Milestone in Project Management – Definition and Meaning
A milestone is a specific point in time or a significant event in the course of a project that marks important progress, the completion of a key deliverable, or a critical phase. Milestones typically have no duration (duration = 0) but represent a state or achieved goal at a specific date. They are used to structure, monitor, and communicate project progress. Milestones typically serve as important control points in project schedules and as orientation markers for the project team and stakeholders.
Example, best practice, and further information on the term
In a software development project, for example, milestones could be defined as the “successful completion of alpha testing” or the “release of the beta version.” A proven best practice is to define milestones with clear, verifiable achievement criteria and to schedule their dates realistically. This aligns with milestone planning according to PMBOK and the definition of sprint goals or release targets in agile methods. Milestones help make project progress tangible, celebrate successes, and communicate key progress points to stakeholders.