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Deliverables & Milestones

Deliverables define what work produces.
Milestones define when important points are reached.

Together, they help turn day-to-day tasks into clear, trackable outcomes.

What Is a Deliverable?​

A deliverable represents a tangible output of a project.

Examples:

  • A site plan set
  • A drainage report
  • A plat submittal
  • A feasibility study
  • A construction drawing package

Deliverables describe what will be delivered, not the individual steps required to create it.

How Deliverables Fit Into the System​

Deliverables sit between projects and tasks.

  • Projects define the overall effort
  • Deliverables define what is produced
  • Tasks define the actions taken

This structure keeps scope, effort, and progress clearly separated.

What Deliverables Belong To​

Every deliverable:

  • Belongs to one project
  • May contain:
    • Tasks
    • Milestones
    • Due dates
    • Assigned responsibility

Deliverables cannot exist without a project.

Deliverables vs. Tasks​

This distinction is important.

  • Deliverables answer: What are we producing?
  • Tasks answer: What needs to be done?

For example:

  • Deliverable: Final Engineering Plans
  • Tasks: Draft plans, internal review, revise, submit

Many tasks usually support a single deliverable.

Deliverables vs. Projects​

Projects organize work at a high level.
Deliverables break that work into measurable outputs.

A project may have:

  • One deliverable
  • Or many deliverables across different phases

What Is a Milestone?​

A milestone represents an important checkpoint, not a body of work.

Examples:

  • 30% submittal
  • Client review
  • Agency approval
  • Final delivery date

Milestones mark progress without implying duration.

How Milestones Work​

Milestones:

  • Belong to a deliverable
  • Represent a single point in time
  • Help track progress and expectations

They are useful for:

  • Planning
  • Communication
  • Reporting
  • Scheduling dependencies

Deliverable Status​

Deliverables typically move through stages such as:

  • Draft
  • In Review
  • Submitted
  • Approved
  • Delivered

Status reflects the state of the output, not individual tasks.

Tracking Progress​

Progress can be understood at multiple levels:

  • Tasks show day-to-day completion
  • Milestones show key checkpoints
  • Deliverables show overall readiness
  • Projects show total progress

This layered view prevents false progress signals.

Viewing Deliverables​

Deliverables may appear in:

  • Deliverables lists
  • Project views
  • Gantt or timeline views
  • Reports and summaries

All views reflect the same underlying deliverable data.

What Deliverables Do Not Do​

Deliverables are intentionally focused.

A deliverable:

  • ❌ Is not a task
  • ❌ Does not represent time spent
  • ❌ Is not a booking or schedule entry
  • ❌ Does not automatically assign work

They describe what must be delivered, not how or when every step happens.

Why Deliverables Matter​

Deliverables help teams:

  • Define scope clearly
  • Align expectations with clients
  • Track meaningful progress
  • Avoid “busy work” confusion
  • Communicate status accurately

They bridge the gap between planning and execution.

What’s Next​

Now that outputs are defined, the next section explains when work happens and who is assigned:

➡️ Scheduling & Dispatch

Scheduling and dispatch focus on time, resources, and execution in the real world.