Defining Milestones
A milestone marks the timespot on which results of a task are expected.
A milestone is a terminal element that marks completion of a work group or a phase.
If you selected "Milestone oriented" planning mode when creating the master plan, three milestones appear by default in the Gantt chart: milestones "As-Is" and "Distant Future", which define the master plan calendar, as well as a third milestone "To-Be", which you can modify.
The calendar is defined automatically. You can modify start and end times by modifying the corresponding milestones.
Milestones defining the master plan
In a master plan, a milestone marks a point in time by which certain actions must be completed and certain deliverables made available. A milestone can also indicate the start point for new tasks.
In addition to the elements described in the plan, it may be necessary to describe upstream elements, essential to successful initiation of a master plan. Similarly, we may wish to indicate the state of the system after implementation of a master plan. This master plan post-implementation information is of interest since it indicates not only work done, but also the result obtained.
To describe prerequisite elements and results obtained, a master plan includes specific milestones outside the master plan itself: "As-Is" and "Distant Future".
In the example below, the "Breakdown System v1.0" application starts at milestone "As-Is", which means it is earlier than the plan. At the end of this plan, a new application "Breakdown System v2.0" passes to production; this is connected to the "Distant Future" milestone, which means it is prolonged beyond the master plan.
These milestones are created automatically in the chart, but are not mandatory for master plan description.
Creating milestones
Milestone arrangement is from left to right.
To add a milestone in the Gantt chart:
1. Click the Milestone button at the top of the chart.
A dialog box opens.
2. Indicate the type of milestone to be created. In the case of a standard milestone, select the preceding milestone.
3. Click OK.
Milestones held by the master plan are displayed in the properties dialog box of the master plan in the Characteristics tab.
Milestone oriented planning
You can build a master plan without specifying dates. The milestones you create are placed automatically depending on specified constraints, in other words between the preceding milestone you have indicated and the milestone that follows. You can then move the milestone directly in the chart.
You can also fix a date on the milestone, under the Characteristics tab of the master plan.
