What are deliverables?

What is a deliverable?

A deliverable is a specific outcome that is produced as a result of a team’s efforts in completing a project. Handing over it to stakeholders signals the end of a project. A deliverable is a part of the project’s scope because it helps achieve its goals. These can be anything—from the project’s main goal, particular product features, or even a crucial document aiding in the achievement of project goals. As they help in setting clear expectations, it is important to define the deliverables of a project early on in the project planning. 

What are project deliverables? 

These can be broadly categorized into two types:

• Internal: They are prepared for the internal stakeholders within the organization. Examples include:

  • Project plans 

  • Progress reports 

  • Technical documentation 

• External: These are provided to the external stakeholders (customers, clients, etc). They are often the final product ready for launch. Other examples include:

  • Team training materials such as guides, manuals, and sessions

  • Support and maintenance guides   

Deliverables: why are they important?

Deliverables are important for several reasons:

• Project direction

• Quality assurance 

• Risk management

• Stakeholder communication

Project direction 

Think of them as a beacon of guidance for a project. They direct the project’s focus on the objectives that need to be achieved for a project to be deemed complete. By setting clear goals from the start, the team knows exactly where they are headed and makes sure that the project adheres to the predefined scope. This helps retain developer productivity.  

Quality assurance 

Deliverables are key in making sure the final product is top-notch. As they act as metrics against which the actual results are measured, establishing clear and achievable goals become quality benchmarks. If these are of expected quality, the project processes are effective.      

Risk management

With well-defined deliverables, project managers can anticipate potential roadblocks which will help them mitigate the potential threat to projects.. Consequently, they will take a proactive approach and devise strategies. In this manner, projects remain on track even in the face of uncertainties and challenges.

Stakeholder communication

By consistently sharing updates on project deliverables with stakeholders, project managers maintain an open communication channel and show real progress on projects. This helps in curating a relationship of trust and transparency between the team and stakeholders. 

Common challenges with achieving deliverables

• Limited resources: Limited resources, whether in the form of budget, time, or technical support, can hinder the project process. The situation calls for strategic planning to ensure project objectives are met without compromising quality. Project managers should adopt an agile mindset. They need to prioritize the more important tasks, streamline processes, and use resources wisely so project progress is not haltered.   

• Misalignment with objectives: Initially, most projects tend to align well with the organizational objectives. However, sometimes projects can steer in a different direction, other times, business goals evolve with time, and so discrepancies arise.

• Quality issues: In complex technical projects, maintaining quality standards can be quite challenging. Poor product quality could potentially impact the budget, project timelines, and customer satisfaction. Project managers must define quality expectations early on, implement a quality assurance process, and ensure continuous monitoring so that the final product can meet quality standards.     

Deliverables vs. objectives vs. milestones

These three terms are commonly used in relation to project management. Each signifies a different aspect of project progression and accountability. 

Let’s explore them in depth.

Deliverables: These are specific outcomes produced in order to achieve organizational objectives.  

Objectives: These outline the expected benefits, outcomes, and performance improvements that are expected from a project.

Milestones: These are points marking a phase in the project timeline. No outcome is expected. 

Final Words 

Deliverables are more than the end products of a project. They act as tools that help lead the project, assure quality, and manage potential challenges. They also guide the teams to successfully finish the project in a way that meets stakeholders’ expectations. Hence, project managers need to clearly define and regularly check on them.