research milestones example

CREATE Bio Examples: Milestones

What are milestones.

A milestone is a finding or set of findings that signal the achievement of a specific aim in your research plan.   Applicants must propose one or more milestones for each Specific Aim. For each milestone, provide sufficient details on methods, assumptions, experimental designs, data analysis plan (if the results are quantitatively measured), and specify the quantitative criteria for measuring success and related rationale. Quantitative criteria should be robust and consistent with the state-of-the-art in the field. Most of the time, the quantitative criteria for success in the milestones will also be used for making go/no-go decisions and this should be specified. Specify the timeline for each milestone. There should be at least one milestone each year.  

How are they going to be used?

Because therapy development is an inherently high-risk process, it is anticipated that there may be significant attrition as projects move through the therapy development process. Achievement of milestones, then, can be utilized in decisions to continue funding throughout the lifecycle of the proposed project.

Prior to funding an application, NINDS program staff will contact the applicant to discuss the proposed milestones and any changes suggested by the NINDS review panel or NINDS program staff.  A final set of approved milestones will be specified in the Notice of Award.

Progress towards achievement of the finalized set of milestones will be evaluated by NINDS program staff.  NINDS program staff may consult as necessary with independent consultants with relevant expertise. If justified, future year milestones may be revised based on data and information obtained during the previous year. If, based on the progress report, a funded project does not meet the milestones, funding for the project may be discontinued.  In addition to milestones, the decision regarding continued funding will also be based on the overall robustness of the data package that adequately allows an interpretation of the results (regardless if they have been captured in the milestones), overall progress, NINDS portfolio balance and program priorities, competitive landscape, and availability of funds.

NINDS emphasizes the importance of the reliability and internal consistency of experimental results.  In some cases, conducting additional critical experiments will be important for NINDS to have confidence in making a funding decision.  Therefore, NINDS program staff, in consultation with the PI, may add experiments that need to be conducted prior to or during the award as an additional milestone(s). In most cases, these studies will be supported by additional funds from NINDS.

What are good practices for developing milestones?

• Milestones should be described in the Research Strategy Section C: Detailed Plans for Research Strategy (Including Milestones and Timelines).
• Provide sufficient details on methods, assumptions, experimental designs, data analysis plan (if the results are quantitatively measured), and specify the quantitative criteria for measuring success and related rationale.
• Quantitative criteria should be robust and be consistent with the state-of-the-art in the field. Most of the time, the quantitative criteria for success in the milestones will also be used for making go/no-go decisions and this should be specified. If a criterion is not to be used for making go/no-go decisions, it should be clearly noted and justified.
• Specify the timeline for each milestone.
• Be aggressive yet realistic
• Define at least one milestone for each year of funding
• Include FDA interactions in the milestones (if appropriate?)

Disclaimer:  The examples shown below are for illustrative purposes ONLY. NINDS is not endorsing particular development plans or models, parameters, or cut-off values for any disease, modality, or stage of development. Therefore, NINDS expects Investigators to establish milestones appropriate for each development plan, but aligned with the recommendations indicated above .

Example #1 (Optimization Track)

Specific Aim 3:  Demonstrate in vivo efficacy of PB-19 in the Y-maze test for its effect on working memory.   

Methods:   The spontaneous alternation behavior in a Y-maze is a measure of spatial working memory, exploratory behavior and responsiveness to novelty, and can be used to evaluate therapies that can potentially improve working memories. We will test mice in a Y-maze with 34 x 8 x 14 cm arms. Each mouse will receive one 5 min trial during which arm choices and total numbers of arm entries are recorded. Spontaneous alternation, expressed as percentage, refers to the ratio of arm choices differing from the previous two choices, to the total number of arm entries.

Experimental design and data analysis plan: Mice (n=12/group) will be treated subcutaneously once-daily for 1 month with vehicle or PB-19 (25 mg/kg). Transgenic (Tg) or non-transgenic littermates (non-Tg) will be dosed with each treatment arm (positive control and PB-19). Mice will be assessed in the Y-maze with the experimenter blinded to genotype and treatment, according to a randomization schedule generated by a statistician. Data will be collected on the total arm choices and arm choice as compared to the previous choice. Data will be expressed as % spontaneous alteration (Mean +/-SEM), which is a measure of the ratio of arm choices differing from the previous two choices to the total number of arm entries. Statistical analysis will be performed using a 2-way ANOVA with genotype and treatment as the factors. Primary endpoint is prevention of cognitive decline (p<0.05) with PB-19 treated Tg mice versus vehicle-treated Tg animals compared to non-Tg controls.

Assumptions for power analysis : In our laboratory, mice have the opportunity to do repeated entries into a single arm, resulting in a chance performance level of 22% (2/9) for spontaneous alternations. Healthy young mice make 60-70% spontaneous alternations. In the transgenic mice we observed them to make a 26% reduction in % spontaneous alternations relative to age and litter-matched wild type mice. Typical within-group variance is < 10%. This is consistent with the literature using the same test at the same age.   

Power analysis: To detect a 50% prevention of cognitive decline in Tg mice compared  to non-Tg mice at alpha level of < 0.05, within-group variance < 10%, with a group of 12 mice, the power is >80% in detecting treatment effect.

Milestone associated with specific aim 3: Demonstrate prevention (Tg) from cognitive decline with treatment in a mouse behavioral model (Tg) in Y-maze test as measured by spontaneous alternations . (Complete end of year 1).

Cognitive endpoints will be the Y-maze measured as number of arm entries (as a measure of exploratory/activity levels) and the percent spontaneous alternations as the working memory measure. Data will be presented as spontaneous alternation, expressed as percentage. Spontaneous alternation, expressed as percentage, refers to the ratio of arm choices differing from the previous two choices, to the total number of arm entries. All treatment groups (Vehicle, PB-19, in both Tg and non-Tg mice) will be represented in one data set.

• Criteria for success and go/no-go:

1. >35% statistically significant (p<0.05) difference between non-Tg (Veh) and Tg (Veh) littermates so there is large enough window for detecting treatment effect.

2. Demonstrate a >50% statistically significant prevention of cognitive decline (p<0.05) with PB-19 treated Tg mice versus vehicle-treated Tg animals (i.e., >50% of the difference between vehicle treated Tg mice and non-Tg controls).

Example #2 (Optimization Track)

Specific Aim 3: Develop and establish process controls and specifications to facilitate the reproducible manufacturing of [humanized antibody] in support of future nonclinical studies. 

Experimental Design: A panel of biochemical and release assays will be developed to assess the purity and quality of [humanized antibody] produced from an existing stable clone. A production lot of [humanized antibody] will be extensively analyzed and then designated as a reference reagent (stored at -80°C) for all future comparison purposes. This will be followed by process development and scale-up of [humanized antibody] optimizing the up-stream (cell culture) and down-stream (purification) processes in order to maximize the amount of [humanized antibody] produced for continuation of nonclinical studies, and to prepare for future technology transfer to a Contract Manufacturing Organization (CMO) for large scale clinical manufacturing.

Assumptions :

The development of biochemical, potency, and endotoxin assays that meet the criteria stated below as project milestones will facilitate future scale-up production and product characterization studies needed to complete the nonclinical development of [humanized antibody]. Completion of this aim will also position us for initiating the PK/PD and toxicology experiments planned for further nonclinical development of [humanized antibody].

Milestones:

Milestone 3a: Develop and optimize biochemical and release assays for [humanized antibody] with SOPs for each to be used in future downstream process development and manufacturing. The table below summarizes the SOPs to be developed, attribute measured, and the proposed specification for each test method. (Completed by end of year 1)

a. Biochemical assays: The [humanized antibody] will be characterized by A280 nm absorbance to determine concentration, SDS-PAGE and analytical HPLC-SEC methods to assess molecular weight, structure, and purity.

b. Potency assay: Initially, a quantitative ELISA based binding assay detecting the binding of [humanized antibody] to [target] will be used to assess antibody potency. As we enter clinical development, we intend to develop a biological potency assay based on the functional activity of [humanized antibody].

c. Endotoxin assay: We will use an endotoxin detection test to determine the [humanized antibody] endotoxin level in EU/ml.

Milestone 3b: Develop an optimized manufacturing process for [humanized antibody] with documentation (SOPs) to ensure reproducibility and to facilitate transfer of manufacturing process. (Complete in year 2)

a. Cell culture process development: The optimal production conditions for the CHO-S cells will be determined using pilot production runs using a bioreactor system. The cell culture optimization SOP will describe parameters such as seeding density, viability and growth rate monitoring, harvest time, and media components.

b. Purification process development: We expect that purification will consist of Protein A affinity purification, cation-exchange, and a final hydroxyapatite chromatography step. Removal of host cell DNA and steps for viral reduction will also be included. All these methods will be scaled and optimized during process development to improve yield and purity of the [humanized antibody] and to inform large scale manufacturing. SOPs will be developed describing each step of the production and purification processes including acceptance criteria for each step.

Milestone 3c: Produce a single > 1 gram lot of [humanized antibody] and successfully test and release for future PK/PD and toxicology studies. (Completed by end of year 2)

Produce lot for PD/PK and toxicology studies: A single large scale (> 1 gram) production run of [humanized antibody] will be conducted following the SOPs developed in milestone 2a. The purified [humanized antibody] will be vialed, tested, and qualified using the optimized test methods described in the SOPs developed in milestone 2b and compared to a designated reference standard.

Milestone 3d: Demonstrate that the [humanized antibody] is stable for up to a year in solution at 4°C using biochemical and potency tests criteria established above and as compared against the designated reference standard retaining  >90% bioactivities. (Ongoing activity, but 1 year stability data available by end of project)

We will determine if [humanized antibody] maintains its biological activity up to 1 year in solution at 4°C. The [humanized antibody] will be produced and stored in individual sample containers at room temperature, 4°C, -20°C, and -80°C. At 3, 6, 9 and 12 months of storage, samples will be analyzed using the same tests and release criteria when it was produced a year earlier and compared to designated reference standard.

Example #3 (Development Track)

Specific Aim 3: Complete IND-enabling CMC studies for Ab305.

Experimental Approach: Based on input from previous meetings with FDA and our progress to date with the nonclinical development of Ab305, we will conduct final product characterization and formulation studies and then prepare and file an IND package to FDA.

Assumption : We anticipate that correspondence with FDA will be required to assess the adequacy of our data or answer specific questions prior to filing the IND package.

Milestone 3a. Finalize the description, qualification, and characterization of Ab305 master and working cell banks (Complete in year 1).

We will establish procedures to describe the characterization and testing of the master and working cell bank to confirm the identity, purity, and suitability of these cell banks for manufacturing use:

* MCB: Master Cell Bank, WCB: Working Cell Bank

X: Applicable

N/A: Not applicable

Milestone 3b. Finalize the optimization of critical process parameters for Ab305 purification process (Complete in year 1).

We will establish procedures describing all successive steps with a description of critical process parameters to purify Ab305 starting with the clarified bulk to the purified API.

Milestone 3c.  Establish control parameters of the final product manufacture (Complete in year 1).

We will establish procedures describing all successive steps with a description of critical process parameters to assemble the final product starting with purified API to final biologic product:  

* NMT: Not more than

Milestone 3d: Finalize the qualification of the potency assay for Ab305 (Complete in year 1).

We will qualify an ELISA to measure binding of Ab305 to its ligand. The following assay performance characteristics will be evaluated and test specifications set:

How to write project milestones (with practical tips and examples)

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Defining project milestones is important in helping you complete your project on time and keeping track of the project progress. With project milestones, you can represent the defined goals of a project to the stakeholders, as well as communicating the timeline to achieve them. To simply state it, milestones are checkpoints in a project’s journey. 

Sometimes, understanding how to go about writing and collating milestones can be a chore. In this article, you’ll get to understand what a project milestone is, the importance of these milestones and how to define and manage them. 

What is a project milestone? 

Project milestones help you break down a project into smaller sections, so you have a clear idea of what tasks need to be completed and by when. Unlike deadlines and goals, which can refer to smaller, more specific tasks, milestones outline the project roadmap and are part of the project’s bigger picture. 

Project milestones are used as a method for defining important phases in a project. They can either mark the major progress points or can be broken down into smaller goal points. Either way, project milestones are important for measuring progress – in small bits or in chunks. 

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The importance of project milestones and how to use them 

Defining, managing and tracking a project schedule can become overwhelming. This is why project milestones should be created for every project, no matter how big or small. Here are some of the reasons project milestones are important:

Create a clear project plan

Tackling a large project can be herculean. It is difficult to decide the next steps when the project first takes off. But with milestones set, you can break large projects into smaller work batches and create a clear plan for how to complete each project phase. 

Keep track of your project’s progress

Working on a big project comes with its challenges and distractions. The huge number of tasks can be especially overwhelming. With milestones, your team can focus only on the task that needs to be done to reach the next project phase. This helps you track your project’s progress as you move it from one stage to another. 

The best teams make it easier to keep everyone in the loop as projects progress from one stage to the next by using project management software. 

How do you write a project milestone? 

As the project manager’s responsibility, writing project milestones is crucial but can seem a bit confusing, especially for those doing it for the first time. To write a realistic and effective project milestone, this easy-to-follow guide can help you get started.

1. Identify the key milestones

These key milestones mark the important project phases. They are the main checkpoints on the way to successfully meeting the project’s schedule. For a marketing team at a company working towards the launch of a new product, the timeline for completing a media advertising outreach, public relations, and online marketing campaigns could be some major milestones.

2. Define each milestone in more detail

Now, it’s time to go into more detail. So, make sure to write out summaries for each key milestone, including a series of tasks and steps required for the completion of that project phase. These tasks can be further broken down with a detailed description of what each task entails. 

3. Get feedback and approval from stakeholders

Every project has stakeholders who are in total control of its execution. These stakeholders are important in this step of project milestone writing, because they are responsible for bringing the project to completion. So, their inputs, feedback, and approval of the milestones and project plan are crucial to the project’s success. 

After defining the key milestones and the smaller tasks for your project, the next step is to share your file with all relevant stakeholders, to request feedback and final approval. The easiest and fastest way to do this is with the help of a review and approval tool , like Filestage. 

With this tool , you can upload your file to a centralized platform and invite reviewers. Then they can leave comments directly on the file and discuss changes with others. Once everyone is happy with the defined milestones and tasks, they can approve the file with one click. 

4. Assign each milestone to a person/ team

After implementing the feedback and getting the project milestones approved, the next thing is to assign every milestone to the appropriate stakeholders. You can assign a milestone to a specific team or an individual to see it through. The creative stage of a large marketing project may be assigned to a design team, while the distribution stage could be assigned to a PR team. 

5. Visualize your project phases using a Gantt chart

Statistics have shown that a lot of us tend to commit to the things we see and can visualize easily. That’s why creating project milestones should be visualized, in order to aid productivity and teamwork. 

One of the ways to visualize your project milestones is with the use of a Gantt chart. They’re a method to display and track projects, using horizontal bars to reveal the project timeline, as shown in the image below.

Four factors to consider when creating milestones

Like everything else that happens in our daily lives, a project might not totally go as planned. That is why there are a few factors you should consider when writing your project milestones.

1. Dependencies

When writing a project milestone, you should consider other events that influence each milestone. These events, upon which the progress of your project relies, are known as dependencies. 

There are four major types of project dependencies. 

• Finish-to-start dependencies make it impossible to start the second task in a project until the first one is completed. 
• Finish-to-finish dependencies tie the completion of two project phases together. This means that one phase of such a project has to be completed alongside another.
• Start-to-start dependencies ensure that two project milestones start at the same time. Starting one will almost automatically trigger the other. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that they have to be completed together.
• Start-to-finish dependencies tie the completion of the second project milestone to the start of the first one. However, this type of dependency is not very typical. 

2. Unforeseen factors

Emergencies and unplanned events can be unsettling when it comes to planning a successful project. That is why it is necessary to make provisions for the possibility of unforeseen factors. This could be the absence of a team member or holidays, crashing of a system or server, extra expenses and many more possible happenings. 

3. Tweaks by clients and stakeholders

Projects usually go through review and approval processes and revisions are often requested. So, while writing a project milestone, it’s best to make provisions for the time required to incorporate feedback shared by your colleagues, clients and stakeholders.

To make this feedback collection process as frictionless as possible, you should have review rounds between project milestones, to see if you are right on track. Also, don’t forget to plan for the extra time needed for the stakeholders to review the milestone, as well as the time for revisions. 

4. Setbacks by team members  

We’re humans. We can’t always be perfect. That’s why it is best to make provisions for a possible falter of a team member. Anything can happen, ranging from a team member falling ill to making a mistake, or a team member submitting their part late. 

It’s best to make provision for any possible setback from the team. For example, having some team members in the backend to assist when needed can help you make up for unexpected setbacks.  

Differences between milestones and other terms 

A lot of people mix up the meanings of milestones and terms such as project goals, tasks, deliverables, etc. These words don’t mean the same, despite having certain connections. It’s important to know the differences between these terms, to be able to understand what milestones truly are.

Difference between milestones and project goals 

These two words can be interchangeable. However, a goal is a result that a person, a team or even an organization has prepared to achieve success within a specified time frame. A milestone, on the other hand, is the measurable and important accomplishment necessary to achieve a goal. The goal for an advertising campaign may be to engage 1,000 persons but the milestone covers all the tasks that need to be done to reach that goal. 

Difference between milestones and tasks 

Tasks are slightly different from milestones. A task is an activity that a project team or individual needs to finish in a particular time frame. A milestone is a collection of related tasks that, when completed, brings a project phase to completion. For example, an advertising campaign is the milestone of a project, which includes multiple tasks like designing the layout of social media ads, writing the ad copy or setting the campaign up in the social channels.

Difference between milestones and deliverables 

A deliverable is one word that people tend to mistake for milestones. But they don’t mean the same thing. A project deliverable is a product or service that denotes the completion of a project phase. A project milestone, on the other hand, is the completed project phase. For example, a milestone can be the step of creating advertising content, while key project deliverables can be the designs or videos that have been created in that phase.  

Some project milestones may not have tangible deliverables, while some may have several deliverables at intervals. However, the more likely you are to measure the deliverables, the easier it is to track the forward progress of the milestones. 

Four important tips for creating project management milestones 

There are many approaches to creating project milestones. These different methods can be polar opposites. However, they all require certain things to be successfully created.

1. Be specific 

In creating a project milestone, you might be tempted to give very broad definitions. However, to create a project milestone that will not be misunderstood by project members, it’s best to be specific and provide some details. You can use numbers, rates or even pictures.

2. Be realistic

You obviously can’t create a milestone that you can’t achieve within the set timeframe. Meeting key milestones is very important for the accomplishment of goals. So, it is advisable to create milestones that have a realistic scope that is achievable within the specified timeframe. 

3. Be timely

The essence of creating milestones is to complete the entire project on time. When writing project milestones, it’s essential to put a timeframe that the project team must adhere to. The timeframe for each milestone should be aligned with the life cycle of the larger project . This way, things will stay on track and on time.  

4. Stay within budget

Finances are important for every single decision you make in project management. That is why you need to make sure to create a project milestone that stays within the specified budget without deviating. This way, you avoid having to re-budget or prepare a whole new project milestone, thus saving you extra work. 

What are project milestones examples? 

Figuring out what project milestones look like might seem tricky. There are so many examples of possible project milestones, used in many industries.

Let’s use the example of what the project milestones for a new product launch campaign might look like. When launching a new product, a campaign is needed to create awareness and advertise the product before it’s released to the market. 

The first milestone in a campaign for a new product launch would be identifying and understanding the target audience. Every product has a specific niche and target market. To create an effective campaign, it’s important to understand who the product is aimed at and how to possibly reach them. 

The next milestone is identifying the channels to reach these target audiences. This will inform your best means of advertisement (social media, print media, etc). If your target audience is young adults between 18 and 30 years, your main channels are probably social media and other internet platforms. 

Some other milestones of your campaign could be creating the content for the campaign, doing test launches with volunteers and beta users, or monitoring the reactions to the launch of the product. These steps and a number of others can be key milestones to the launch of the new product.

Reporting on project milestones 

Project milestones can also be useful in helping create progress reports for your project. Looking back on your project plan, you should be able to pull the tasks out and the milestones should provide you with all the necessary information on how your project is moving forward.

These milestones can be helpful when you are creating a report for a client, sponsor or supervisor in your office. In many professional situations, it is likely you will have to prepare some sort of project report on a regular basis, to show your sponsors or superiors how you are progressing. The milestones should provide you with all the details you will need, to present them with the information they are looking for.

When thinking of the format conventionally used to report these milestones, a table is often used. Here, you will list the milestone description, the date it was due and the new forecasted due date. Completed milestones will be added as well, along with the date they were completed.

Although these tables will make it obvious that certain goals haven’t been achieved on time, examining them in advance can offer some time for reflection, so you are able to answer the higher-ups when they ask why you weren’t able to hit a certain milestone when it was due. It will also help you look at your project management and see where improvements can be made.

Since longer projects will tend to have a lot of milestones, limit your report to include only milestones that have been completed or are pending for the current quarter. This will make less work for you and also allow your sponsor or higher-up to better focus on the progress that has been made recently, and what still needs to be done.

How to use the Gantt chart 

As mentioned above, one of the most effective ways to go about the visualization of a project milestone is the use of a Gantt chart. A Gantt chart is a chart that uses horizontal bars as a representation of the project timeline. The timeline goes on the horizontal axis, while the task is listed on the vertical axis. 

To create a Gantt chart, three types of data are needed. The first column contains all the tasks that are required to complete a project. In the next column, you can input the deadline for each of these tasks. In the third column, you could go as far as including a percentage tracker, to measure the progress of each task. 

By using a Gantt chart, you get to see all the steps you need to complete each project milestone. The Gantt chart also shows dependencies between milestones, which you will have identified before.

For each milestone and task, you create a bar chart to display the start and end date. Also, to make it more appealing, you can use colors to represent different milestones, major tasks and also team responsibilities in the project. Gantt charts increase transparency, help the entire project team to visualize the progress of the project and see who each milestone is assigned to.

How to use project milestones effectively 

Although milestone planning can be useful in keeping a project on track and keeping employees motivated, project managers must know how to use them to make sure they are effective. Here are some things to keep in mind when implementing milestones in your project planning.

Because milestones can work as a motivational technique, the project manager may have the tendency to overuse them. They do this by identifying tasks and other less significant goals as milestones. This frequency of use can make meeting milestones seem more commonplace and can actually cause workers to become less motivated overall.

Be sure to limit milestones to goals that can be considered junctions on a critical path and important deliverables.

While it is important not to present milestones too frequently, it is also important not to space them too far apart. This will cause your staff to lose momentum and motivation. Ideally, try to space milestones so they land approximately two weeks from each other.

When establishing milestones, all workers should be on the same page. The project manager should be sure that their team is aware of each milestone, by distributing the necessary charts or spreadsheets to each team member and keeping them displayed prominently in the workplace.

Accountability

Every member of your team must realize the importance of meeting milestones in a timely fashion. If they are unable to do so, this is an issue that needs to be addressed immediately. If your team is unable to meet a milestone by its due date, a discussion should be held as to why this happened and what can be done to increase productivity in the future.

Fallibility

Not every milestone will be met with success, and that’s okay. In fact, it’s a good idea for the project manager to create milestones that may be more difficult to meet and may end up in failure. This can provide a learning experience for workers and give them something to aim for in the future.

Conclusion 

Project milestones can seem very overwhelming sometimes, but taking the time to understand the logic behind the use of these milestones makes project management easier. By creating project milestones, you successfully split the project into smaller stages and tasks that can be distributed among the members of the team. 

Project milestones make the completion of a project easier and more organized. To use project milestones well, you have to ensure timing, accountability, frequency and all other factors are considered. Project milestones are a game-changer for successful projects. 

Muriel Skusa

Project Management

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What Is a Milestone? 8 Examples for Better Project Management

Project plans are maps that chart the course of your projects. As you plan your project , you’ll begin to map out the tasks, dependencies, deadlines, and assignments.

But don’t forget a very important component of any project plan: milestones.

In this article, we’ll explain the meaning of a milestone in project management and share practical examples of project milestones you might use when planning a project of your own.

What is a milestone in project management?

Project milestones are checkpoints in your plan that mark important events, dates, decisions, and deliverables so it’s easy for your team and stakeholders to map forward progress on the project.

Milestones indicate a change in stage or development and act as signposts throughout the course of your project, helping you ensure everything stays on track. Without milestone tracking, you’re just monitoring tasks and not necessarily following the right path in your project.

Defining milestones vs tasks: What’s the difference?

Determining what should be a task or milestone can be difficult on larger initiatives—or projects that are new-to-you. If you’ve ever been confused about what is (or isn't) a milestone in your gantt chart, ask yourself these questions:

• Is this a deliverable you’ll want to mark as complete?
• Will this event impact the final deadline?
• Is this an important moment in the project that will indicate forward progress?
• Will this work require stakeholder review?
• Is this an event that impacts the project?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you’re looking at a milestone.

Milestones are given additional significance over tasks in a plan so the team and stakeholders can focus on forward momentum while the project manager monitors the pace and progress of work. 

Here’s how to tell the difference between milestones vs tasks when scheduling your timeline in TeamGantt:

• A project milestone is represented by a gold, diamond-shaped icon or symbol on your gantt chart with a zero-day duration. 
• Tasks show up as horizontal bars on the gantt chart. They can be assigned different task colors, as well as multi-day durations. Progress is tracked by percent complete.

Lay a clear path to success with a visual plan that’s easy to understand, and keep everyone in sync with flexible workflows and team collaboration.

5 common project milestone examples

Milestones are powerful components in project management because they make it easier to keep work on track. Let’s look at 5 simple examples of milestones you might include in your project plan:

• Start and end dates for project phases : Using milestones to indicate when each project stage should begin and end makes it easy for everyone to know when major phases are officially a wrap or fall behind schedule. 
• Key deliverables : Various deliverables lead up to the final product and mark progress along the way, whether it’s a research report, content document, or design mockup. Milestones can also help you track deliverables you need to produce—like weekly status reports or project scope documents—to keep stakeholders in the loop and on board.
• Client and stakeholder approvals : Approvals signal a clear movement from one project phase or deliverable to the next, making them a perfect use case for gantt chart milestones.
• Important meetings and presentations : Milestones are a great way to keep key meetings—such as project kickoffs, design reviews, or sprint retrospectives—on everyone’s radar. 
• Key dates or outages that may impact your timeline : Is your team attending an all-day conference? Adding it as a milestone keeps it visible in your project so no one accidentally plans work on top of it.

3 practical examples of how to use milestones in project management

Project milestones do more than just show progress—they can help you communicate what’s happening with your project. 

When creating a gantt chart , milestones provide an easy way to see major dates or deliverables at a glance. That means anyone who views your gantt chart can quickly tell where things are at any given moment.

Now that you understand what a milestone is and why it’s important, let’s dig a little deeper and explore 3 common ways you can use milestones to benefit your projects.

1. Monitor deadlines for deliverables more easily

No plan is ever complete without a list of deadlines ! The best way to make them noticeable is to use the project management milestones and deliverables technique. What does this mean? Make the deliverables project milestones!

Why do this? Well, it’s no secret that not everyone wants to pore over your beautiful project plan to find key dates. Most people—your teammates included—want a top-level view of key dates and events. Milestones are great for this purpose because they’re called out in a special way—usually with a diamond symbol—in project plans.

While you should list the tasks and effort leading up to a project milestone, be sure to present the milestone at the end of those tasks to signify a delivery, or even a presentation of, the deliverable.

Here's an example of how one team uses milestones to track an important deadline in their project.

2. Spotlight important dates

Are there days from now until the end of your project that could impact your project in some way? Maybe your team will be out of the office for a mandatory training. Or perhaps there’s a board meeting you’re expected to attend.

It’s important to keep all of these important events in mind when you’re planning a project because they could possibly impact your project schedule . So why not include them as project milestones so you can track them all in one place?

In this example, the team’s off-site strat-op meeting has been added to the project plan as a milestone so work can be scheduled around it.

3. Identify potential project bottlenecks

Many projects rely on the work produced by external teams or partners to make forward progress. If you’re not tracking those external factors somewhere, there’s a great chance you’ll forget to follow-up on it.

That’s why it’s important to list these deliverables as project milestones if you’re working on a project that depends on someone or something outside of your project. Here’s an example of how you might use a milestone to track a client approval.

How to manage gantt chart milestones in TeamGantt

Once you’ve mapped out your overall process and plan with your team, you can add tasks, identify gantt chart milestones, and determine task owners. Project milestones are easy to create and track because you’ve called out the most important points in your project. 

Let’s take a quick look at how project milestones work in TeamGantt.

How to set and schedule milestones in your gantt chart

You can set a milestone for your project in just a couple of clicks in TeamGantt. This quick tutorial shows you how to add milestones to your project schedule once you’ve signed up for a TeamGantt account.

How to change a task to a milestone

Need to change a task to a milestone on your gantt chart? Simply follow these steps:

• Hover over the task you want to change on your gantt chart.
• Click the 3-dot menu that appears to the right of the taskbar. 
• Select Convert to Milestone from the drop-down menu, and your taskbar should automatically switch to a milestone icon on your project timeline.

How to mark a milestone as complete

Nothing’s quite as satisfying as checking a major milestone off your list! To update the status of a milestone in TeamGantt, simply click the checkbox in the Progress column of your gantt chart to mark it as complete.

How to share project milestones with clients and stakeholders

Want to give clients and stakeholders a high-level view of the project? Follow these steps to share a PDF of key project milestones in your gantt chart.

1. Filter your project by milestones.

From Gantt view, click the All Dates menu at the top of your gantt chart, and select Only Milestones from the drop-down.

2. Export your filtered project to a PDF file.

Navigate to your project's Menu , and select Print/Export PDF from the drop-down.

Customize your PDF settings, then click View PDF to complete the export. From there, you can download and/or print your PDF to share with clients and stakeholders.

Who would have thought such a critical step could be so easy?

Hit every project milestone with ease

TeamGantt makes it easy to create, track, and collaborate on all your project milestones so nothing slips through the cracks.

You’ll have all the features you need to ensure projects finish on time and under budget—from drag and drop simplicity and team collaboration to customizable views and workload management.

Best of all, it’s all wrapped up in a simple and intuitive interface your whole team will love. 😍

Give TeamGantt a free try today!

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Project Management

Project milestones: how to identify, establish, and manage them.

January 15, 2024

Understanding project management milestones is crucial—these markers are not just indicators of progress; they serve as pivotal moments that define the journey of any project. 

Whether you’re a seasoned project manager or new to project management, you’ll leverage these milestones to track your project’s trajectory and success.

This article aims to dissect the concept of project milestone planning, presenting real-world project milestone examples and strategic insights to enhance your project’s success rate.

Designed for project managers across various industries, this guide is essential for optimizing project outcomes!

What is a Project Milestone?

Why are project milestones important, examples of common project milestones, how to identify project milestones and establish them, how to achieve your project’s milestones with clickup, clarifying common misunderstandings about project management milestones.

Project management milestones are significant points or events within a project’s lifecycle that signify project progress and guide the team. They mark critical events, helping project managers and teams recognize achievements and understand the path ahead.

Unlike regular tasks, milestones typically don’t have a duration; they represent a moment of achievement or a critical decision point.

For instance, in a software development project plan, one project milestone might be the completion of the beta version of the application.

This doesn’t just mean the preliminary version is ready for testing; it signals a shift from development to user testing and feedback gathering.

This milestone is pivotal for project managers and stakeholders as it allows for a comprehensive review of the work done, ensures alignment with project objectives, and sets the stage for the next development phase.

Milestones, particularly with tools like ClickUp , create clear markers of project progress, aid in effective tracking, and instill a sense of achievement as the team navigates through complex phases of the project.

In a world where ineffective implementation of business strategies leads to losses of $1 million every 10 seconds, understanding the significance of project milestones is more crucial than ever.

Here’s why setting and adhering to the milestone planning phase is paramount in the project management lifecycle :

1. Enhances project visibility

Project management milestone planning provides a high-level project overview, marking critical events along the timeline. This visibility helps project managers and stakeholders comprehend the progress of your project at a glance, ensuring everyone is informed and aligned.

With nearly every project phase accounted for, potential issues can be identified and addressed promptly, preventing costly overruns and delays.

2. Improves time management

Each project milestone represents an end date, guiding the project team on when specific tasks must be completed. This helps allocate time and resources effectively, ensuring the project schedule stays on track. 

Effective time management is crucial, as delays can contribute significantly to a loss in revenue. 

3. Facilitates better communication

Clear project milestones create common goals for team members to aim for. Regular project milestone reviews foster open communication about the project’s status, challenges faced, and successes achieved.

This continuous dialogue ensures that everyone remains on the same page, enhancing the team’s ability to meet objectives efficiently.

4. Aids in risk management

By breaking the project down into key project deliverables and checkpoints, milestones help detect potential risks and issues early.

This proactive approach allows teams to mitigate risks before they escalate, saving time and resources.

5. Encourages team motivation and morale

Achieving project milestones is akin to celebrating small victories along the project’s journey. Each project milestone reached is a testament to the team’s hard work and progress, serving as a motivational boost.

Recognizing these achievements is essential, as a motivated team is crucial for maintaining momentum and ensuring a successful project .

Project milestones are crucial checkpoints that help manage and track the progress of various initiatives. Here’s how they might look in three different types of projects: marketing, software development, and software testing.

1. Marketing campaign launch

Milestone #1: campaign go-live date.

The go-live date is a critical project milestone in any marketing project. It marks the moment the campaign is launched to the public, following weeks or months of creating project plans, including content creation and strategy development.

Marketing teams can utilize ClickUp’s Gantt Chart View to visually plan and monitor the steps leading to this project milestone. This would help ensure that every task is completed on time for a successful launch.

Milestone #2: First performance review

After the campaign has gone live, the first performance review is a crucial project milestone where the initial results are analyzed. This review typically involves measuring key performance indicators (KPIs) against the campaign’s objectives to gauge its early project success and identify areas for adjustment.

With ClickUp’s Project milestone chart and KPI reporting , marketing teams or individuals can track real-time data and performance against campaign’ goals, ensuring they’re on track to meet targets.

2. Software development project

Milestone #1: beta release.

The beta release is a significant project milestone in software development, marking the transition from initial development to testing and user feedback collection. It reflects a product ready for real-world exposure.

Use ClickUp’s milestone tracking software to monitor the progress toward this crucial point. Project management KPIs help keep tabs on essential metrics leading up to the release. You can view it on a Gantt chart or a whiteboard for a simplified view.

Milestone #2: End of beta feedback collection

Completing beta feedback collection is another essential project milestone, signifying the end of the initial user testing phase and the beginning of final refinements. This project phase is critical for implementing process improvements before the final release.

Utilize ClickUp’s Feedback Boards to gather and manage user feedback efficiently. Pair this with ClickUp’s Gantt chart software to schedule and track all the tasks required for implementing feedback before the final launch.

3. Software testing phase

Milestone #1: completion of user acceptance testing (uat).

Completion of User Acceptance Testing (UAT) is a major milestone in the software testing phase. It signifies that the software has met all specified requirements and is ready for deployment. This phase often involves real-world testing by end-users to ensure the software’s functionality aligns with their expectations.

ClickUp’s project management software allows for detailed scheduling and tracking of testing phases. Utilize ClickUp’s Milestone templates to standardize UAT processes across projects.

Milestone #2: Resolution of all critical bugs

After UAT, the next significant milestone is resolving all critical bugs identified during the testing phase. This milestone ensures the software is functional and meets the quality standards required for a smooth, user-friendly experience.

Manage and track bug resolutions efficiently using ClickUp’s project management features like Tasks, Automations, and Docs. The platform’s comprehensive project tracking capabilities allow you to monitor the progress of bug fixes, ensuring that no critical issue is overlooked before the software’s final release.

Identifying and establishing project milestones is critical in ensuring the progress and successful completion of tasks on any project. Here’s a guide to help project managers determine these key points in their project life cycle using various project management tools and strategies.

Step 1. Understand the project scope and objectives

Before setting project milestones, thoroughly understand your project’s goals , deliverables, and constraints. This understanding forms the basis of what your project milestones should achieve, aligning with the project’s end goals and key deliverables.

Step 2. Break the project down into phases

Divide the entire project into manageable project phases or stages. Each project phase should represent a significant chunk of work that moves the project closer to completion. This segmentation helps in setting specific, measurable, and achievable milestones.

Step 3. Identify key deliverables

Within each project phase, identify key project deliverables that signify progress. These deliverables should be critical project tasks or events that indicate a significant achievement or a shift in the project’s direction.

Step 4: Consult with the project team

Collaborate with your project team and other stakeholders to ensure that the milestones are realistic and achievable. Their input can provide valuable insights into the project’s requirements and potential challenges.

Step 5: Use project management software

Implementing a robust project management software like ClickUp helps you identify milestones and plan them accordingly. Utilize tools like ClickUp’s Gantt charts to visually plot out milestones against your project timeline and ensure they are strategically placed.

Step 6: Set important dates and criteria

Assign a specific date or criteria for each milestone. This could be the completion of a key deliverable, reaching a certain percentage of the project, or any other significant event. Ensure that these targets and end dates are realistic and provide enough time for quality work.

Step 7: Communicate milestones to the team

Once milestones are established, communicate them clearly to your project team and stakeholders. Everyone involved should be aware of these critical points and their significance to the progress of your project.

Step 8: Monitor and adjust as per the project progress

Throughout the project, closely monitor the progress towards each milestone. Use milestone tracking to know whether the project schedule is on track. Be prepared to adjust milestones as needed based on project changes or unexpected challenges.

What’s ClickUp?

Clickup is an all-in-one project management platform. ClickUp Milestones turn major project tasks into visual markers, signifying how far along your projects are. They are displayed boldly with a diamond icon, making them easy to spot.

This helps you visualize your project’s critical tasks and see how they connect to larger project goals.  It simplifies marking milestones and tracking major progress points on milestone charts, ensuring everyone is aligned toward key targets.

Who is it for?

ClickUp project milestones are for project teams and individuals managing projects of any type and size, especially those needing a clear view of major project phases and key milestones. It’s made for anyone who needs to visualize critical tasks at a glance on a milestone chart and ensure that complex projects stay on track.

Tracking milestones using ClickUp’s Project Management features

Let’s learn how to leverage ClickUp’s powerful project management features to achieve your project’s milestones.

1. Project Milestone Charts: Gantt Charts

Use ClickUp’s project milestone chart and Gantt Chart to visualize your entire project timeline and lay down your project plan, including your milestones.

It shows you how your milestones fit into the larger picture of your project schedule and plan. Adjust and track progress against key tasks on an adaptable project timeline.

2. Board View

The Board view enables you to recognize and identify milestones, among other tasks.. It’s particularly useful for visualizing when a project is ready for the next project phase. This view helps project teams that rely on a more visual, Kanban-style organization to monitor deadlines and next milestones effectively.

3. Dashboards

Incorporating too many milestones into major project phases can make it tough to see when essential stages begin or end or if they’re progressing on schedule.

ClickUp’s Dashboards provide a clear, real-time overview of your project’s progress. Using this feature, teams can:

• Track and manage the number of milestones effectively
• Focus on major phases without the clutter of excessive markers

You can summarize your current project status by tracking the milestones completed. It’s a powerful tool for project teams to monitor progress, identify deviations,, and stay on top of major milestones.

For lengthier projects that often have numerous milestones, you can streamline your report to include only milestones completed or pending within the current quarter.

4. Automation

Put routine busywork on autopilot by setting up Automation in ClickUp. You can create automations to update your team or adjust project schedules and task statuses as you reach different milestones, ensuring everyone is informed and can prepare for the next steps.

5. Custom Fields

Add custom fields to tailor your workflow to suit your specific project management needs. Create milestones, track them, add specific details, and ensure all necessary information is accessible.

6. Key milestones tracking and reporting

With ClickUp’s Milestone Tracking, you can set milestones, track progress, and get detailed reports easily. These reports provide insights into whether your project is on track and help you make informed decisions about necessary adjustments.

Aren’t milestones just another term for project goals or deliverables?

Here’s a list of common misconceptions regarding project milestones:

1. Milestone vs. Goal

Misconception: They seem interchangeable.

Reality: A goal is a future-oriented objective you’re aiming to achieve, for example, acquiring 100 new customers with a new marketing campaign. Milestones, conversely, are significant achievements reached in the project’s life cycle on the way to the goal.

They act as markers of progress, while goals are the targets you’re striving for. In the previous marketing campaign example, milestones could include copy and creative development, stakeholder signoff, and campaign launch. Let’s look at ClickUp’s Milestone templates Vs. Goal-setting templates to understand the difference between both.

2. Milestone vs. Task

Misconception: They’re similar components of a project.

Reality: Tasks are actionable items, often with a time estimate. For instance, a project task might be ‘Complete the client report by Friday.’

On the other hand, milestones signify the completion of crucial tasks or phases with no specific duration attached. They’re points on the project’s schedule, marking important steps and helping track the entire project’s progress.

3. Milestone vs. Deliverable

Misconception: They’re effectively the same thing.

Reality: A project deliverable is a tangible or quantifiable result, such as a product or report. In contrast, a key milestone is a significant moment or event in the project’s life cycle, which may or may not coincide with the completion of a project deliverable.

For example, obtaining stakeholder approval is a milestone, though it might not be considered a deliverable.

Premier Tool for Successful Projects

Remember that milestones are pivotal events charting the course of your project’s success. They’re not mere markers but vital checkpoints guiding and focusing project managers toward their overarching goals.

A project manager must identify these milestones and efficiently navigate the team through each, ensuring alignment with the project’s timeline and objectives. For effective milestone management, a well-organized and structured approach is essential.

Enter ClickUp, your ally in the meticulous planning of your project. ClickUp is a comprehensive suite for all your project needs from creating a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) to precise project planning.

So, don’t just plan; excel with ClickUp. Sign up for free today and navigate your project milestones easily and efficiently. With ClickUp, successful project completion is a visible, trackable, and achievable reality.

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How to Develop Effective Timelines and Milestones

You may have heard the expression ‘a PhD is a marathon, not a sprint’. When you start a higher degree research program, you are starting a long-term research project that you will need to sustain over 3 – 4 years if you’re a PhD candidate, or 1.5 – 2 years if you’re a Masters candidate. 

The key to staying on track and completing your thesis on time is to plan your research project effectively. The two most important tools for planning your research project are milestones and timelines. You’ll need to provide your milestones and a timeline when you complete your annual Research Progress Review .

Milestones are the steps a candidate needs to take to achieve their goals. While you should develop your milestones in consultation with your supervisor, you should start by generating a list of possible milestones that are achievable and realistic, and have specific dates for when they should be achieved. That is, they should always be written using the “SMART” principles.

The Graduate Research School (GRS) runs a Research Progress Review Seminar that outlines how to develop realistic and achievable milestones and timelines, and get the best out of your Reviews. For information on the next offering, please visit this page .  

Can’t make it to the next Seminar? Watch a recording of the last session and download a copy of the slides here . 

Additional Resources

UNSW Webpages Your Progress Research Progress Review and Confirmation of Research Candidatures Procedure

External Resources iThinkwell HDR templates Raul Pacheco-Vega, PhD Resources

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Project Milestones Examples: A Step-by-Step Guide

Learn how to set and achieve milestones in project management with examples. Enhance collaboration, maintain a realistic project schedule, and ultimately work toward successful project completion.

Milestones are significant points of achievement or progress within a project. These serve as markers that indicate the completion of specific phases, the attainment of key deliverables, or the fulfillment of important objectives. 

Each milestone represents a critical juncture in a project's timeline and allows project managers and teams to track progress, evaluate performance, and ensure that the project is on course.

The significance of milestones in project management cannot be overstated. They play a crucial role in effectively tracking the advancement of a project and achieving overarching goals. 

Milestones provide a clear sense of direction and purpose to the project, ensuring that everyone involved understands the key targets and deliverables that need to be met. 

Additionally, milestones help in identifying any potential roadblocks or delays early on, enabling project managers to make timely adjustments and keep the project on track. 

By setting and achieving milestones and deliverables, project teams can enhance collaboration, maintain a realistic project schedule, and ultimately work toward successful project completion.

Definition and Purpose of Project Management Milestones

Milestones in project management are key markers that represent significant achievements, events, or stages within a project's lifecycle. They are essential tools for tracking and measuring progress, as well as ensuring that a project stays on course. 

Milestones provide a clear roadmap for the project team by breaking down the overall project into manageable phases, each marked by specific accomplishments. These accomplishments can range from completing crucial tasks to delivering key project components. 

Milestones serve as indicators of progress and help project managers communicate project status to stakeholders effectively.

Setting achievable and measurable milestones is paramount to the success of a project. Milestones act as guideposts that keep the project aligned with its goals and objectives. By defining milestones that are attainable and measurable, project teams can gauge their progress more accurately and determine whether they are on track to meet project deadlines. 

These milestones also provide motivation for the team, as they celebrate tangible achievements along the project's journey and help you navigate through new projects. 

Additionally, clear and measurable milestones allow for better communication among team members, stakeholders, and project sponsors, fostering a shared understanding of project progress and expectations.

Project Milestone Examples in Different Fields

Business and entrepreneurship: examples of milestones in project.

In the realm of Business and Entrepreneurship, milestones play a pivotal role in tracking progress and success. Some examples of project milestones in this context include launching a new product or service, marking a significant achievement in revenue generation, or expanding business operations into new markets. 

These milestones not only celebrate accomplishments but also guide the strategic direction of a business, helping entrepreneurs assess growth and make informed decisions.

In the field of Education, milestones serve as markers of academic and personal achievements. Examples encompass graduating from different levels of education, earning academic honors or degrees, and mastering new languages or skills. These educational milestones in a project provide individuals with a sense of accomplishment, showcase their progress, and motivate ongoing learning and development. Each milestone reached represents a step closer to personal and academic growth.

Personal Development and Self-Improvement

When it comes to Personal Development and Self-Improvement, milestones act as stepping stones towards growth and betterment. These milestones could encompass completing a challenging fitness regimen or reaching a weight loss goal, running a marathon or accomplishing a physical feat that was once daunting, and achieving proficiency in a new musical instrument or hobby. These personal milestones foster a sense of achievement, boost self-confidence, and provide motivation for continued self-improvement, contributing to a well-rounded and fulfilling life.

Project Management

In the realm of Project Management, milestones are integral in tracking project progress and ensuring successful outcomes. These milestones include meeting deadlines for project deliverables, successfully completing project phases or key milestones, and receiving positive feedback or recognition for project achievements. Project milestones serve as markers of progress, helping project managers monitor timelines, allocate resources effectively, manage project management tools, and keep projects on track. By breaking down a project into manageable sections with clearly defined milestones, project managers can streamline workflows and enhance overall project success.

Importance of celebrating milestones

Celebrating milestones serves as a powerful motivator for both teams and individuals involved in a project. It helps break the entire project into smaller pieces with multiple motivators in between. When teams achieve significant milestones, they experience a sense of progress and achievement, inspiring them to maintain their focus and dedication. Individuals are more likely to remain engaged and committed when they can see tangible progress towards a larger goal, and celebrating these milestones acknowledges their hard work and contribution to the project's success.

Milestone celebrations have a profound impact on morale and provide a strong sense of accomplishment. Recognizing the completion of milestones boosts team spirits, fostering a positive and enthusiastic atmosphere. This positivity can lead to increased job satisfaction, improved collaboration, and a deeper sense of camaraderie among team members. Additionally, celebrating milestones reinforces the idea that progress is being made, motivating individuals to persevere and overcome challenges.

Acknowledging and celebrating milestones also has the benefit of reinforcing positive behaviors and encouraging ongoing progress. By recognizing achievements, teams and individuals are more likely to continue their efforts with renewed vigor. The positive feedback and recognition gained from celebrating milestones can serve as a catalyst for maintaining momentum and striving for continuous improvement throughout the project's lifecycle.

Tips for setting effective milestone in project management

Setting effective milestones requires ensuring they are SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Each milestone should have a clearly defined objective that is measurable and attainable within a specified timeframe. By adhering to the SMART criteria, milestones become clear targets that guide the project's progress and allow for accurate assessment of achievement.

Breaking down larger project goals into smaller, manageable milestones is essential for effective tracking and monitoring. Smaller milestones offer a sense of accomplishment along the way, making progress more tangible. These incremental achievements contribute to team motivation and keep everyone aligned with the project's direction.

Regularly evaluating and adjusting milestones is crucial. As the project evolves, circumstances may change, necessitating revisions to milestones. Regular review allows for adaptations to project timelines, resources, and priorities. By staying flexible and responsive, the project remains on course, and milestones continue to represent relevant achievements.

Recap of setting effective milestones in your project plan and examples of milestones:

Milestones play a crucial role in project management by providing clear markers of progress and accomplishment. They vary across different fields, from business and education to personal development and project management itself. For instance, they could include launching a new product, achieving academic honors, completing a fitness challenge, or meeting project deadlines.

I encourage you to embrace the concept of milestones in various aspects of your life. Setting and celebrating milestones not only boosts motivation and morale but also provides a sense of achievement. Whether in professional endeavors or personal growth journeys, milestones serve as guideposts, ensuring you remain on track and reach your desired destinations.

Recognize that milestones are more than just markers; they're catalysts for growth. By setting and celebrating milestones, you propel yourself toward success and growth, whether it's completing a project phase or reaching a personal fitness goal. Embrace the power of milestones as tools for progress and as vehicles that can drive you forward on the path to achieving your goals.

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Typical milestones in a doctorate

These milestones are representative of most research projects, but you may want to add and remove milestones to match your own project.

Establish foundations

Early on you will be establishing the foundations of your research, typically surveying literature, refining your research question and learning to use relevant methodologies, resources and equipment.

Deepen understanding

Set yourself some early targets designed to deepen your understanding of the 'problem' or the issues around your research.

Evidence and data collection

You should also develop a number of targets (how much? what? where? and when?) for this phase of the project.

Reflection and evaluation

You will still be collecting data at this point but may also be undertaking some analysis. You should also be beginning to work towards concentrating on the most productive parts of your research and identifying an end point.

Consolidation

You will need to complete your 'solution' or framing of the argument, tie up loose ends and check for any emerging new literature.

Completion and submission

Finally you should be pulling the writing that you have done already into a thesis format, editing, proofing and then submitting the thesis.

It is a good idea to assign a time frame to these milestones, taking into account activities that must start or stop at specific times. Don't worry if your research is not conforming to this pattern exactly, but make sure to work to a plan. Writing up should not be left until the last six months, but is best done all the way through your research, with the final period focused on editing rather than producing new material.

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• Project management |
• How to set and achieve project mileston ...

How to set and achieve project milestones in 2022

Not all project plans are created equal, however. Let’s say you’re working on your latest plan. It has goals, tasks, task owners, and deadlines. It has dependencies and deliverables. You’re confident that it’s a work of project planning art that will carry your team to success. But did you remember to include project milestones?

If your project doesn’t have milestones, then you’re doing yourself a disservice. Project milestones simplify your role as project leader because they give your team marks to aim for while also showing stakeholders your progress at a level they’re interested in. The good news is that project milestones are easy to add to any project (even those already in progress), and they provide multiple benefits.

Let’s look at what project milestones are and what they can do for you.

What is a project milestone?

Project milestones mark specific points along a project’s timeline. They are checkpoints that identify when activities or groups of activities have been completed or when a new phase or activity is launched. You can differentiate milestones from other elements of a timeline because they take no time to complete; think of them as signposts that keep things on track.

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Are project milestones important?

Milestones are powerful because they demonstrate forward progress in your project plan. They help motivate and align your team by enabling everyone to view progress and  judge priorities . And they help you monitor deadlines, identify important dates, and recognize potential bottlenecks within the project. If you were to strip the tasks from your  project timeline , the milestones would still give an outline of the key steps or phases of the project.

It can be easy to confuse project milestones with other aspects of project management, so let’s review the differences.

Milestones vs. goals

Goals  are what you wish to achieve looking forward; milestones take a look back at what you’ve already done. Think of milestones as rungs on the ladder to achieving a goal.

Example: A  marketing team  working on company-wide rebranding initiative—a big project with many moving parts—might set a goal to complete the project by the end of the third quarter. They could then use milestones along the way to mark key decisions or activities as complete, such as colors selected, design templates created, launch plan approved, etc.

Milestones vs. project phases

Milestones often coincide with the start or completion of project phases (such as initiation, planning, execution, and closure). A project phase may take weeks or months to complete, involving multiple tasks and team members; a milestone is a zero-time “checkmark” of major progress that is important to acknowledge and report on.

Example: For a rebranding project, the initiation phase will cover many tasks, such as focus groups to gather ideas on the new branding and creative brainstorming sessions. A milestone at the end of the initiation phase would mark the team’s readiness to move to the planning phase.

Milestones vs. project deliverables

A  project deliverable  is a product or result, whereas a milestone is a moment in time. Deliverables are sometimes evidence of the completion of a milestone.

Example: Deliverables for the rebranding project could include the updated style guide PDF and associated logo files. The completion of these projects is worth noting (and even celebrating!), so the marketing manager could add a milestone denoting that achievement.

Milestones vs. tasks

Tasks are the building blocks of your project, and they take time to achieve. Milestones have no duration and are more like lines in the sand that mark a group of tasks as complete.

Example: A rebranding project will have many smaller and larger tasks, such as creating logos, setting up social media accounts, and writing press releases . A milestone might mark the completion of a group of related tasks.

Connecting project milestones to your project plans

Project milestones can be added to any type of project plan to help it run smoothly. They can be particularly helpful when it comes to scheduling because milestones will need to be placed alongside the relevant tasks or phases; setting up milestones helps you concentrate on target dates and adjust the project plan as needed.

You can also have fun with milestones! For example, plan celebrations for when major project milestones are checked off. This type of acknowledgment  boosts morale  and improves engagement.

You can add milestones to a project at any stage, so don’t wait for your next project kickoff to get started. Also, if you have recurring projects, work milestones into your  templates  now so that you have them in place for the future.

How to create project milestone schedules

Think of your project milestones as moments in time—rather than  objectives , deliverables, or tasks. As such, you should create milestones to represent important checkpoints in your project. Take a look at your project schedule, and pinpoint any checkpoints or important moments. For example, if you’re planning a  product launch , you’d likely create milestones to represent finalizing the launch messaging, launching your product web page, and actually launching the product. 

FAQ: How many milestones should a project have?

There’s no set number of milestones your project should have. Some projects will only have two or three milestones—others might have closer to a dozen. Instead of trying to hit a certain number of milestones, set milestones for important events that are happening during your project’s progress. Remember: milestones should be moments in time—the tasks it takes to hit those milestones should be represented elsewhere in your project.

Setting project milestone deadlines

Because milestones are moments in time and don’t track the processes you need to get to that moment, you should set your milestone deadlines for when the initiative is launched or goes live. For example, if you’re planning a virtual event, your milestone should be set for the day the virtual event takes place—not the prep work it takes to get there. Milestones denote important moments in your project progress, and help you gauge whether or not your project was successful. 

Project milestones examples

A project milestone marks a significant point in time. You can use  milestones in your projects  to represent events such as key deliverables received, project kickoff completed, final plan approved, requirements gathering , design approved, project phase completed, and much more.

Let’s walk through four examples of how milestones can work for your team.

Mark critical tasks. Tasks that must be completed at a specific time or the project will be blocked, such as a creative concept approval for a marketing campaign.

Highlight the end of a phase or stage. The end of a phase or stage of a major piece of work, like gathering budget requests from every department for company planning.

Spotlight a major event or deliverable. A major event or deliverable, such as finishing the build out of a new office your company is opening so you can begin moving people into it.

Focus on hitting goals and key results. Project goals and key results (KRs), such as hitting your three-month revenue target for a product that was recently launched.

Project milestones reporting

Setting milestones is a good start, but you won’t reap the full benefit until you track and report on them. Milestones are great reporting tools for communicating with stakeholders who don’t want or need task-level updates. This “broad stroke” data helps you instantly see which phases have been completed, if the project is on track to hit its future key milestones, and how close you are to your goal. You can still drill down to a more granular level, looking at the tasks tied to your milestones; this can help you see which steps and owners helped you get to a milestone or identify roadblocks that might have been in the way.

Tracking milestones lets you home in on your most important work and see the true status of projects, while giving you the knowledge to share  project progress confidently. Make sure your project management tool includes  status updates that report on milestones, so you can keep team members and stakeholders in the loop about what your team has accomplished and what milestone you’re working towards next.

Pro tip: what to do when you don’t hit your milestone goals

Sometimes, your team will miss your milestone deadline. That happens—but depending on the importance of your milestone, doing so can really set you back and delay your initiative or launch. 

If you don’t hit your milestone goals, take a step back with your team to figure out why you missed the milestone. Was your milestone incorrectly scheduled, or too ambitious? Look at the tasks and deliverables that were contributing to your milestone. Was one of them delayed? Oftentimes, with so many moving pieces, it’s hard to know exactly what’s happening when. To prevent these types of mistakes in the future, look for a project management tool that has a visual component, so you can see your projects in different ways like timelines, calendars, and Kanban boards.

Common project milestone pitfalls

Setting milestones is an art, not a science. There’s no exact right or wrong way to do it. That being said, these are some of the common pitfalls that teams encounter when they first start setting milestones: 

Setting too many milestones. The number of milestones you need will depend on the size and scope of your initiative. Avoid aiming to set a certain number of milestones “just because.” Instead, pay attention to the key tasks your team needs to accomplish in order for your project to progress.

Using milestones as tasks. Milestones should represent a moment in time. To track the work you need to do to get there, use tasks instead. Then, use milestones to represent when a group of tasks should be completed.

Keeping your milestones separate from other work. The best way to hit your deadlines and run a successful project is to manage all of your work in one place. Make sure your  project management tool  allows you to manage tasks, set milestones, and visualize your project progress in one place.

Set milestones for better project schedules

Now you know what project milestones are and how they can positively impact the planning, execution, and reporting of your projects. Consider them another tool in your project management belt—one you’re sure to get a lot of use out of. Once you start planning with milestones, you’ll never want to build a project plan without them.

Are you ready to get started planning with project milestones? You’ll need the right work management tool first. Check out  Asana , a leader in the market and the best work management tool for your team.

Related resources

3 visual project management layouts (and how to use them)

Grant management: A nonprofit’s guide

Everything you need to know about waterfall project management

Smooth product launches are simpler than you think

What are 'milestones' in my research journey?

A research milestone is a date where Higher Degrees by Research (HDR) candidates must complete a certain stage of his/her research. HDR candidates will have to achieve the following research milestones:  

• Research proposal approval
• Ethics approval
• Confirmation of candidature - obtained when milestones 1 and 2 are achieved.
• Submission of written thesis for examination (commencing PhD students in 2018 will also be required to conduct an oral examination of their thesis).

For more information, please visit the Getting Started webpage.

International

Research Candidature

Assessment & Exams

Ethics And Approvals

I - Supporting Documentation

Manage Candidature

Research Grants And Funding

Academic Progression

Exam Timetables

I - Additional Documents

I - Apply For Research

I - English Language Competency

I - Overseas Qualifications To English

Research Milestones

Research Proposal

Supervision

Supplementary & Alternate Examination

Published: 13 Oct 2023

13 Oct 2023 • Knowledge

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Project Topics and Milestones

Project milestones, project topics.

1.Research Chart. Each person should complete a Research Chart from the second workshop with at least 10 citations. Citations should include at least two sources from each category discussed in workshop: news, case law, law review articles, and computer science research. You may certainly include more citations, such as those from policy white papers.

You can copy this Google Spreadsheet and use it as a template. The chart should serve to ground your initial understanding of the problem and help you explain it at a societal, technological, and legal level. Due 10/8 @ 5pm.

For help with research sources, see the customized 6.805 library guide from EECS Librarian, Phoebe Ayers.

2. Individual project proposal . Each person should submit an initial project proposal in the form of a proposal (750-1000 words). Include a 1 page summary of the full argument, including a concise statement of the problem: the technical situation, policy context, major stakeholders. The remaining proposal should develop and connect these issues to your sources to-date.

This proposal should show the full structure of your planned project. This might be an advocacy argument in which you make a recommendation, or you might be offering a legal or a conceptual framework for addressing a new technology, or identifying some key questions that no one is asking. State this explicitly and comprehensively. We should also understand how your evidence (5 references minimum) will be used to support the key sections. Due 10/15 @ 5pm.

3. Team Plan . Each team should submit 1500-2000 words describing your area of interest within your topic. This should include a 1-page Executive Summary and then an outline of the remaining sections and recommendations. The goal of this paper is to align the parts of your individual plans that you have decided to move forward with as a team.  

Try to address the following questions (in paragraph form, not a list):

Which open questions or problems do you want to investigate?

How is technology involved in this policy issue?

What is the legal status of this technology and/or this problem?

What policies have been considered or implemented in this area? What existing technologies might it be analogous to?

Who are the stakeholders?

In whose voice is the paper being written and what will encourage your audience to take your contributions seriously?

In this milestone, make certain summarize the policy recommendations. Consider a range of interventions: legislative, judicial, regulatory, industry standards, etc. Include a list of references. Due 10/22 @ 5pm.

4. Team Proposal . This paper is a significant revision and expansion of the material in the Team Plan. Each team should turn in 4000-5000 words proposing (a) an intervention and (b) a research and analysis path for your project. This milestone includes an extended Executive Summary (~750-1000 words) and is organized according to the logical structure of your argument (including introduction, background, and topical sections depending on your area of research/intervention). Your recommendation should be clear and targeted to a specific path of implementation. The recommendation should also have a detailed explanation of how it addresses the problems you have raised in the earlier paper. References list should include 20-30+ sources used in your proposal. Due 11/5 @ 5pm. Feedback on 11/15.

5 . Full draft. This draft should contain all of your content and be fully researched! The key requirement at this stage is that you have clearly defined policy recommendations supported by your research. You will revise once more for conceptual issues, effectiveness and appropriateness of discourse, argumentation and organization, and to incorporate staff feedback. Due 11/19 @ 5pm.

6. Presentation in class.   [Detailed description available soon.] In class 12/9.

7. Final Draft: This version is the edited and revised copy of your full draft. It should offer a complete argument for a set of policy conditions. To support those policy conditions, the paper should provide the technical and legal background of the problem and related issues sufficiently to explain and support your chosen recommendations. 10,000-15,000 words. Final draft due 12/9 at 11:59 pm.

Previous Final Project Descriptions

Smart cities privacy.

Team 3: Hadrian, Rachel, Matt

Course Mentor: Danny

Writing Mentor: Michael

Team 2: John, Isabelle, Willie

Writing Mentor: Jessie

Cybersecurity: Policy and the Private Sector

Team 6: Alex, Nicolas, Elissa

Course Mentor: David

Fairness in Machine Learning and the WhatIf Tool

Team 1: Maryam, David, Dylan

Course Mentor: Hal

Team 7: Mary, Tre, Dheekshu, Emily

Social Media Content Moderation: Freedom of Expression and Transparency

Team 4: Sarah, Joanna, Chase

IoT Security and Data Privacy

Team 5: Leah, Alice, Mine, Ben

Course Mentor: Mike, Alex

Team 8: Sophia, Prithvi, Toby, Miranda

Research, Data and Milestones

• First Online: 02 October 2020

Cite this chapter

• Jacqui Ewart 3 &
• Kate Ames 4  

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Your project may be about producing materials, devices or other objects for industry or it may be a purely research-driven project, or a combination of both. No matter what approach you are taking, there are opportunities to embed research in the project design and delivery. Many academics take a prosaic approach to research. That is, their focus is to produce things or to conduct research. However, there are opportunities within both methods to embed research or to produce outputs that are useful to industry, government, professions and the non-government sector. This chapter explores some of the matters to be attended to when embedding data collection and analysis in a project. While our primary focus is on standard approaches to these matters, we also provide some examples of “thinking outside” the usual academic paradigms and thus from the usual ways of researching.

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Ewart, J., Ames, K. (2020). Research, Data and Milestones. In: Managing Your Academic Research Project. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-9192-1_4

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Academic milestones in your doctoral study

This guide sets out the academic milestones of your doctorate..

A Guide to doctoral academic milestones

There are many different routes towards the final goal of submitting a thesis or portfolio and securing your doctorate. However you choose to study, there are several key milestones, or formal progression points, that you will have to navigate.

These milestones are:

• registration and induction
• taught phase (if on a Professional Doctorate or Integrated PhD programme)
• approval of candidature
• confirmation (not required for Professional Doctorates)
• notice of intention to submit thesis or portfolio
• submission of thesis or portfolio
• examination (Viva Voce)
• final submission of thesis or portfolio

The specific requirements and timing of these milestones will vary according to the particular research programme that you are registered on. Your department and/or supervisor should provide you with further specific information about what is required at certain points for progression through your degree.

• Registration and induction

Your registration period, when you first join the University, includes:

• induction period
• establishment of supervisor expectations (if on a PhD programme)
• training needs analysis (if on a PhD programme)

We have developed this guide to give you more information about starting your research programme outlining what is required of you and what support is available to help you start your programme effectively.

• Approval of Candidature

Candidature is the period leading up to Confirmation, which is the point when your PhD registration is confirmed. The purpose of Candidature is to:

• clearly define your research topic and supervisory arrangements at an early stage
• identify relevant issues, such as ethical ones , raised by your proposed research
• detail the professional development activities that you will undertake in your first year
• set out specific attendance requirements
• set a date for your first attempt at Confirmation

Candidature is usually within one month of initial registration for full-time students or three months for part-time students. If you are registered on a research degree with a taught element the deadline is adjusted to start from the date you enter the research phase. You will be asked to complete a Candidature form with your supervisor soon after you start at the University.

In addition to completing this form, during the Candidature period you must:

• complete academic integrity training and a test. The training and test are accessed from Moodle . Click on the Academic Integrity Initiative Link.
• complete a research integrity module .
• complete a data management plan
• Confirmation

The Confirmation process is one of the principal ways in which the University determines that you are progressing well with your research and that your project is appropriate for a PhD. It is a key milestone; obtaining Confirmation can be a condition of continued funding for researchers in receipt of studentships.

At Confirmation, the Progression Board of Examiners will assess:

• your Confirmation report or other written work produced in support of your Confirmation application
• your performance in an oral examination which may involve a presentation
• your progress to date as described in a statement from your supervisor
• your skills training record

Confirmation normally happens 12 months after initial registration for full-time students or 18 months for part-time students. Students have a maximum of two attempts at Confirmation.

After obtaining Confirmation, you will continue to have regular supervision, skills training and development. You will also have a formal review of your progress every six months.

Once you have completed the minimum period of study required for your particular degree, and you have completed the specified amount of work, you may be able to apply for transfer to 'writing up' status. You need to submit your application in writing and your eligibility must be confirmed by your lead supervisor and Director of Studies. You will decide whether to have continued supervision and access to the Library at this stage.

• Finishing your doctorate

Here is a quick overview of the main milestones as you come to the end of your doctorate. If you are approaching this stage then you may find our complete Guide to Finishing Your Doctorate helpful.

Notice of intention to submit

This notifies to your Director of Studies and lead Supervisor that you intend to submit your thesis or portfolio. It must be done this at least two months before your intended submission. Once you have given notice of intention to submit, the internal and external examiners for your Viva Voce will be nominated.

Thesis submission

Depending on the nature of your research degree, you may be submitting a thesis or portfolio for the final examination. You will need to submit an electronic copy to Moodle. The Doctoral College will forward it on to the examiners - at least one internal and one external.

Your thesis or portfolio must be submitted in a particular format, for example, in some cases, you may be able to submit a thesis in traditional chapters or in an alternative format which integrates academic papers as a substitute for chapters. You should discuss the format at an early stage with your supervisor. You should allow plenty of time for the process and for any necessary corrections as your submission must take place before the registration date expires.

Examination

All doctoral students are required to undertake a final examination called the Viva Voce, or Viva. The main purpose of the Viva is to ensure that you are the author of the submitted thesis or portfolio. It is also an opportunity for you to discuss your ideas, show that you understand the relevance of your findings to the broader field of knowledge, defend any shortcomings and demonstrate your ability to communicate your research.

Your Viva will take place within three months of your thesis submission and you will be given at least one week’s notice of the exact date. If you need any reasonable adjustments to enable you to participate fully in the viva, it is your responsibility to notify the University at the earliest opportunity so that appropriate arrangements can be made. Members of your supervisory team are not normally present but will be there at the end of your Viva when you are verbally informed of the examiners' recommendation.

Examiners' report

After the Viva, the examiners complete a joint report recommending one of several outcomes. You will receive written notification of their recommendation, along with details of any additional work required and the deadline to complete it in, within two weeks. Once you have submitted any corrections or revisions to the satisfaction of the examiners, they will recommend a final outcome. If the award of a degree is recommended you will need to submit the final version of your thesis/portfolio before a Board of Studies meeting at which the outcome is finally approved.

Final submission of thesis / portfolio

You will need to submit the final version of your thesis in hardbound copy as well as uploading an electronic copy online. Your hardbound thesis/ portfolio will be deposited in the Library. The electronic copy will need to be made publicly available by being uploaded to the University’s research information system Pure

The University holds its award ceremonies twice a year, in winter and summer.

Please contact the Doctoral College to determine which ceremony you will be eligible to attend. This will be dependent on when your viva outcome is approved by the Board of Studies (Doctoral) and when you submit your hard-bound and electronic copies of your final thesis.

• More specific guidance to academic milestones can be found here:
• Starting your doctoral research degree
• Finishing Your Doctorate - a guide for students approaching the end of their studies
• Doctoral academic milestones during Covid-19

If you have any questions about your academic milestones please contact your Doctoral Programmes Administrator.

Doctoral Programmes Team

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Top 5 Research Timeline Samples with Templates and Examples

Ashima Monga

When it comes to doing a thesis, project report, or dissertation, you spend lots of time doing research through case studies. It, however, always works best if you planned everything in a given timeline. Thus, a research timeline template is beneficial for writing a research report or project presentation for sponsors or investors.

To address this pain point of business, SlideTech offers you invaluable help in building innovative research timeline templates that give you the outline to create perfect project reports, add or remove new tasks and milestones, and change the deliverable dates of your project with a few clicks. Our templates provide an overview of the project plan’s events, highlight important points in time, break down the project’s agenda and distill important information about your products or services, etc.

In this blog, we are introducing our top-notch research timeline templates that are perfect for telling stories and visualizing the processes of your project. 

Template 1: Projected Research Timeline Milestone PPT PowerPoint Presentation Ideas Backgrounds

If you need to learn how to make a research document and set schedule activities for each step, then use this fantastic research template that encompasses the content of a well-maintained research paper. Organize your activities and map meetings according to project milestones with this expert-curated template. For instance, use this template to mark out when your ‘reading and research starts and mark it as task 1, with the color-coded legend. Then task 2 could be topic presenting that starts, as soon as task 1 ends. Then, topic interpreting can be task 3 with the same start as the work on the topic started. This editable template lets you change font styles and color themes with a few clicks.

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Template 2: Projected Research Timeline Elements PPT Presentation Infographic Template Skills

When you introduce your new products and services to the customers, get this template where steps are needed to analyze, plan, design, implement, and evaluate a specific product. Adapt this PPT Template to give a comprehensive overview of your products to target audience that you value. This handy template design guides your project from inception to completion dividing your project research tasks into Elements, Tasks and Actions. 

Template 3: Projected Research Timeline Planning PowerPoint Presentation Icon Backgrounds

Manage your planning with this PPT Template design to complete your project research, enlist tasks or activities with its deadline. You can measure the activities you planned through it by going to the timetable you set and evaluating the work progress. Business owners can easily visualize data with customizable maps, widgets, graphs, and charts. The phases are also listed out in detail in this template.

Template 4: Dissertation Projected Research Timeline Analysis PPT PowerPoint Presentation Professional

Fashionably present your research project through this ready-made Presentation Template and keep track of project deadlines. This goal- oriented template breaks down your project’s events or tasks in chronological order, giving a high-level view of the project's planning and reflecting your business plan. Use color hues for each task that differentiate each task from others on the timeline, schedule prioritize tasks, and make information more visual.

Template 5: Dissertation Projected Research Timeline Research PPT PowerPoint Presentation Topics

Grab this research timeline to illustrate and represent roadmaps for your project and highlight the planning process’s goals and tasks over a specific period. Color-coding of this template makes your design more readable, differentiating tasks, defining specific daily, weekly, or monthly activities, etc. The project manager can visualize processes and their status quo and also create natural flow of information among team members. 

The Final Word

Running a business smoothly is a very tricky job and sometimes may be hard to manage. Our beautifully crafted research timeline templates provide the most solid foundation that builds something genuinely remarkable for your business that will captivate your audience, stakeholders, investors, etc. Our research timeline templates communicate the business’s core message clearly and emphasizes timely project delivery to your potential customers. You can always modify our templates to fit your business’s needs. 

FAQs on Research Timeline

What is a research timeline.

A research timeline is an essential part of any project proposal. It defines the chronological order of events of your project plan that includes aspects such as reading & research, analysis results, milestones, preliminary data results, literature review results, etc. It gives a broad overview of your project’s planned activities at a glance.

How do you write a research timeline?

Writing a research document for any project comes with levels of complexity. You must follow some guidelines while writing a research timeline to keep yourself on track. Write the research timeline of the project in stages and give enough time to complete every step of your work.

• Define research ideas, objectives, and resources and then prepare the research proposal.
• Develop a research design for it
• Capture relevant information to create a sampling plan
• Carry out data collection to write it up 
• Prepare data for analysis and draw conclusions or recommendations
• Write the final draft of the application.
• Again, review it and edit it if required and submit the final research proposal.

How long should a research timeline be?

A research timeline project can be eight weeks, six months, one year, two years, three years, or more, depending on the requirement of the project proposal. But it would help if you remembered to complete it timely while planning these periods.

How do you write a  PhD research timeline?

A PhD Research Timeline is a challenging process that spans across years. Sometimes, researchers can feel quite overwhelmed. Some tips for writing a perfect PhD research timeline are:

• Decide what elements like data collection, fieldwork, experiments, data analysis, writing plan, conferences, publications, coursework, etc., you must include in your PhD research timeline.
• Share or discuss your ideas and thoughts with your guide or PhD supervisor and get their views. Note the discussion points during the meeting and edit your provisional PhD research timeline, accordingly. 
• Think about the design of your PhD research timeline and prepare it across tasks and milestones.
• Track your tasks and update your PhD research timeline to prioritize tasks and set achievable and concrete goals when needed.

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15 Examples of Milestones in Project Management

The world of project management is full of success stories and significant breakthroughs every step of the way.

Each milestone can determine the beginning and end of a project, as well as some significant work advances in its duration.

Also, milestones will determine a specific point in the project that will significantly impact the medium and long term.

They keep your project and team on track and focused on achieving objectives. Ultimately, you can map the project’s development through this journey .

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On that note, this article will tackle the concept of project milestones, their importance, and their benefits.

You’ll get the opportunity to discover a selection of 15 examples of milestones in project management and some frequently asked questions.

What’s a milestone in project management?

Milestones stand as checkpoints on your project timeline . Through this manner, you can quickly pinpoint at which stage every project is and when you’ll be able to complete it.

A milestone in a project stands as a crucial management tool that you must use to define a specific turning point in the duration of your project.

It’s a form of schedule because, as a project manager, you can calculate efforts and timings toward the critical milestone.

Here are a few common examples of project management milestones:

• Launching the initial version of the software for internal testing and feedback.
• Conducting a review midway through the marketing campaign to assess progress and make necessary adjustments.
• Developing a structured onboarding process for new employees.
• Completing the research report, ready for submission and presentation.

The truth is that each task becomes part of various steps in each project, which means that the milestone’s job is to define the beginning and end of each step.

The project manager can now plan, schedule, and execute these steps.

TIP: Get to know the best project management tools and choose one to help you monitor project milestones.

What’s so essential and beneficial about project milestones?

In the context of project management , milestones equal development. But the truth is that it’s also essential to understand the importance and benefits that they have:

• Monitoring: Through the milestones, you’ll be able to monitor each task and plan strategically; 
• Increase performance: Milestones demonstrate some of the hardships you may face still, and with that, you’ll prioritize your effort along with your team to optimize everyone’s performance;
• Control over timings and deadlines: With a better understanding of the milestones, timings, and deadlines, optimize each task, assigning to each member;
• Improve team collaboration: Tasks are assigned to team members, and it’s crucial to maintain a clear line of communication. The goal is to stay effective in each task, focusing on productivity;
• Communication with stakeholders: Milestones are the perfect proof to present to each stakeholder. That way, they will be up to date with the project’s development.

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“Since we started using Timeular and tracking our time, we’ve never made another mistake in planning, creating accurate proposals or budgeting for clients” – AC Coppens, Founder of THE CATALYSTS

Learn how to create a project management communication plan to achieve your milestones.

15 Examples of milestones in project management

Following, we have 15 examples of milestones in project management that can fit within your project, regardless of the industry you work in.

Your job now is to plan and define which milestones from the list could apply to your case.

Any of the following examples will help you monitor project progress , as well as increase productivity:

1. Planning

When planning for your project, you must consider all the details, from milestones to meetings and deadlines.

Everything must be planned so the team can stay sharp and focus on the project goals .

To help you in this stage, a project management checklist will be beneficial.

Funding is vital to every project because otherwise, you don’t have the resources to carry it to the end.

With funding, you’ll get the resources you need for the tasks you require to be completed. It’s also essential that you grant funding to unexpected events to happen throughout the project.

3. Hiring individual position

For every project, there are designated positions for specifically skilled people.

As a project manager, it’s your job to find a better-qualified team and work tirelessly toward completing your project.

4. Training 

After recruiting the perfect team for your project, training them with related activities is essential.

You can train them in-house or look for a specialized outsourcing company.

Read our blog to find out how time management training helps increase employee productivity .

5. Vendor contracts

There are a lot of industries that need external vendors to feed the project. With that in mind, it’s a good idea to analyze the market and find the best vendor.

After the strategic search, you can secure some proposals for the chosen vendors and mark the milestone as the vendors contact you to collaborate.

Keep your projects’ time and budgets safe with the most accurate time tracking solution

6. completing critical tasks.

Milestones are advantageous for the critical tasks that need to be prioritized and completed by your team.

Some tasks present as more challenging, meaning they will take longer to complete.

Once those critical tasks are completed, you’ve reached a checkpoint/milestone designed to demonstrate its success.

Are you struggling with priorities? Get to know the best prioritization techniques to effectively manage your team’s workload.

7. Testing stages

Some planned projects need to go through a series of tests and evaluations before getting the green light.

The tests could be checking IT, electrical, and security systems. You can either draw a milestone for each test or only one for the series of conducted tests.

8. Defects fixing

Generally, after the tests, it’s only standard that some mistakes are detected.

In that case, milestones can be scheduled to repair those issues. It can happen due to the design, materials, or quality. 

9. Project approval 

After the stakeholders approve the project charter, it’s time for the project to begin.

Now that you have reunited all that you need to do, you will need to get your hands dirty and start working on the project you have planned.

If you need help in this stage, it might be a good idea to watch some of the best project management videos .

10. Important meetings and presentations

A kick-off meeting should always occur once the project is ready to start.

There, you should talk about the first steps and get to know and introduce the team. Throughout the project, many important meetings and presentations should evaluate the project’s status, what to do, and how everything is going.  

TIP : Read our article about how to lead a meeting .

11. Requirements review

This is a critical milestone to share with your stakeholders. You’ll need to bring the project plan and discuss the project’s needs along the journey. Once the stakeholder reviews and approves, you’ll finally get to work on the project.

12. Design approval

At this time, you and your team will need to draw the project design and present it to the stakeholders.

After some possible adjustments and the final approval, you’ve reached an important milestone.

13. Project phase milestones

This is called the development or testing phase. You and your team should be working together to implement all the approved elements. It usually takes a lot of time to get it right, but with the right team and tools, nothing is impossible.

14. Reaching KPIs

KPIs are K ey P erformance I ndicators. These are measurable qualities that help monitor the project’s performance.

For example, they can include costs, return on investment, resource utilization, and many more.

Through these indicators, as a project manager, you should be able to evaluate the project’s progress and what it needs to improve.

Read: Best project management tools

15. Final approval

This is the most exciting and nerve-wracking milestone of them all. Getting the final approval is not an easy task, especially when you’re running a project that has a lot of steps toward its success.

You have a finished product ready after testing and evaluation at this stage. Now it’s tricky; you need to present it to the stakeholders and await their feedback.

The fantastic news is that once you have their final approval, you have reached completion. You have officially grasped the final milestone.

Read: Time tracking for project management

How to organize a milestone list

The sample list describes how to organize them since you can have many milestones.

To keep track of their detailed indicators, it’s important to state those above to share with the stakeholders through a detailed report. In a nutshell, this sample provides an accessible document for everyone to understand perfectly. 

Read also: Project management reporting

How many milestones should a project have? 

There’s no specific number of milestones to have on a project. Instead of focusing on the number of milestones, you should set milestones for significant events that will take place in your project.

What’s the duration of a milestone project management?

They have zero duration because it’s considered a checkpoint or specific development throughout the project.

Nowadays, project management is talked about extensively because it evolved through the work of many companies to enhance productivity.

There are a lot of tools out there that help you to prioritize, monitor, and plan throughout every given project. 

Through these examples of project management milestones, you can conclude that this represents a crucial tool to develop events and tasks that are completed.

It’s also essential to stay on top of things and observe all the effort assigned to your project so that you can implement it most strategically.

You should also know that milestones are not classified as work activities but as significant events that make a mark throughout your project.

You might be interested in:

• The best project management books to read
• What is project risk management?
• What is time tracking and how project managers can benefit from it
• The best tools to manage remote teams
• Project management podcasts that you need to listen
• Estimating a timeline for a project

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10 Examples of Milestones in Project Management

Project managers often set milestones to help their team work at peak productivity. Project milestones help the team recognize and work toward specific goals. Used in every project phase, these milestones allow the group to understand what tasks will lead them in the right direction to achieve these standards.

These milestones don’t always have to be monumental goals that cause the team to agonize over whether or not they’ll be able to reach it in time. As a matter of fact, the less the dramatic the milestone the better. These basic goals will help the project to move along at a decent pace and prevent stress.

Numerous industries use project managers to achieve the highest level of success with each of their projects. Some of the most common that use project management services include:

• Engineering/Construction
• Financial Services

While each of these industries have highly unique business needs, they all tend to have similar milestones. Here are ten project milestone examples you will likely find in any industry you work in as a project manager.

Design Approval

Prior to starting the design process, clients will need to be aware of the proper expectations for the projected number of revisions and hours it will take. With a simple explanation of what is being done and why it is being done, they will feel more confident as each step is completed. Keeping stakeholders involved from the beginning will make it easier to get feedback throughout the process and reach the approval milestone much more quickly.

Obtaining Funding

Once the project design has been approved, it is time to determine the amount of funding needed. Funding requirements are typically identified in the cost baseline and are split up between the multiple phases of the project. The funding sources should be identified and milestones can be set to recognize when the team reaches specific funding goals.

Hiring Individual Positions

An important project milestone example is hiring individuals for key roles. Searching for and finding the right personnel for the project is an exciting step that leads into new phases of the project. Identifying the staffing needs, asking the right interview questions , and setting milestones for each of those openings will be a motivating way to track the hiring progress.

Vendor Contracts

Just about every project in any industry will require external vendors , prompting the need for extensive market research and analysis to find the best fits. Once the needs have been identified, proposal requests are sent out to multiple vendors listing the executive summary, requirements, and proof of concept. As responses are received and evaluated, milestones can be marked off for each vendor spot that is filled.

Communication Updates

A communication plan should be put together as one of the initial pieces of a project, keeping the stakeholders up-to-date throughout the process. Standards will need to be set for timeframes when the clients will be notified of the project timelines , budget updates, and upcoming needs. Setting milestones for these communications will open the way for feedback during the project and prevent unnecessary issues from occurring.

Reaching Key Performance Indicators

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are measurable goals that can assist in monitoring a project’s overall performance. As a common project milestone example, they can include things like actual project cost, return on investment (ROI), resource utilization, and more . Each of these metrics must be actionable and straightforward, with a way to measure its success.

Release of Product Samples

For the projects that involve the creation of a tangible product, prototypes or samples will need to be made in order to test it and obtain reviews from stakeholders and other clients. They’ll be able to identify flaws in the manufacturing or other problems that may not be immediately apparent. Determining a milestone for when a sample can be released will provide a goal to strive for once the design process has been finished.

Testing Phases

Similar to sample products, construction and engineering projects will need to go through testing and evaluation phases. This is the time when all of the systems are checked, such as the electrical, IT, and security. A single milestone can be set with multiple tasks for each test, or milestones can be chosen to separate the process for all of the individual systems.

Fixing Defects

As issues are found during the prototype and testing phases, new project milestones can be scheduled to make adjustments or repair any defects . Deficiencies may be identified in the design, materials, or the workmanship. Though patent defects can be found through reasonable inspection, there can also be latent defects, which may not be discovered until years after the project’s completion.

Project Completion/Approval

Probably the most obvious project milestone example on this list is the overall completion and approval from the stakeholders. After all of the communication updates have been sent, the testing phases have been completed, and the defects have been fixed, the final approval with mark the end of the project. At this time vendor contracts will be closed, a project completion report will be produced, and the project team will be released.

Use These Project Milestone Examples in Toggl Plan

Toggl Plan’s project management app makes it easy apply these project milestone examples to your own team goals. Putting their project planning and task management software to use will make it easier to track your team’s progress and manage timelines. 

Logan Derrick is a full-time business writer and content marketing strategist. For years, he has worked closely with several project management professionals, learning from them and increasing his own knowledge of the industry. Having held multiple management positions in fields ranging from customer service to marketing, Logan has found a passion for helping others learn about project management, marketing, and the powerful tools available to professionals today.

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Milestone identification, milestone evaluation, limitations, conclusions, acknowledgments, evidence-informed milestones for developmental surveillance tools.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST DISCLOSURES: Dr Squires is a developer of the Ages & Stages Questionnaires and receives royalties from Brookes Publishing, the company that publishes this tool; the other authors have indicated they have no conflicts of interest relevant to this article to disclose.

Contributed equally as co-senior authors.

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Jennifer M. Zubler , Lisa D. Wiggins , Michelle M. Macias , Toni M. Whitaker , Judith S. Shaw , Jane K. Squires , Julie A. Pajek , Rebecca B. Wolf , Karnesha S. Slaughter , Amber S. Broughton , Krysta L. Gerndt , Bethany J. Mlodoch , Paul H. Lipkin; Evidence-Informed Milestones for Developmental Surveillance Tools. Pediatrics March 2022; 149 (3): e2021052138. 10.1542/peds.2021-052138

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Video Abstract

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Learn the Signs. Act Early. program, funded the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to convene an expert working group to revise its developmental surveillance checklists. The goals of the group were to identify evidence-informed milestones to include in CDC checklists, clarify when most children can be expected to reach a milestone (to discourage a wait-and-see approach), and support clinical judgment regarding screening between recommended ages. Subject matter experts identified by the AAP established 11 criteria for CDC milestone checklists, including using milestones most children (≥75%) would be expected to achieve by specific health supervision visit ages and those that are easily observed in natural settings. A database of normative data for individual milestones, common screening and evaluation tools, and published clinical opinion was created to inform revisions. Application of the criteria established by the AAP working group and adding milestones for the 15- and 30-month health supervision visits resulted in a 26.4% reduction and 40.9% replacement of previous CDC milestones. One third of the retained milestones were transferred to different ages; 67.7% of those transferred were moved to older ages. Approximately 80% of the final milestones had normative data from ≥1 sources. Social-emotional and cognitive milestones had the least normative data. These criteria and revised checklists can be used to support developmental surveillance, clinical judgment regarding additional developmental screening, and research in developmental surveillance processes. Gaps in developmental data were identified particularly for social-emotional and cognitive milestones.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends developmental surveillance and screening to identify children with developmental delays or disabilities (DDs) early, help to ensure timely interventions, and improve outcomes. 1   Developmental surveillance is a longitudinal process that involves eliciting concerns, taking a developmental history based on milestone attainment, observing milestones and other behaviors, examining the child, and applying clinical judgment during health supervision visits (HSVs). Developmental screening involves the use of validated screening tools at specific ages or when surveillance reveals a concern. 1   Diagnostic evaluations are conducted, typically by developmental specialists, to further evaluate and diagnose DDs in children deemed at risk through surveillance and screening processes.

Developmental surveillance is family centered to promote conversations and trusting relationships wherein families can express concerns. 2   Surveillance involves clinical judgment about when a child may be at risk for delays and when additional developmental screening might be warranted. Milestone lists help to guide developmental surveillance, but those used for surveillance, unlike screening and evaluation tools, are not validated. Typically, lists of milestones are uncited, are based on clinical opinion, and/or report the average or median age a milestone should be achieved. Moreover, ages specified for individual milestones are inconsistent across sources. 3 , 4  

Lists that cite average or median ages at which children achieve milestones provide insight into typical development but do not provide clarity for parents, pediatricians, and other early childhood professionals (ECPs) about when to be concerned or when additional screening might be helpful. 4   For example, lists based on median (50th percentile) age milestones might encourage a wait-and-see 5   approach because half of children are not expected to achieve the milestone by that age. In CDC focus groups, parents of children with disabilities reported delays in identification because they were told to wait, that children develop differently, and that some take longer than others. Milestone lists need to support developmental surveillance and clinical judgment on when additional developmental screening could better assess risk for developmental delays.

In 2004, the CDC’s Learn the Signs. Act Early. program developed free developmental surveillance milestone checklists that included developmental warning signs for parents, pediatricians, and ECPs; messaging to “act early” by addressing concerns; and developmental tips/activities. These materials were developed to help parents to recognize typical development, elicit parents’ concerns about their child’s development, improve discussions between parents and professionals about a child’s development, and support universal developmental screening at recommended ages and additional screenings when there are concerns. The milestones were adapted from Caring for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5 (5th ed) to align with recommended HSVs. 6   Like most milestone lists, the original sources of the milestones were uncited, and adaptations were based mainly on clinical opinion, not on empirically informed evidence.

Based on 15 years of use, 3 areas for improving the checklists were identified by the CDC. First, criteria for checklists used for surveillance needed to be established to evaluate the existing CDC checklists. Second, milestones within checklists would represent milestones above the 50th percentile 3 , 4 , 7 , 8   to ensure that most children would achieve the milestone by a given age. Lastly, new checklists for the 15- and 30-month HSVs were needed to complete the series 2 months to 5 years of age to improve integration of developmental surveillance across early childhood HSVs. This article presents the results of these revisions.

The AAP Systems of Services for Children and Youth With Special Health Care Needs team identified and convened 8 subject matter experts (SMEs) in different fields of child development. The group included developmental-behavioral, neurodevelopmental, and general pediatricians; child and developmental psychologists; and a professor of special education and early intervention. All SMEs had graduate training and experience in research methodology and medical decision-making and clinical experience in developmental surveillance, screening, and evaluation. One SME was an editor of and 2 contributed to the AAP’s Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents (4th ed). 9   Two SMEs were lead authors of the AAP’s 2020 clinical report, “Promoting Optimal Development: Identifying Infants and Young Children With Developmental Disorders Through Developmental Surveillance and Screening” 1   ; another had long-time experience as a developer of screening tools.

The SMEs developed 11 criteria for CDC surveillance milestones and tools ( Table 1 ). SMEs nominated the criteria on the basis of their clinical experience and use of CDC surveillance materials. Nominations were discussed, and those that were unanimously agreed upon were included as criteria. Of note, the SMEs agreed that milestones should be easily observed in natural settings and ≥75% of children would be expected to achieve a milestone at a given age. The strategy (≥75%) was chosen to support clinical judgment regarding performing additional developmental screenings, with validated screening tools as a next step to assess a child’s risk for developmental delays. This strategy may also prevent a wait-and-see approach because most children of the same age would be expected to achieve the milestone. To reduce confusion about when to be concerned, developmental warning signs were eliminated because not achieving milestones that most children (≥75%) are expected to achieve similarly warrants more in-depth surveillance and consideration for developmental screening.

Criteria for Developmental Milestones and Surveillance Tools.

Criteria developed by SMEs.

Milestones listed separately within CDC materials with parent messaging to act early if child has not attained them.

Milestones for possible inclusion in CDC surveillance materials were identified by the SMEs. Existing CDC milestones were automatically included for evaluation and were the foundation for the revised checklists. Other milestones were identified by a literature review and commonly used developmental resources.

Literature Review

A broad literature search was conducted in March 2019 using MEDLINE, PsychInfo, and ERIC databases. Search terms were developed in collaboration with the CDC librarian after discussion of the objective of the literature review and comprised the following: (1) milestone, normative (data, table, range, value) or age (range, appropriate) AND (2) child development or infant development AND (3) percentile, psychometrics, predictive values, red flags, warning signs, assessment, monitor, delay, or reference (standard, values).

An article was included for evaluation if it was written in English, contained evidence that supported at least one normed individual developmental milestone or included published clinical opinion (ie, consensus milestones) that children exhibit the milestone by a specific age, and limited to children aged ≤5 years. Articles were excluded if evidence was limited to special populations (eg, preterm infants) or risk factors. Non–peer-reviewed articles, dissertations, and books were also excluded.

Articles were evaluated by the first 2 authors to determine if they met inclusion criteria. Articles chosen by both authors, either on initial review or after additional discussion and agreement between these 2 authors, had milestone data extracted for review by the SME group.

Developmental Resources

SMEs nominated several additional resources for evaluation, including parent resources, professional teaching resources, and commonly used screening and diagnostic evaluation tools ( Table 2 ). Inclusion criteria for these resources were availability in English and contained evidence that supported at least one individual developmental milestone or included published clinical opinion (ie, consensus milestones) that children exhibit the milestone by a specific age. All nominations were accepted for additional review.

Additional Developmental Resources Reviewed

Diagnostic evaluation tools were cross referenced when there was lack of agreement supporting a milestone or age of a milestone across other data sources. Not all milestones were cross referenced with diagnostic resources.

CDC Milestones

Existing CDC milestones served as a foundation for identifying milestones and were automatically evaluated.

The following data were extracted from existing CDC milestones, articles selected for review, and developmental resources: individual milestones, supporting references, and any normative data or published clinical opinion for the milestone. Milestones with conflicting data (eg, age at which most children should achieve the milestone) were flagged for additional discussion.

4A comprehensive database was created with information extracted from CDC milestones and resources for individual milestones from ages 2 months to 5 years, aligned with AAP HSV ages, and shared with the SME group. Original data sources, such as articles that met inclusion criteria and nominated developmental resources, were also shared with the SME group. SMEs collaborated through an in-person meeting, 6 virtual meetings, and e-mail reviews of decision summaries from January to September 2019.

During meetings, the SMEs discussed categorizing milestones into 4 developmental domains: (1) social emotional, (2) language/communication, (3) cognitive, and (4) motor. These domains were previously used in CDC materials and could help parents to learn about different areas of child development (eg, social-emotional skills in addition to language/communication skills). Because milestones often represent skills across several domains, they were placed in the domain in which the SME group believed that parents would most likely identify them. For example, reciprocal play skills involving other people were categorized as social-emotional, and other play skills were categorized as cognitive.

Milestones were reviewed for 2 to 3 ages at a time (eg, 2, 4, and 6 months) so that skill progression could be considered. Milestones were reviewed by the SME group on the basis of the criteria outlined in Table 1 . First, SMEs considered milestones with normative data that supported achievement by ≥75% of children at a particular age. Next, they considered milestones from screening and diagnostic tools. Finally, SMEs considered milestones that were based on published clinical opinion. Each of these data sources was cross referenced with the others to get a sense of the evidence base available to support inclusion of a milestone in revised CDC checklists.

If there was disagreement across sources or lack of evidence supporting a milestone for a specific age, additional research was conducted, and additional evidence was then evaluated by the SMEs according to the developed criteria. This included reviewing diagnostic evaluation tools ( Table 2 ) and/or conducting a separate PubMed search for a specific milestone or a related skill. For example, additional evidence was sought for age-specific development of gestures like lifting arms to be picked up, waving bye-bye, and blowing a kiss.

SMEs used the available evidence base and their clinical experience to determine if and at what age a milestone would be included in the revised checklists. Only milestones with unanimous agreement were included.

During the evaluation process, SMEs denoted milestones they included for surveillance but believed that additional research could improve age placement, quality, and/or quantity of supporting evidence or better capture the underlying developmental construct of the milestone. Finally, the SMEs simplified the milestones and added examples to try to improve understanding. The CDC team then reviewed milestones from a cultural and health communication perspective (eg, family friendly, fifth- to sixth-grade reading level), and SMEs reviewed those changes again to ensure that the milestone still represented the developmental construct being assessed.

With the use of back-translation methods, the milestones were translated into Spanish by CDC Multilingual Services and reviewed by 2 native Spanish-speaking pediatricians. Cognitive testing with a diverse sample of parents located in different regions of the United States provided feedback on relatability and clarity, which led the SMEs to make additional changes to wording. Results of cognitive testing will be published separately.

Of the 1027 articles generated from the literature review, 34 met inclusion criteria. Of those, 24 contained normative data, and 10 contained published clinical opinion for ≥1 milestones. Six additional articles were found through independent searches to evaluate individual milestones when SMEs determined that the milestone was appropriate but insufficient or conflicting evidence supported its use at a specific HSV age. Of the articles with normative data, 14 (58.3%) described populations within non–English-speaking countries.

Tables 3 to 6 list the milestones that SMEs included in CDC checklists after critical evaluation and unanimous decision. They are presented by domain with HSV age, references that support the inclusion of the milestone at that age, and whether the milestone was an existing or new CDC milestone. Supporting references are divided into normative data, developmental screening and evaluation tools, and published clinical opinions.

Social-Emotional Milestones With Supporting Normative Data, Evaluation Tools, and Published Clinical Opinion References

ASHA, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association; ASQ-3, Ages & Stages Questionnaires (3rd ed); ASQ-SE-2, Ages & Stages Questionnaires: Social-Emotional (2nd ed); Bayley III, Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (3rd ed); MCHAT-R, Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised; PEDS-DM, Parents’ Evaluation of Developmental Status With Developmental Milestones. —, Empty cells indicate that type/category of data was not available to support inclusion of that milestone.

Provides baseline distribution data for age of attainment of a milestone for a given population.

Some commonly used developmental screening and diagnostic evaluation tools (not all available tools are represented).

Uncited on the basis of clinical opinion and/or report of the average or median age that a milestone should be achieved.

SME agreement that additional research would be beneficial.

Language and Communication Milestones With Supporting Normative Data, Evaluation Tools, and Published Clinical Opinion References

ASHA, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association; ASQ-3, Ages & Stages Questionnaires (3rd ed); Bayley III, Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (3rd ed); PEDS-DM, Parents’ Evaluation of Developmental Status With Developmental Milestones. —, Empty cells indicate that type/category of data was not available to support inclusion of that milestone.

Uncited on the basis of clinical opinion and/or report the average or median age that a milestone should be achieved.

Dosman et al 8   contained both published clinical opinion and normative data.

Cognitive Milestones With Supporting Normative Data, Evaluation Tools, and Published Clinical Opinion References

ASHA, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association; ASQ-3, Ages & Stages Questionnaires (3rd ed); ASQ-SE, Ages & Stages Questionnaires: Social-Emotional; Bayley III, Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (3rd ed); Beery VMI, Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration; PEDS-DM, Parents’ Evaluation of Developmental Status With Developmental Milestones. —, Empty cells indicate that type/category of data was not available to support inclusion of that milestone.

Motor Milestones With Supporting Normative Data, Evaluation Tools, and Published Clinical Opinion References

ASQ-3, Ages & Stages Questionnaires (3rd ed); MSEL, Mullen Scales of Early Learning; PEDS-DM, Parents’ Evaluation of Developmental Status With Developmental Milestones. —, Empty cells indicate that type/category of data was not available to support inclusion of that milestone.

Uncited, based on clinical opinion, and/or report the average or median age that a milestone should be achieved.

Previously, CDC had 216 milestones across 10 checklists. With the addition of 15- and 30-month checklists and the evidence review process, 159 milestones were included across 12 checklists. This represented a reduction of 57 (26.4%) CDC milestones, with the average number of milestones per checklist decreasing from 22 to 13.

Of the final 159 milestones that met the evaluation criteria, 94 (59.1%) were based on CDC original milestones and 65 (40.9%) were added on the basis of the milestone identification and evaluation process. One third of the 94 retained CDC milestones were moved to a different age on the basis of the criterion that ≥75% of children would be expected to achieve the milestone by that age. When moved, 21 of those 31 milestones were transferred to an older age. More than half (56.5%) of the original 216 milestones were eliminated ( Supplemental Table 7 ) on the basis of SME criteria, including 25 that were duplicated across checklists at different ages. For example, Tries to use things the right way, like a phone, cup, or book” was on both the 12- and 18-month checklists; this milestone was placed only at 15 months on the basis of supporting evidence. Additionally, eliminating vague terms, such as may or begins, resulted in moving and changing milestones; for example, “Begins to pass things from one hand to another” was removed from the list of milestones at age 6 months and was included as “Moves things from one hand to her other hand” at age 9 months.

The 1-, 2-, and 3-year-old checklists had the greatest decrease in the number of milestones, with a ≥50% reduction. Approximately half of the aggregate loss for these ages was due to moving milestones to the new 15- and 30-month checklists. When combining all new and revised checklists for 1 to 3 years, the number of milestones was reduced by 25.7%, consistent with the 26.4% reduction of milestones across the other age ranges.

All 4 domains had a reduction in number of milestones. Cognitive milestones decreased by 34 (50.7%), social emotional decreased by 16 (27.5%), language decreased by 4 (9.1%), and motor decreased by 3 (6.4%). Social-emotional and cognitive domain milestones were the least likely to have normative data available. The social-emotional domain had 25 (59.5%) milestones with 0 to 1 normed references and 8 (19.0%) with ≥3 normed references. The cognitive domain had 19 (57.6%) milestones with 0 to 1 normed references and 8 (24.2%) with ≥3 references. In contrast, language and motor domains had 11 (27.5%) and 10 (22.7%) milestones with 0 to 1 normed references and 21 (52.5%) and 30 (68.1%) milestones, respectively, with ≥3 normed references.

Of the final 159 milestones, 127 (79.9%) were retained or added on the basis of normative data, whereas 32 (20.1%) milestones were included on the basis of screening and evaluation tools, published clinical opinion, and SME opinion. Of milestones with normative data, 32 had normative data from only 1 resource. The SMEs believed that 22 (13.8%) of the final milestones were candidates for additional research, as noted in Tables 3 – 6 ; this subset includes the milestone “Sings, dances, or acts for you,” the only milestone included or retained without supporting evidence on the basis of SME opinion.

Of the 77 developmental warning signs listed on the old CDC checklists, 59 (76.6%) had a corresponding milestone on the new checklists.

The CDC checklists support developmental surveillance and other important components of the early identification process by pediatricians and other ECPs, including developmental promotion, parent education and engagement, communication of developmental progress and concerns, and developmental screening. 1 , 5 , 9 , 72 – 75   However, variability across surveillance resources, including the CDC’s, can create confusion regarding what constitutes a concern and when developmental screening between recommended ages might be warranted. 3 , 4 , 38 , 76  

An expert working group convened by AAP sought to improve CDC surveillance tools by enhancing conversations among pediatricians, ECPs, and families regarding childhood development and guiding clinical judgment on when to conduct developmental screening between recommended ages. These tools are not intended to replace validated screening tools but instead to promote optimal child development and encourage professionals to act early through surveillance and screening as outlined in the AAP’s clinical report. 1   Results indicate substantial changes were made developing and applying criteria for surveillance milestones and tools, adding 15- and 30-month checklists, and incorporating evidence-informed milestones.

Clinicians have used attainment of developmental milestones for almost a century 77   to determine if a child is developing typically. Pediatricians have reported increasing use of milestone checklists from 53.0% in 2002 to 89.6% in 2016, in addition to their report of increased developmental screening. 78   However, these surveillance milestone checklists are likely based on published clinical opinion due to the lack of published normative milestone data and the lack of citations of original sources on checklists. The domain tables generated from this work linking developmental milestones to empirically informed evidence and published clinical opinion could improve training of professionals and methods for surveillance, 4 , 7 , 8   such as incorporation of the CDC’s open access milestones/checklists into electronic health records.

Milestone checklists used in surveillance are intended to prompt conversations, review developmental history and progress, and elicit concerns. The CDC checklists should not replace universal developmental screening, provide a risk categorization, or diagnose DDs. To determine if concerns about milestones should prompt a more in-depth developmental history, observation, and examination along with consideration for assessing actual risk by screening, the SMEs recommended that most children (≥75%) should be expected to achieve milestones by a given age.

SMEs believed that using 50th percentile milestones for surveillance would not support clinical decision-making for developmental screening because only half of children would be expected to achieve an individual milestone by a given age. Using milestones that 85% or 90% of children would be expected to achieve may limit opportunities for additional screening for too many children at risk for developmental delays. A ≥75% criterion was thus agreed upon to balance informed clinical decision-making regarding developmental screening and provide opportunities to identify children at risk for delays as soon as possible. Pediatricians are encouraged to follow AAP recommendations to screen a child, using validated screening tools, when surveillance reveals a concern or anytime a concern is raised, to identify and refine the risk for developmental delays. 1  

The criterion ( Table 1 ) for milestones representing those that most children (≥75%) would be expected to achieve eliminated the need for the CDC’s previous warning signs because most are now represented as milestones. Using this strategy, SMEs agreed that a child not meeting a milestone should be considered for screening similar to children demonstrating warning signs. Less than a quarter of warning signs could not be replaced with an evidence-informed milestone. Examples not represented as new milestones include subjective items such as “shows extreme behavior (unusually fearful, aggressive, shy or sad)” and items that may be better recognized during a physical examination, such as “stiff or tight muscles.” Additional features of the surveillance tools may identify those types of concerns. For example, the act early message was retained, and new open-ended questions were added to encourage parents to ask about other concerns.

Use of this same strategy is intended to discourage the wait-and-see approach and could prevent worry for children older than the average age of attainment of a milestone but not likely to be at risk for delays. 1 , 5   It could also eliminate the confusion families had with milestones and warning signs on the same checklist and repetition of milestones across checklists.

The application of additional criteria ( Table 1 ) to improve clarity in the revised milestones may help parents, pediatricians, and other ECPs to recognize when missing milestones might indicate the need for developmental screening. Although milestones typically span several developmental domains, SMEs believed that keeping domain labels could improve awareness of the less commonly known social-emotional and cognitive development milestones of young children. Showing progression of a skill, like walking, could demonstrate how earlier milestones lay the foundation for later ones. Adding the open-ended question, “Is there anything your child is doing or is not doing that concerns you?” may encourage parents to discuss the quality with which a child exhibits a milestone, milestones not listed within the sample, and atypical behaviors difficult to capture through a list. 42   Finally, including information on developmental promotion and acting early may empower families to support their child’s development and to ask about screening if they have concerns.

Surveillance of social-emotional and cognitive milestones supports early identification of children with intellectual and social-emotional disorders, including autism spectrum disorder. In our review, milestones included in the social-emotional domain had the fewest normed references per milestone, followed by the cognitive domain, language domain, and motor domain. When social-emotional milestones were available, they were often self-help rather than social engagement and emotional regulation skills. These results highlight the need for additional research on social-emotional milestones. For example, can social-emotional function be assessed using milestones during developmental surveillance at HSVs, and what factors influence the timing and development of social-emotional skills? Despite relatively more evidence in the language domain, SMEs believed that more research is needed in the intersection of the social-emotional and language domains to recognize and monitor the development of social language in young children.

There were limitations with the revision process. SMEs’ opinions determined which HSV was most appropriate for a milestone, given existing evidence and the goal that most children (≥75%) would be expected to achieve it by that age. For example, if there was evidence that 50% of children reach a milestone at 11 months and 90% reach it at 16 months, it was placed on the 15-month checklist. Eighty percent of the revised milestones had normative data to support their inclusion on a specific HSV age checklist. However, it was necessary to use data such as published clinical opinion to represent milestones in all domains across all ages. Regardless of supporting data type, all revised milestones had unanimous SME support for their inclusion in a surveillance tool. When normative data existed, limitations remained in the availability of milestones that met other criteria. For example, sometimes it was difficult to find naturally observable milestones compared with milestones demonstrated during standardized testing. Although the milestones are evidence-informed using international sources and cognitive testing with parents was done, there is no certainty that these new milestones will resonate with all families or that they are the most relevant milestones for developmental surveillance. These checklists and others have not been tested to see whether they indeed lead to appropriate developmental screening between recommended ages and improve early identification.

There are other gaps in developmental surveillance research. Best practices for conducting the recommended 6 components 1   of surveillance are not available. There are limitations in the use of milestones, even evidence-informed ones, as the sole component of developmental surveillance. Milestones/milestone checklists can support some components, such as taking a developmental history and eliciting concerns, but surveillance also involves observation, examination, education, communication, and clinical decision-making. Moreover, trusting relationships may develop through the longitudinal process of surveillance and improve parents’ confidence in sharing concerns and pediatricians’ confidence to assess concerns raised.

Early identification and intervention for the 1 in 6 children with DDs have been shown to improve outcomes. 79 – 83   However, less than a quarter of children with DDs receive early intervention services before age 3 years, 84 , 85   and most children with emotional, behavioral, and developmental conditions, other than autism spectrum disorder, do not receive services before age 5 years. 86   Developmental surveillance is an important part of early identification 1 , 87   and facilitates education, communication, and relationship building among parents, pediatricians, and ECPs. Research in early identification has focused primarily on developmental screening, not surveillance. Improvements in surveillance tools and processes could help to identify concerns and support clinical judgment regarding developmental screening to allow more timely referral to early intervention services and additional evaluation. The methods described herein led to substantial revisions of CDC resources to better support developmental surveillance. Best practices for surveillance and improvements in surveillance tools could be supported by additional research on individual normed milestones, particularly social-emotional and cognitive milestones; how parents, pediatricians, and ECPs learn and understand milestones; which milestones are most likely to lead to appropriate screening; whether the use of milestones that most children (≥75%) would be expected to achieve is appropriate for surveillance; whether categorizing milestones into developmental domains is helpful; and whether cultural differences exist in surveillance milestones and processes. 1 , 3 – 5   , 7   Nevertheless, based on review of milestone data and clinical experience, the SMEs agreed that most typically developing children would achieve the developmental constructs represented. To our knowledge, this attempt is the first to align empirically informed milestones on parent-completed surveillance tools with objectively defined criteria agreed upon by SMEs. The CDC milestones and checklists can be used in continued efforts to improve developmental surveillance.

We thank Mary Cogswell, RN, DrPH, for her review of earlier versions of the manuscript and pediatricians Natalia Benza, MD, and Jose O. Rodriquez, MD, MBA, for their review of the Spanish milestone translations.

FUNDING: This project is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the US Department of Health and Human Services as part of a financial assistance award totaling $100,000, with 100% funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/US Department of Health and Human Services.

Drs Zubler and Wiggins conceptualized and designed the study, collected data and performed the initial analyses, drafted the initial manuscript, and reviewed and revised the manuscript; Drs Lipkin, Macias, Whitaker, Squires, Pajek and Shaw critically reviewed and revised the manuscript for important intellectual content; Ms Wolf, Ms Slaughter, Ms Broughton, Ms Gerndt, and Ms Mlodoch planned and performed the research and reviewed and revised the manuscript; and all authors approved the final manuscript as submitted and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by American Academy of Pediatrics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/US Department of Health and Human Services, or the US government.

COMPANION PAPER: A companion to this article can be found online at www.pediatrics.org/cgi/doi/10.1542/peds.2021-054835 .

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