What are deliverables in project management?

Understanding deliverables

Deliverables, which refer to the specific outputs, products, or results that a project intends to produce and deliver to its stakeholders, are crucial to project management. These can be tangible, such as a building or a report, or intangible, such as a software application or a training program.

Deliverables are essential components of the project scope. Project managers use tools such as a Gantt chart or project management software to track deliverables, ensuring timely, high-quality completion.

Types of deliverables

The specific deliverables for a project depend on its scope, objectives, and requirements. Here are various types of project deliverables:

• Internal deliverables: These are created for use within the company, such as project plans, status reports, risk assessments, and other documentation needed to manage the project internally. They help the project team track progress and ensure the project stays on track.
• External deliverables: These are the final outputs or products delivered to the client, customer, or external stakeholders. They’re the main reason for undertaking the project. Examples include a new software application, a building, a marketing campaign, or a training program.
• Process deliverables: These are the interim outputs produced during project execution that contribute to the final deliverable. They mark progress toward the end goal. Examples include prototypes, testing reports, design specifications, and project milestones.
• Product deliverables: These are the final goods or services the project aims to produce. They directly satisfy the project objectives and requirements. Examples include a new product, a website, a policy document, or a business process.
• Tangible deliverables: These are quantifiable, tangible, or measurable physical outputs. Examples include hardware, equipment, facilities, products, and documentation.
• Intangible deliverables: These are non-physical outputs, such as software, services, capabilities, or expertise developed during the project. Examples include a new business process, a training program, or a marketing strategy.

Importance of deliverables in project management

Deliverables provide clear goals, facilitate project tracking, and ensure stakeholder satisfaction. Here are some other reasons why deliverables are important.

Serves as project milestones

Deliverables often act as milestones, marking significant points in the project timeline. These milestones help project managers and teams recognize the completion of critical phases and transition smoothly to the following stages. By breaking down the project into smaller, manageable parts, deliverables make it easier to monitor progress and maintain momentum throughout the project life cycle.

Helps track and measure progress

Deliverables provide tangible outputs you can track and measure against the project plan. This tracking allows project managers to assess whether the project is on schedule and within budget. Project management tools, including Gantt charts and project management software, can help visualize and monitor the status of deliverables, which aids in identifying and addressing any deviations.

Enhances stakeholder communication

Clear deliverables improve communication with stakeholders by setting explicit expectations for production. This transparency helps build trust and ensures that all parties stay aligned on the project’s goals and progress. Regular updates on deliverables inform and engage stakeholders, reducing the risk of misunderstandings and scope creep.

Ensures quality standards

Deliverables maintain quality standards throughout the project. By defining specific criteria for each deliverable, project managers can ensure that the outputs meet the required quality levels. This focus on quality helps prevent rework and ensures that the final product or service satisfies the stakeholders' needs and expectations.

Identifying deliverables

To identify deliverables based on the project scope and objectives, break the project into smaller, manageable tasks that align with the overall goals. Ensure each task produces a specific, measurable output that contributes to achieving the project’s objectives. Creating a flowchart can help visualize the relationships between tasks and deliverables.

Gathering requirements from stakeholders to define deliverables involves identifying and engaging all relevant stakeholders to understand their needs, expectations, and goals. Use interviews, workshops, and surveys to collect detailed information. Document, validate, and refine the data to ensure clarity and alignment with the project’s objectives. This helps form the basis for defining specific, measurable deliverables.

To use a work breakdown structure (WBS) to break down a project into manageable tasks and identify corresponding deliverables, follow these steps:

1. Define the project scope and objectives: Clearly outline the project's goals and objectives to guide the WBS process.
2. Identify major deliverables: Break the project into high-level outputs or results, such as a functional application or a marketing plan.
3. Deconstruct deliverables into work packages: Break down each major deliverable into smaller, manageable components called work packages.
4. Define tasks and subtasks: Identify the tasks and subtasks required to complete each work package to ensure detailed project planning and project execution.
5. Establish task relationships: Determine dependencies between tasks to sequence them and understand the workflow.
6. Assign resources and durations: Allocate necessary resources and estimate the time required for each task or work package.
7. Review and refine the WBS: Regularly review and refine the WBS to adapt to changing requirements and address challenges.
8. Visualize the WBS: Use visual tools such as tree diagrams or Gantt charts to represent the WBS and track progress.

How to manage deliverables

Managing deliverables effectively ensures that projects stay on track and meet stakeholder expectations. Here are key steps to managing deliverables.

Define clear criteria

Start by defining clear acceptance criteria for each deliverable. These criteria should be specific, measurable, and agreed upon by all stakeholders. This step ensures that everyone understands what constitutes a completed deliverable, reducing the risk of misunderstandings and scope creep.

Set realistic deadlines

Set achievable deadlines for each deliverable by considering the project’s scope, available resources, and potential risks. Involve your team in the deadline-setting process to ensure that the timelines are realistic and attainable. This collaborative approach helps identify any potential issues early on. It also allows for better planning and resource allocation.

Assign responsibilities

Assign responsibilities for each deliverable to specific team members. Ensure that everyone knows their role and key expectations. This step not only fosters accountability but also helps track progress and address any issues that may arise. Use a responsibility assignment matrix to determine who is responsible for what tasks.

Track progress

Regularly track the progress of deliverables using project management software. Monitor the status, quality, and any risks associated with each deliverable. Regular updates and reviews help identify issues early and allow for timely adjustments. Tools like dashboards and status reports can provide real-time insights into the project’s progress.

Jira offers robust features for tracking progress, such as time tracking, progress bars, and detailed reports. It provides real-time insights into the status of deliverables, which helps project managers make informed decisions and keep the project on track.

Common challenges with deliverables

Managing project deliverables can be challenging due to several factors:

• Scope creep: This occurs when the project’s scope expands beyond initial requirements due to changing stakeholder needs or poor change management.
• Resource constraints: Limited availability of skilled people, equipment, materials, or budget can hinder timely completion and quality.
• Quality issues: Unclear requirements, inadequate testing, and lack of quality assurance processes can lead to subpar deliverables.
• Stakeholder expectations: Misaligned or unrealistic expectations from stakeholders can result in dissatisfaction, even if the project meets its original objectives.

Here are crucial strategies to mitigate these challenges:

• Define the project scope, requirements, and deliverables from the outset, involving all stakeholders.
• Implement a robust change management process to control scope creep and manage stakeholder expectations.
• Conduct thorough resource planning and allocation, considering constraints and potential risks.
• Establish quality assurance and quality control processes, including testing and reviews.
• Maintain open and regular communication with stakeholders to align expectations and address concerns.

Identify and prioritize your deliverables with Confluence

Struggling to track and prioritize your project deliverables can lead to missed deadlines and stakeholder dissatisfaction. Without a clear system, it’s easy for important tasks to fall through the cracks, causing delays and confusion among your team. 

With Confluence, you can streamline the process of identifying and prioritizing deliverables:

• Create a project roadmap: Outline your major deliverables for different types of projects using a rich palette of interconnected tools such as whiteboards, databases, and videos within every Confluence page.
• Work collaboratively: Invite your peers to collaborate through real-time editing and inline comments. To enhance project collaboration, involve your team in defining clear criteria for each deliverable.
• Set realistic deadlines: Establish achievable timelines for each task.
• Assign responsibilities: Allocate tasks directly within the platform.
• Track real-time progress: Use Confluence’s integration with Jira to monitor your project timeline and objectives. Bring in Jira projects or sync with your favorite products without switching apps.

When you’re ready, easily share your project plans and progress with your company. Start using Confluence today to keep your projects on track, collaborate on plans, and meet your goals efficiently.