TL;DR
In the previous post, we learned how to make project estimates easier. In this post, you will find out how not to make a standard milestone error, making milestones about functional activities and not about deliverables. The post is based on a remarkable book written by Johanna Rothman, Manage It!
Milestones Are Deliverables
Successful project management is about deliverables. To know did we met a milestone, we must be able to have something “in our hands.” In software development, that is working application.
An example of a functional activity milestone is defined as application requirements. Deliverable is a document, not a working application. The problem here is that we do not about requirements hidden obstacles that you could find with actual implementation. The better direction could be to set three end to end features, and after project planning, your site milestone date when those three features could be used on the working prototype.
Wednesday In Better Than Friday
Set milestone weekday to Wednesday, not Friday. The main reason is that your team will have two working day buffer to finish what has not been delivered on Wednesday milestone. Two days to brush off your application for a demo day.
On Friday, your two buffer days are weekend, and to brush off your application for a demo, your team needs to work during the weekend, which is not a fun activity.
