Milestone Planning: What, Why and How

Milestone planning is an important aspect of project planning because milestones are critical decision points that mark project progress. These points typically mark the completion of major project tasks and the ends of project phases. Senior stakeholders become more engaged and attentive as milestones approach, and in some cases, milestones determine when payments are sent to vendors and contractors. Project managers should focus on choosing the right milestones, which will serve as indicators that work is proceeding on schedule, and communicating them with the team members and stakeholders. In addition, project managers need to track and manage milestones throughout the project to ensure that the team stays on track.