# Milestone-Based Control

## Definition

Milestone-Based Control is a governance model where deal progression is anchored to verifiable milestones rather than subjective stage labels. Each milestone represents a concrete, evidence-backed event that confirms the deal has genuinely advanced.

## Milestone Types

### Discovery Milestones

Confirm that the problem, stakeholders, and decision process have been identified and documented. Evidence includes meeting notes, stakeholder maps, and recorded problem statements.

### Validation Milestones

Confirm that the proposed solution has been evaluated against the buyer's requirements. Evidence includes technical assessments, proof-of-concept results, and stakeholder feedback.

### Commitment Milestones

Confirm that the buyer has made a concrete commitment to proceed. Evidence includes signed letters of intent, budget approvals, and procurement timelines.

### Delivery Milestones

Confirm that agreed deliverables have been completed. Evidence includes signed contracts, onboarding confirmations, and acceptance documentation.

## Control Mechanisms

### Milestone Gates

A milestone gate prevents a deal from being marked as progressed until the required evidence is attached. This eliminates phantom pipeline progression.

### Time Windows

Each milestone has an expected completion window. Exceeding this window without completion triggers a drift alert.

### Ownership Assignment

Every milestone has a named owner — the individual accountable for driving that milestone to completion.

### Evidence Requirements

Each milestone specifies the type and minimum quantity of evidence required for completion. Milestones without evidence remain open regardless of narrative claims.

## Comparison with Stage-Gate Models

| Aspect | Traditional Stage-Gate | Milestone-Based Control |
|--------|----------------------|----------------------|
| Granularity | Broad stages (e.g., "Negotiation") | Specific events (e.g., "Budget approval received") |
| Evidence | Optional | Required |
| Ownership | Deal-level | Milestone-level |
| Drift detection | Not built-in | Inherent via time windows |
| Reversibility | Stages rarely reversed | Milestones can be invalidated |

## Related Concepts

- [The Revenos Execution Framework](https://revenos.tech/knowledge/execution-framework)
- [Execution Evidence](https://revenos.tech/knowledge/execution-evidence)
- [Execution Drift](https://revenos.tech/knowledge/execution-drift)