How to Build a Customizable Event Planning Dashboard

Simple Summary

A customizable dashboard for event planners that streamlines organization, enhances productivity, and offers a user-friendly interface for managing all aspects of event planning.

Product Requirements Document (PRD)

Goals:

• Develop a user-friendly, customizable dashboard for event planners
• Improve efficiency and organization in event planning processes
• Provide real-time updates and collaborative features

Target Audience:

• Professional event planners
• Corporate event coordinators
• Wedding planners
• Freelance event organizers

Key Features:

1. Customizable widget-based dashboard
2. Event timeline and task management
3. Budget tracking and financial reporting
4. Vendor and guest list management
5. Interactive calendar integration
6. Real-time collaboration tools
7. Document storage and sharing
8. Analytics and reporting features

User Requirements:

• Intuitive drag-and-drop interface for dashboard customization
• Mobile responsiveness for on-the-go access
• Secure data storage and user authentication
• Integration with popular third-party tools (e.g., Google Calendar, Trello)
• Customizable notifications and reminders

User Flows

1. Dashboard Customization:

   • User logs in
   • Navigates to dashboard settings
   • Selects desired widgets
   • Arranges widgets using drag-and-drop
   • Saves custom layout

2. Event Creation and Management:

   • User clicks "New Event" button
   • Fills in event details (date, venue, client info)
   • Adds tasks and assigns team members
   • Sets budget and adds line items
   • Saves and publishes event

3. Collaboration and Sharing:

   • User selects an existing event
   • Clicks "Share" button
   • Chooses collaborators and sets permissions
   • Sends invitations via email
   • Collaborators join and can view/edit based on permissions

Technical Specifications

Frontend:

• React.js for building the user interface
• Redux for state management
• Material-UI or Tailwind CSS for styling
• React DnD for drag-and-drop functionality

Backend:

• Node.js with Express.js for the server
• PostgreSQL for the database
• Sequelize as the ORM
• JWT for authentication

APIs and Integrations:

• Google Calendar API for calendar integration
• Stripe API for payment processing
• SendGrid for email notifications

DevOps:

• Docker for containerization
• GitHub Actions for CI/CD
• AWS or Heroku for hosting

API Endpoints

• POST /api/auth/register
• POST /api/auth/login
• GET /api/events
• POST /api/events
• PUT /api/events/:id
• DELETE /api/events/:id
• GET /api/dashboard/widgets
• POST /api/dashboard/widgets
• PUT /api/dashboard/layout
• GET /api/tasks
• POST /api/tasks
• PUT /api/tasks/:id
• GET /api/analytics
• POST /api/share/:eventId

Database Schema

Users:

• id (PK)
• username
• email
• password_hash
• created_at
• updated_at

Events:

• id (PK)
• user_id (FK)
• title
• description
• date
• location
• budget
• status
• created_at
• updated_at

Tasks:

• id (PK)
• event_id (FK)
• title
• description
• due_date
• status
• assigned_to
• created_at
• updated_at

Widgets:

• id (PK)
• user_id (FK)
• type
• settings
• position
• created_at
• updated_at

File Structure

Implementation Plan

1. Project Setup (1-2 days)

   • Initialize React app and Node.js server
   • Set up version control and project structure

2. Backend Development (1-2 weeks)

   • Implement user authentication
   • Create database models and migrations
   • Develop API endpoints for core features

3. Frontend Development (2-3 weeks)

   • Build reusable UI components
   • Implement dashboard customization feature
   • Create forms for event and task management
   • Develop data visualization components

4. Integration and Testing (1 week)

   • Connect frontend with backend APIs
   • Implement state management with Redux
   • Conduct unit and integration testing

5. Advanced Features (1-2 weeks)

   • Implement real-time collaboration features
   • Integrate third-party APIs (calendar, payment)
   • Develop analytics and reporting functionality

6. UI/UX Refinement (3-5 days)

   • Polish user interface and interactions
   • Ensure responsive design for mobile devices
   • Conduct usability testing and gather feedback

7. Deployment and Documentation (2-3 days)

   • Set up deployment pipeline
   • Prepare user documentation and help guides
   • Conduct final testing in production environment

8. Launch and Monitoring (Ongoing)

   • Official launch of the application
   • Monitor performance and user feedback
   • Plan for future updates and improvements

Deployment Strategy

1. Set up staging and production environments on AWS or Heroku
2. Use Docker containers for consistent deployment across environments
3. Implement CI/CD pipeline using GitHub Actions
4. Set up automated database backups and recovery procedures
5. Use AWS CloudFront or Cloudflare for CDN and DDoS protection
6. Implement logging and monitoring with tools like ELK stack or Datadog
7. Set up auto-scaling for handling traffic spikes
8. Use blue-green deployment strategy for zero-downtime updates

Design Rationale

The customizable dashboard approach was chosen to cater to diverse event planning needs, allowing users to tailor their workspace. React and Node.js were selected for their performance and large ecosystem of libraries. The widget-based system enables easy extensibility and future feature additions. PostgreSQL provides robust data relationships crucial for complex event management. The mobile-first design ensures accessibility for planners on the go, while the emphasis on real-time collaboration features addresses the team-oriented nature of event planning.