milestone schedule
A schedule format that lists key milestones and their target dates.
Key Points
- Shows only major project milestones with planned dates, not detailed tasks or durations.
- Used for high-level communication with sponsors and stakeholders to set expectations.
- Provides a simple baseline to compare planned versus actual milestone completion.
- Often displayed as a timeline or table and complements a detailed project schedule.
Example
A product launch plan includes a milestone schedule listing: "Design complete - Mar 10," "Regulatory approval - Apr 25," "Go-live - Jun 30." The team reports progress against these dates in steering committee meetings.
PMP Example Question
Which artifact best communicates only major project checkpoints with their target dates, without task-level details?
- Milestone schedule
- Work breakdown structure
- Project network diagram
- Iteration burndown chart
Correct Answer: A — milestone schedule
Explanation: A milestone schedule presents milestones with planned dates and omits task durations and dependencies.
