milestones and deliverables - chunhualiao/public-docs GitHub Wiki

Milestones are the key checkpoints or progress markers along the project timeline, while deliverables are the concrete outputs produced at those or other stages. In other words:

• Milestones:

  • Represent significant events or achievements (e.g., finishing the data collection phase or releasing a prototype) that help gauge progress.
  • Are often used internally to track whether the project is on schedule.
  • Serve as decision points for evaluating the next steps.

• Deliverables:

  • Are the tangible products or results generated by the project (e.g., software modules, research papers, documentation).
  • Can be shared with stakeholders to demonstrate what has been accomplished.
  • Often mark the completion of a milestone when a project phase produces an output.

Connection:
A milestone can often be tied to one or more deliverables; for instance, reaching a milestone might require that a specific deliverable (like a prototype or technical report) is completed. In this way, milestones help ensure that the project is producing the necessary deliverables on time, and deliverables provide evidence that milestones have been successfully achieved.