When to use it
A useful fit
Use it to align teams on handoffs, approvals and readiness conditions.
Know the limits
Do not use a milestone list to infer feasibility without checking the underlying dependencies and resources.
How to use it
- Describe each milestone as a completed state with evidence.
- Identify its owner, predecessors and acceptance authority.
- Track the forecast against the commitment and escalate consequences early.
Worked example
A service launch depends on accepted migration results and a staffed support rota. The plan names those states separately, so a finished software build cannot be mistaken for overall readiness.
Illustrative scenario by fannarmaximus; not an official exam question.
Common pitfalls
A date called “testing” leaves it unclear whether testing starts, finishes or passes.
Attribution & sources
Common planning practice; example by fannarmaximus.
The citations below identify authoritative references for this topic. They do not imply endorsement or reproduce the bodies’ competence lists.
- IPMA® (2015). Individual Competence Baseline for Project, Programme and Portfolio Management, Version 4.0 (ICB4). Zurich: International Project Management Association. ISBN 978-94-92338-00-6 (print), 978-94-92338-01-3 (pdf). Free PDF from IPMA®: https://ipma.world/ipma-standards-development-programme/icb4/
- Association for Project Management (2025). APM Body of Knowledge, 8th edition. Princes Risborough: APM. ISBN 9781913305390.