M/HQ Group · Stage 2 · Appendix D
Project plan
Thirty weeks from a 3 August 2026 start to the end-February 2027 close, in three gated releases. Scope flexes; the close does not.
1The shape
The plan works backwards from the close date. The end date was moved from 31 December 2026 to end February 2027 at the 15 July planning session, to take risk out of the schedule: the same work is spread over more weeks, the Group's reduced bandwidth through 1 October is accounted for, and the December holidays are built into the plan.
2The three gated releases
| Release | Window | What lands, and the gate |
|---|---|---|
| R1 · Quick wins | Aug to 30 Oct 2026 | Early, selection-independent automation where Stage 1 evidenced the load. A working checkpoint on 18 September; the payment gate on 30 October, after the bandwidth constraint lifts. |
| R2 · Core | to 29 Jan 2027 | The owned master record live and reconciled, the capture and ingestion layer live, the selected spokes configured and integrated, UAT signed off. |
| R3 · Automation, AI and steady state | to 26 Feb 2027 | The workflow and AI layer, fiduciary review, the annual accounting build, adoption complete, training delivered, and the steady-state handover. Stage 2 closes. |
3Deliverables and dates
| # | Deliverable | Due |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Systems selected across the four categories; signed target architecture, data model and tenancy design | 28 Aug 2026 |
| 2 | Baseline measurement pack (pre-implementation) | 28 Aug 2026 |
| 3 | Enablement launched: company-wide introduction and foundation training assigned Group-wide, completion tracked | Aug 2026 |
| 4 | Release 1: quick wins live (checkpoint 18 Sep) | 30 Oct 2026 |
| 5 | Group master record live, migrated and reconciled | 11 Dec 2026 |
| 6 | Capture and ingestion layer live | 15 Jan 2027 |
| 7 | Selected spokes configured and integrated; UAT signed off (Release 2) | 29 Jan 2027 |
| 8 | Workflow and AI layer live; assistant rolled out with usage and governance policy | 12 Feb 2027 |
| 9 | Fiduciary review workflow and drafting live | 12 Feb 2027 |
| 10 | Annual accounting build live on the record (incl. FTA-compliant VAT/CT output) | 19 Feb 2027 |
| 11 | Adoption programme complete | 19 Feb 2027 |
| 12 | Training and education programme delivered | 26 Feb 2027 |
| 13 | Steady-state operating model and handover pack (Release 3, close) | 26 Feb 2027 |
| 14 | Post-implementation measurement report (against the WS0 baseline) | 26 Mar 2027 |
Keeping the date
Three gated releases absorb change without moving the close: if scope grows, it is reprioritised within a release rather than pushed past February. The 1 October bandwidth constraint is planned in, with the heavier Group-side work sitting after it.
CrossVal · ConfidentialAppendix D · Project plan · M/HQ Group