What Is a Milestone?

A project milestone is a marker or checkpoint that indicates a major goal, event, or task within a project’s lifecycle. Typically, project milestones are used to mark the beginning or end of the phases within a project, which allows stakeholders to project plan effectively and assess a project’s progress as it’s being undertaken. Milestones are often used as a scheduling tool to identify when a major goal should be accomplished and to plan the steps, resources, and actions required to accomplish it. 

The use of milestones in project management yields many benefits. In addition to providing a method for charting a path to completing a project, project milestones also allow stakeholders to measure project progress, clarify the project phase in which they’re working, and identify potential bottleneck issues. A milestone schedule provides stakeholders with an overview of the major events within a project without overwhelming them with all the details of the tasks required to complete it. This overview can be critical to providing a big-picture view of the project and ensuring everyone is on the same page. 

What is an example of a milestone?

Project milestones mark the beginning and end of a project’s phases. However, they can also prove helpful in indicating any notable date, task, event, or deliverable that teams must achieve. Some common examples of project milestones include: 

• Reaching a specific number of sales (e.g., 500 sales) 

• The roll-out date for a product or service, such as a software update or product launch 

• A particular deadline (e.g., the last day of a fiscal quarter)

• A major achievement, such as completing a phase within a product’s development 

Learn more about project milestones from project management experts at Google:

How to define a milestone?

Milestones in projects can be adjusted as necessary. Based on project specifications, your team may target anywhere from two milestones to more than 10. As a general rule, define milestones around important occurrences in your project.

Related terms

• Gantt chart

• PERT chart

• Project planning

• Project management lifecycle

• Product lifecycle management (PLM)

Get started in project management

Project management supports teams in organizing, supervising, and executing tasks across the full course of a project. Gain an immersive understanding of the practices and skills needed to succeed in an entry-level project management role with the Google Project Management: Professional Certificate on Coursera. Practice strategic communication, problem-solving, and stakeholder management through real-world scenarios, all at your own pace.