On campus? Ask Stu instead. Stu already knows our methodology, so you can skip the setup and just describe your situation. Available to UC Berkeley staff, faculty, and students.
When to use it
Once your objectives are set and before you build a detailed schedule. Milestones are decision points and proof points, not a task list. Each one should mark a moment where something is provably done and a real choice gets made about what happens next.
This prompt builds the skeleton your detailed plan hangs on. Get the milestones right and the tasks organize themselves around them. Skip them and you end up with a long list of activity and no way to tell whether the project is actually on track.
Make it better
Your first result is a draft, not an answer. Two follow-ups worth asking:
"What would a realistic version of this plan look like if it took 25 percent longer?" You'll learn where the real risk lives.
"Which of these milestones depend on people or approvals outside my team?" Those are the ones you can't control, so they need the most attention.
Additional guidance
If the first results aren't quite right, add more detail, break the request into smaller steps, or have the tool interview you first. Try: "Ask me questions, one at a time, to gather anything you need before you start."
AI output is a starting point, not a finished product. Always review it against your own context, campus policies, and judgment before you use or share it.
Put it to work
Your milestones anchor the project plan and timeline in your Project Charter. Get the template on the Initiate Project with Sponsor activity page.
