How Project Milestones Feed My Future Addiction
Hi, my name is Melissa, and I’m addicted to the future.
While I appreciate the gift of “the present,” my heart lives in the future. My motto: Who needs real-time, when you can have future time?
Rather than fight against my futurist ways — I decided to embrace it, and in doing so, I found that it aligns well with the projects I support or lead. There are even project management methodologies that help feed my addiction to what lies ahead.
Case in point, let’s say I’m working with a team to embark on a new initiative to raise funds for a new building. Not only can I see the vision of the completed facility, but I can also see it fully operational in all its glory.
That vision creates a burst of excitement, and I immediately start asking one of the most critical questions, “When do we need to have this project completed?”
You’d be surprised how many times I’ve heard wild responses like, “Well, we kinda need it now” or even worse, “We don’t really have a deadline.” After almost fainting (slight exaggeration), I will firmly press the issue and encourage the powers that be to set a target completion date.
[Melissa’s Soap Box] Deadlines create urgency. Without urgency, team members fall into a dreadful abyss of lack of progress — nothing gets done in a timely fashion, resources aren’t appropriately allocated, project sponsors become frustrated and consider pulling funding, and so on. You get the point; no deadline = bad news bears. Bottom line: I strongly encourage creating a realistic timeline based on the project and organization’s needs, resources, and vision.
Getting back on track — after gently bullying my way to an estimated target completion timeframe, I help outline the general dates and milestones necessary to get the project done. Here’s me: “Ok, so if the building needs to be operational in four years, we will need to raise sufficient funds in the next 12–18 months.”
Here’s a chart to illustrate my point:
I’m referring to “Defining the Project Milestones” within the Project Charter in the project management world. This process reinforces Steven Covey’s famous words to “begin with the end in mind.” Here, even before the project gets off the ground, the key stakeholders (funders, executives, and team leads) agree upon the estimated completion timeframe and the significant milestones that need to occur along the way.
In my experience as a consultant, manager, and on-the-ground development professional — I have found that deadlines and milestones are the driving force of any initiative. They create a sense of “now” versus “later.” Timelines help make things real for those involved and fight against the lackadaisical attitude that accompanies a far-off/distant goal.
While I am known to become a little rigid with target dates, I am always mindful that milestones may need to change as the team develops the project plan and considers several factors such as risk, schedules, and resources.
To that end, and not to negate this whole article, it is essential to note that I appreciate the current efforts necessary to reach a goal. Whether that goal is planning for a birthday party or raising funds to support new equipment on a college campus — it’s the steps along the way that count.
I cannot stress enough — if you are embarking on a new project personally or professionally, I recommend completing the Project Charter and having it approved right from the start. This template covers the Five Ws, including the when, my all-time favorite W, of course.
If you have questions about using Project Milestones and the Project Charter template as you embark upon your initiative, please feel free to connect with me and/or leave a comment.
