Project Name
Silvanus Platform Implementation
Project Code
SILV-2026
Start Date
January 5, 2026
End Date
December 31, 2027
Total Budget
£4,000,000
Project Sponsor
[Executive Name]
Project Manager
[PM Name]
Charter Approval Date
[Date]
Project Purpose & Justification
1.1 Business Need
Archwood Group currently faces significant operational challenges that limit growth potential and efficiency:
- Fragmented Systems: Operating 12+ disconnected systems leading to data silos and inefficiencies
- Manual Processes: 75% of operational tasks require manual intervention, causing delays and errors
- Limited Visibility: No real-time insights into operations, hindering strategic decision-making
- Scaling Constraints: Current infrastructure cannot support projected 3x growth over next 5 years
- Rising Costs: Annual operational costs increasing 15% year-over-year due to inefficiencies
1.2 Strategic Alignment
The Silvanus Platform directly supports Archwood Group's strategic objectives:
| Strategic Objective | Silvanus Contribution | Expected Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Digital Transformation | Cloud-native platform with AI capabilities | 100% digital processes by 2028 |
| Operational Excellence | Process automation and optimization | 75% reduction in manual tasks |
| Cost Optimization | System consolidation and efficiency gains | 30% reduction in operational costs |
| Business Growth | Scalable infrastructure | Support for 3x growth without proportional cost increase |
| Data-Driven Decisions | Real-time analytics and insights | 50% faster decision-making |
Project Objectives & Success Criteria
2.1 Primary Objectives
Unified Platform Deployment
Replace 12+ legacy systems with single integrated platform by Q4 2026
Process Automation
Achieve 75% automation of routine tasks by end of 2027
Cost Reduction
Deliver £2.5M annual savings starting Year 2
Real-time Analytics
Provide instant access to business metrics and KPIs
AI Integration
Deploy intelligent agent for automated support and decision-making
2.2 Measurable Success Criteria
| Category | Metric | Target | Measurement Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| User Adoption | Active users | > 90% of employees | System analytics |
| System Performance | Uptime | 99.9% availability | Monitoring tools |
| Response Time | API latency | < 200ms (95th percentile) | Performance monitoring |
| Process Efficiency | Task completion time | 50% reduction | Process analytics |
| User Satisfaction | NPS Score | > 70 | Quarterly surveys |
| Error Rate | System errors | < 0.1% | Error tracking |
| ROI | Payback period | < 18 months | Financial analysis |
Project Scope
3.1 In Scope
- Platform Development:
- Core authentication and authorization system
- User management and organizational hierarchy
- Workflow automation engine
- API gateway and service layer
- Data integration and migration
- AI Capabilities:
- Silvanus intelligent agent development
- Natural language processing
- Automated decision support
- Predictive analytics
- Infrastructure:
- Azure cloud environment setup
- Database and storage systems
- Security and compliance framework
- Monitoring and alerting systems
- Integration:
- Legacy system connectors
- Data migration from existing systems
- Third-party service integrations
- Azure Active Directory integration
3.2 Out of Scope
- Complete decommissioning of all legacy systems (phased approach)
- Hardware procurement or on-premises infrastructure
- Business process reengineering beyond platform requirements
- External customer-facing applications (initial phase)
- Non-Archwood subsidiary systems
- Custom mobile applications for external users
3.3 Key Deliverables
| Deliverable | Description | Due Date |
|---|---|---|
| Technical Architecture | Complete system design and specifications | January 31, 2026 |
| Core Platform MVP | Basic authentication, user management, APIs | March 31, 2026 |
| Pilot Deployment | Limited rollout to select departments | June 30, 2026 |
| Production Release | Organization-wide platform deployment | September 30, 2026 |
| AI Agent Launch | Silvanus bot operational | December 31, 2026 |
| Advanced Features | Analytics, automation, integrations | June 30, 2027 |
| Platform Optimization | Performance tuning and scaling | December 31, 2027 |
Project Organization & Stakeholders
4.1 Governance Structure
Executive Steering Committee
Purpose: Strategic oversight and decision-making
Meeting Frequency: Monthly
Members:
- CEO - Final authority
- CFO - Budget approval
- CTO - Technical oversight
- COO - Operational alignment
- Project Sponsor - Direct oversight
Project Management Office
Purpose: Day-to-day project management and coordination
Meeting Frequency: Weekly
Members:
- Project Manager - Overall project leadership
- Technical Lead - Architecture decisions
- Business Analyst - Requirements management
- Change Manager - Organizational change
- PMO Coordinator - Administrative support
4.2 Key Stakeholders
| Stakeholder | Role/Department | Interest/Influence | Engagement Strategy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Team | C-Suite | High/High | Monthly steering committee, executive briefings |
| Department Heads | All Departments | High/High | Bi-weekly updates, requirements sessions |
| IT Department | Technology | High/Medium | Daily collaboration, technical reviews |
| End Users | All Employees | High/Low | Training sessions, feedback surveys |
| Finance Team | Finance | Medium/High | Budget reviews, ROI reporting |
| Security Team | InfoSec | High/Medium | Security reviews, compliance audits |
| External Vendors | Various | Low/Low | Integration planning, contract management |
4.3 Project Team Structure
| Role | Responsibilities | FTE | Phase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Manager | Overall project management, stakeholder coordination | 1.0 | All |
| Technical Architect | System design, technical decisions | 1.0 | All |
| Lead Developer | Development team leadership, code reviews | 1.0 | All |
| Senior Developers | Platform development, testing | 3.0 | Phase 1 |
| DevOps Engineer | Infrastructure, CI/CD, deployment | 1.0 | All |
| AI/ML Engineer | Silvanus agent development | 1.0 | Phase 2+ |
| Business Analyst | Requirements gathering, documentation | 1.0 | All |
| QA Engineers | Testing, quality assurance | 2.0 | Phase 2+ |
| Change Manager | Organizational change, training | 1.0 | Phase 3+ |
Project Timeline & Milestones
5.1 Major Milestones
Q1 2026
Foundation & Architecture
Complete technical architecture, team formation, development environment setup, and initial infrastructure deployment
Q2 2026
MVP Development
Core platform development including authentication, user management, basic APIs, and initial workflow capabilities
Q3 2026
Pilot Deployment
Limited rollout to 2-3 departments, user feedback collection, performance optimization, and bug fixes
Q4 2026
Production Release
Organization-wide deployment, legacy system integration, full user training, and support establishment
Q1-Q2 2027
Advanced Features
AI agent deployment, advanced analytics, complex workflow automation, and third-party integrations
Q3-Q4 2027
Optimization & Scale
Performance optimization, multi-tenant capabilities, advanced features, and platform maturity
Budget & Resources
6.1 Budget Overview
Total Budget
£4.0M
Year 1 (2026)
£1.75M
Year 2 (2027)
£2.25M
6.2 Budget Breakdown
| Category | Year 1 (2026) | Year 2 (2027) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personnel Costs | £1,200,000 | £1,500,000 | £2,700,000 |
| Infrastructure (Azure) | £300,000 | £400,000 | £700,000 |
| Software Licenses | £150,000 | £200,000 | £350,000 |
| Training & Change Management | £100,000 | £150,000 | £250,000 |
| Total | £1,750,000 | £2,250,000 | £4,000,000 |
6.3 Return on Investment
Financial Benefits
- Annual Cost Savings: £2.5M from Year 2
- Payback Period: 18 months
- 5-Year NPV: £8.2M
- IRR: 62%
Risk Management
7.1 Key Risks & Mitigation
Technical Complexity
Risk: Underestimating integration complexity with 12+ legacy systems
Impact: High
Probability: Medium
Mitigation: Phased integration approach, dedicated integration team, proven patterns, external expertise engagement
Change Resistance
Risk: User adoption challenges and organizational resistance
Impact: High
Probability: Medium
Mitigation: Comprehensive change management program, executive sponsorship, quick wins demonstration, champion network
Resource Constraints
Risk: Difficulty recruiting skilled technical resources
Impact: Medium
Probability: High
Mitigation: Early recruitment, competitive packages, contractor partnerships, knowledge transfer programs
Scope Creep
Risk: Uncontrolled expansion of project scope
Impact: Medium
Probability: Medium
Mitigation: Clear scope definition, change control process, regular stakeholder alignment, prioritization framework
Technology Risk
Risk: Selected technologies don't meet requirements
Impact: Low
Probability: Low
Mitigation: Proven technology stack, Azure partnership, POC validation, architectural flexibility
Security Breach
Risk: Security vulnerabilities in new platform
Impact: High
Probability: Low
Mitigation: Security-by-design, regular audits, penetration testing, compliance frameworks
Communication Plan
8.1 Communication Strategy
| Audience | Method | Frequency | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steering Committee | Formal presentation | Monthly | Project Manager |
| Project Team | Stand-up meetings | Daily | Scrum Master |
| Department Heads | Status reports | Bi-weekly | Project Manager |
| All Employees | Email newsletter | Monthly | Change Manager |
| IT Department | Technical briefings | Weekly | Technical Lead |
| External Stakeholders | Quarterly updates | Quarterly | Project Sponsor |
8.2 Reporting Structure
- Executive Dashboard: Real-time KPIs and project health metrics
- Monthly Status Report: Comprehensive progress update including schedule, budget, risks, and issues
- Risk Register: Weekly updates on risk status and mitigation actions
- Sprint Reports: Bi-weekly development progress and velocity metrics
- Financial Reports: Monthly budget vs. actual analysis
Change Management
9.1 Change Management Approach
The success of the Silvanus Platform depends heavily on user adoption and organizational change. Our change management strategy includes:
Awareness Phase (Q4 2025 - Q1 2026)
- Executive town halls to communicate vision and benefits
- Department briefings on upcoming changes
- Intranet site with project information and FAQs
- Change champion network establishment
Preparation Phase (Q2 - Q3 2026)
- Skills gap analysis and training needs assessment
- Training curriculum development
- Pilot user group selection and preparation
- Process documentation and updating
Implementation Phase (Q4 2026 - Q2 2027)
- Comprehensive user training programs
- Super-user certification
- Floor-walking support during go-live
- Feedback collection and rapid response
Reinforcement Phase (Q3 - Q4 2027)
- Continuous improvement based on feedback
- Success story sharing
- Advanced feature training
- Benefits realization tracking
Assumptions & Constraints
10.1 Key Assumptions
- Executive sponsorship and support will remain consistent throughout the project
- Budget approval for full £4M will be secured before project start
- Key technical resources can be recruited within planned timeframes
- Azure cloud services will meet all technical requirements
- Legacy systems will remain operational during transition period
- User adoption targets (90%) are achievable with proper change management
- No major organizational restructuring during implementation
10.2 Constraints
- Budget: Fixed at £4M with limited contingency (10%)
- Timeline: Must achieve production deployment by end of 2026
- Resources: Maximum team size of 20 people
- Technology: Must use Azure cloud services (corporate standard)
- Compliance: Must meet GDPR and industry regulations
- Integration: Cannot disrupt current business operations
Dependencies
| Dependency | Type | Impact | Management Strategy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Azure Environment Setup | Technical | Critical path | Early engagement with Azure team |
| Legacy System Documentation | Information | Integration design | Documentation audit in Q4 2025 |
| Security Approval | Compliance | Go-live gate | Early security architecture review |
| User Training Completion | Organizational | Adoption success | Phased training approach |
| Data Migration | Technical | Cutover planning | Incremental migration strategy |