestones
Working backward from the July 1, 2027 go-live date, the following milestone dates ensure delivery on schedule:
| Milestone | Target Date | Key Deliverable |
|---|---|---|
| Contract Execution | April 2026 | Project team assembled, Discovery kickoff |
| Discovery Complete | June 2026 | Stakeholder research, architecture spec, feature backlog |
| Design & Foundation Complete | September 2026 | UX wireframes approved, CI/CD running, API framework deployed |
| Core Platform Complete | January 2027 | Volunteer profiles, agency portal, opportunity management, check-in system |
| Integrations & Advanced Features Complete | April 2027 | veriFYI integration, background checks, analytics dashboards |
| UAT & Data Migration Complete | June 2027 | User acceptance testing passed, legacy VOLY data migrated & verified |
| Go-Live: VOLY Next Gen Production | July 1, 2027 | New platform live for all school partners, veriFYI active |
Timeline Contingencies & Risk Mitigation
We have built realistic buffers into this schedule. The following contingencies help us maintain the July 1 deadline:
- Parallel workstreams during Phases 2–4 reduce critical path dependency, allowing us to recover if one stream encounters delays
- Weekly steering committee meetings ensure early visibility into blockers and rapid decision-making
- Scope flexibility: if VolunteerNow needs to deprioritize a feature to stay on schedule, we have a defined process for managing scope adjustments without impacting core functionality
- Data migration dry-run in Q2 2027 de-risks the final cutover, giving us a 6-week buffer before go-live
- SDD's incremental delivery approach means working software is available for early testing by end of Phase 2 (September 2026), allowing us to identify and resolve integration issues early
Why July 1, 2027 is Achievable
The 15-month timeline from contract execution (April 2026) to go-live (July 2027) is realistic for a modern platform rebuild with the SDD methodology. This is significantly faster than traditional 18–24-month timelines, and we have delivered comparable work for Charles Schwab (16-year partnership, multiple major platform overhauls) and AJ Gallagher (70–85% efficiency improvements in just 17 weeks).
Continuous Visibility
Working software will be demonstrable from the end of Phase 2 onward. VolunteerNow will have access to a staging environment that updates continuously, so progress is never a mystery.
SDD Advantage
Our Spec-Driven Development methodology compresses what would traditionally be an 18–24 month rebuild into 8–11 months by using AI-augmented workflows to dramatically accelerate delivery without sacrificing quality.