Looking Ahead to Development Projects for 2025
Looking Ahead to Development Projects for 2025
Following my recent reflection on the successes and progress of 2024, I’m excited to outline some of the major projects I’ll be leading in 2025. These initiatives build on the groundwork laid in previous years and aim to deliver meaningful improvements, streamline workflows, and push key systems to the next level.
Launched in 2013, the Nucleus admin interface has been long overdue for a comprehensive refresh. At the time, development efforts prioritised the core functionality of the system, with the admin interface seen as a lower priority to save costs. This approach made sense initially, as the admin panel was designed for a small group of internal BAFTA users who were already familiar with the system. However, as Nucleus has been adopted more widely across BAFTA and by external clients, this initial ethos has become outdated. Over time, the addition of new features has created a complex, unintuitive interface, with bloated settings pages that are increasingly difficult to manage.
A partial redesign was attempted in 2020, introducing a more modern design, but it reused the same page structure and did little to address underlying usability issues. Unfortunately, the project was cut short due to resource constraints, and I have been advocating for a proper redesign ever since. This year, I worked closely with Alchemy Digital during July and August to develop a blueprint for a clean, modern, and user-friendly admin interface. The updated design features a restructured menu, core functionality brought to the forefront, and a completely new dashboard.
I’m genuinely thrilled to see this long-awaited project come to life in Q1 of 2025. Beyond the immediate improvements, this redesign will serve as a foundation for more advanced features that will roll out in the coming years, enhancing the flexibility and usability of the platform. It’s been a long time coming, but I’m confident this update will transform the admin experience for all users.
Following the Nucleus Admin Interface redesign, my goal is to swiftly turn my attention to updating the Events Admin interface. Similar to Nucleus, the initial launch of the Events system focused on front-facing functionality, with less time dedicated to optimising core workflows and admin tools. This has left the interface feeling underdeveloped, making it harder for users to fully utilise the functionality available to them.
As the Events platform shares many components with Nucleus, this redesign presents an opportunity to deliver significant improvements quickly and cost-effectively. By leveraging the work already completed for Nucleus, including tested and validated page layouts, we can rapidly adapt the design to suit the unique workflows and features of the Events system. This approach not only saves development time and budget but also ensures a consistent user experience across both platforms.
While this project has not yet been formally approved, I am optimistic that, compared to many other redesign efforts, it will be a relatively straightforward win. By addressing the existing usability gaps, we can deliver immediate value to users and lay the groundwork for future enhancements.
One of the largest projects on my horizon for 2025 is the redevelopment of the Membership Voting site, which, while still functioning well, is long overdue for a rebuild. This is a cornerstone of BAFTA’s digital ecosystem and was the first process BAFTA ever moved online. Despite multiple updates and feature changes over the years, much of the core code is now over 20 years old. A rebuild is essential to streamline workflows, modernise the system, and better integrate it with other platforms.
The Voting site plays a critical role in BAFTA’s architecture, linking via API to systems such as BAFTA View, Salesforce, and Nucleus. Its design has even influenced how Nucleus was developed, as certain voting and viewing functionalities were omitted in Nucleus because the Voting site already handled these processes. My goal for this project is to replicate the success achieved with the Jury Voting Site updates by moving the setup UI into Nucleus, where the voting data already resides. This will streamline the admin setup process while enhancing voting workflows within Nucleus—a double win.
In addition to tighter integration with BAFTA View, this approach will eliminate redundant setup steps, providing admins with a more cohesive and efficient experience. Another key focus will be reviewing and refining the system’s features, removing outdated or unnecessary steps, and automating workflows wherever possible. As part of this effort, we plan to transition communications such as member voting reminders to platforms like Salesforce and MailChimp. This demonstrates a strategic shift towards integrating best-in-class third-party solutions where they add value, rather than relying solely on custom-built products.
Although this project is set to launch in 2026, the groundwork laid in 2025 will ensure a modern, efficient, and flexible system that benefits all users while future-proofing BAFTA’s voting processes.
The check-in app, a key component of the events product, was originally developed in 2021 under tight deadlines and with a limited budget to address a specific need. Since then, its scope of use has grown significantly, with multiple teams relying on it for a wide range of events. However, stakeholder feedback has highlighted several limitations in its design and functionality, making it clear that the app is no longer fit for purpose.
Initially, we considered rebuilding the app using Svelte, our current framework for frontend development. However, the existing codebase was messy, and even the developers who worked on it acknowledged they would take a different approach if starting from scratch. In 2024, I undertook a comprehensive scoping project, gathering detailed feedback from stakeholders and senior management to assess the best path forward. Based on this analysis, we concluded that adopting a third-party solution might provide the best long-term benefits.
By the end of 2024, the operations team began evaluating providers to determine how best to integrate external solutions. These options range from simple scanning apps to more comprehensive platforms offering broader functionality. My role in this project will be to lead the integration and ensure that any gaps in the chosen solution, such as the absence of a seating plan feature, are addressed within the events product itself. The ultimate goal is to deliver a state-of-the-art check-in system that meets BAFTA’s evolving needs while providing a seamless experience for all users.
Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to developments planned for 2025. There are numerous incremental updates and larger initiatives in the pipeline to continually improve workflows in Nucleus and Events. I look forward to sharing more details on these, as well as reflecting on some of the key projects from previous years, in future posts.
