Projects have definite timepoints in which subparts of the projects get finished or people who are involved in the project to give an update to the project manager on the process. These are called as milestones which the generally the project manager sets for the team such that work gets done on time. Missing the milestones is a common issue which happens in almost all the sectors of the industry or even academics. What is important is that how to catch up with the missed milestone and subsequently update the rhythm of the work flow such that the deliverables are done properly. However one questions still needs to be solved which may occur in the mind of everybody is that if the project is a multi domain one then how will the missed milestone affect the other group and what should be responsibility of the project manager such that all goes smoothly?
There will always be occasions in which milestones may be missed, and this could occur for a variety of reasons. Milestones are essentially “checkpoints” to make sure that the project is moving forward well and that the entire team, or specific departments, are keeping up with what is expected of them. Missing a checkpoint does not mean that the project is set for failure, and it seems as if this is a common occurrence within industry. Ideally, missing milestones will only have a minor setback in the overall schedule of a project. If the project had great planning and slack already within the project schedule, minor delays from missing milestones can be accounted for. However, missing some milestones may cause more severe delays, and if this occurs on the critical path of the project schedule, the whole project could be delayed. In this case, it is important to have a meeting with all team members and brainstorm to see if any tasks could potentially be finished early, especially the tasks within the critical path. Therefore, missing a milestone could have varying levels of impact on the overall project, and this is dependent on the extent of the delay and what aspect of the project is being affected.
During a project, milestones were settled to achieve. However, due to certain circumstances, Unexpected delays disperse the team from meeting the deadline that results in missing a milestone. It is basic for the project manager to get it how do delays crawl up amid the project. As it were at that point they might anticipate them from happening or bargain with them when they accidentally occur. When the project missed a milestone, the project management should set an urgent meeting for the department heads to study the issue and understand the reasons, so a new plane with the necessary changes can be released. Also, during setting the replanning timelines or changing the project scope, unaffected tasks must remains in working progress to avoid further delays.
A milestone is a significant point or event in a project, also milestones have zero duration because they represent a specific point or event. It’s inevitable that not all milestones are going to be met on time every time due to a plethora of issues. In terms of environmental issues I think about natural disasters that have taken place like hurricane Katrina or even recently the snowstorm in Texas which disrupted businesses and efforts by project managers across many different landscapes from accomplishing tasks because of this inclement weather. I’m also reminded of the vaccine rollout by AstraZeneca who otherwise given the research has shown has been a successful vaccine but the rollout on the part of the project manager was not executed properly and may have affected the perception of the public. There are several ways to overcome these setbacks but ultimately involves putting on blinders, believing in yourself. Setting realistic goals is a plus. Planning for realistic pitfalls may become even more necessary. Conflict management may help stakeholders bring into alignment objective requirements and summary milestones and help reschedule specific milestones so those objectives can be met in a timely manor. This can be prevented by setting a project schedule that is acceptable with a planned start and planned finish for milestones and project activities based on the best available information.
Hi @llefevre,
I like how you pulled in natural disasters that is something that I had not completely taken into account however, you're completely right. And to piggy back on your take of the PM on AstraZeneca's vaccine, I'll add the most recent development of J&J where they are having to decrease the number of vaccines pushed out over the next one to two weeks by 86%. This is due to the operations plant that is based in Maryland not being fully up to code. This plant was supposed to take over and increase the amount of vaccine being pushed out from the current plant in the Netherlands. If the PM would have conducted more extensive test on the U.S. based plant, we may have seen a week or so delay however the public wouldn't be doubting J&J's ability to produced a vaccine free of contaminates when everyone is already on edge about the late addition to the vaccine family.
In terms of completing tasks to meet milestones, the monitoring and controlling process should be occurring throughout the same time. The reason for this is that comparisons with a baseline provides feedback on whether a project is continuing as desired or is falling behind on schedule. As a result, this information should be utilized to develop plans that can help a project stay on track and within the bounds specified in the project schedule. Correspondingly, if a milestone was missed then both the project manager and team members should collectively devise a contingency plan that can ensure the project is completed on schedule. One method to ensure such occurrences are mitigated or can be feasibly brought back on track is through the addition of slack in the duration time of tasks and milestones. The occurrence of a missed milestone is something that occurred during the completion of my capstone project as we were unable to complete our intended tasks prior to our first demonstration to our project advisor. This was due to a delay that occurred because we had damaged two sensors while attempting to solder and had to wait for replacements to be delivered. As a result, our team had to revise our project schedule so that we could take into account this delay and finish our project prior to our scheduled deadline.
Although all team members can help with coming up with new ideas or solving the problems which made a project missing milestone but I believe it's the project manager's responsibility to bring back the project on track after missing a milestone for example by getting the team together to investigate the problems and discuss the grant chart since it shows the task in the projects, task deadlines, and how different tasks relate to each other to meet the milestone.
Missing milestones can be a major problem to the project. It is should be considered very carefully to complete the assigned tasks or work in any project. Any kind of disturbances can cause a major drawback in the timeline of the project.The project manager should communicate with the team and resolve the problem when there is a missing task in the project. There should be continuous track and measuring progress of the work to make sure the work is performed correctly.
When working on a project missing a milestone is a possibility, due to technical issues, environmental causes, or human errors. what are some ways to overcome and get back on track after missing a milestone?
Missing milestones can potentially be a detrimental mistake. Not only does missing milestones open the potential for losing focus on the scope but as a project manager, you run the risk of having a team will low morale. I think the first step to missing a milestone should be acknowledging that it was missed but not dwelling too much on missing it, but mostly focus on how to either catch back up or set a new milestone. At the end of the day it is ideal that you hit all milestones and complete objectives but unforeseen things happen and project delays are common, but the most important thing is that the product is delivered as efficiently as possible. I think having a group meeting and creating a detour for your plan of action might help if you missed milestones to roadblocks or other challenges.
@niya-j Niya, I agree. Communication means all the difference during projects. Really anytime we are working with a group of people. Also, yes, the PM should put together a team of people to make sure the job gets done correctly while still being propelled toward the ultimate finish line. In the end, if the team allows these missed milestones to "get into their heads," they won't be able to finish the project sufficiently. It is up to the team leader(s) to help everyone stay calm and productive during times of set back.
You may have people assigned to the project who are lacking some critical skills. Meet with the individuals that are responsible for the slipping tasks. See where they stand on this:
- Do they need help, or is something else going on?
- Do they need different tools to complete their work?
- Do you need to bring in another vital person?
Once you start to miss milestones on a project, it is crucial to determine who is dropping the ball and where you need to restructure to get back on schedule?
When working on a project, the PM must make room in the project for small possible errors based off historical research and predictions. For instance, if a project needed to be completed in August in Miami, and PM must account for the possibility that their may be a chance of a bad weather, that can slow down on halt the project. However, if something cannot be planned for due to an anomaly, I think the PM should always have a backup in place just in case there is a mishap somewhere in the process.
Another way to overcome the milestone, is to have a good communication process with all stakeholders. I think being honest is the best way to ensure loyalty. If you cannot complete the project due to unforeseen measures, then honest communication is the key.
