8. Identify the Goal Deliverable, its Components and the Outcome

Executive Summary

Deliverables are the tangible or intangible outputs produced through processes. They are fundamental to achieving the goal of any work execution unit, whether it is a program, project, phase, release, or work package. Within this hierarchical structure, deliverables are classified into three primary types: the goal deliverable, which satisfies the goal of the corresponding work execution unit; Intermediate Deliverables, which enable the creation of other deliverables; and Internal Management Deliverables, which are used for planning and control.

The classification of any given output is entirely dependent on perspective. The goal deliverable for a subordinate level (such as a work package) serves as an Intermediate Deliverable for the superordinate level it supports (such as a release or phase). The goal deliverable is rarely a single item; it is a composite of major components that together fulfill the work execution unit’s goal. These components are typically produced as Intermediate Deliverables throughout the execution progression. Detailed definition of these components and Intermediate Deliverables occurs during planning activities, while initialization activities focus on defining the high-level goal deliverable.

Distinct from the deliverable itself is the outcome: the immediate, measurable change resulting from the goal deliverable being put into use. This direct effect is the precursor to long-term benefits, which represent the ultimate value generated. This framework provides a consistent vocabulary and logic for defining, classifying, and managing outputs across all levels of execution from a high-level program to a discrete work package.

Note: In this framework, the term initiative refers to programs and projects. The term work execution unit refers collectively to programs, projects, phases, releases, and work packages, all of which are considered temporary organizations.

Defining Deliverables

A deliverable is formally defined as “anything that is produced or provided as a result of a process.” The creation, handover, and formal acceptance or sign-off of deliverables, particularly the goal deliverable upon completion, are central to accomplishing the goal (goal deliverable) and objectives (Intermediate Deliverables) of a work execution unit at any scale.

The characteristics of deliverables are universally applicable across programs, projects, phases, releases, and work packages.

Characteristic	Description
Tangibility	Deliverables can be tangible items (a product, a contract, test results, a prototype) or intangible results (an application, a new service capability, an organizational cultural change, a reduction in process errors).
Scale	The size and complexity of a deliverable can range from a large, complex system produced by a program to a small, discrete item produced by a work package.
Dependency	The production of one deliverable frequently depends on the completion and handover of others, especially within a hierarchical structure of work.

Classification of Deliverables

Outputs can be categorized based on their function and contribution to the goals of a program, project, phase, release, or work package. The classification is relative to the specific level being examined.

Goal Deliverable

The goal deliverable is the ultimate output that directly satisfies the main goal of a specific work execution unit. It is the end result that is handed over and formally signed off when that level of work is accomplished.

Function: Fulfills the primary purpose defined for the program, project, phase, release, or work package.
Hierarchical Application:

Work Package: The goal deliverable might be a single engineered component or a completed technical design.
Release: The goal deliverable could be an integrated and tested set of new features.
Phase: The goal deliverable might be a completed architectural design or a constructed building foundation.
Project: The goal deliverable for a housing project is the completed house. For an IT project aiming to “increase the transparency of transactions,” it is the fully operational system with all associated processes and user capabilities.
Program: The goal deliverable could be a new enterprise-wide capability, such as a transformed supply chain, which is achieved through the integration of multiple project-level goal deliverables.

Intermediate Deliverables

Intermediate Deliverables are the outputs required to satisfy objectives that lead to the main goal or are necessary prerequisites for creating other deliverables within a work execution unit.

Function: Serve as essential enablers for subsequent work or fulfill secondary objectives.
Hierarchical Application: The concept of an Intermediate Deliverable is key to understanding the relationship between work execution unit levels. The goal deliverable of a lower-level work execution unit is almost always an Intermediate Deliverable for the higher-level work execution unit it supports.

An architectural design, which is the goal deliverable of an architect’s work package or phase, is an Intermediate Deliverable for the overall project to build a house.
An integrated IT system, the goal deliverable of an IT project, may be an Intermediate Deliverable for a business transformation program.

Components of the Goal Deliverable

From the perspective of any single level (program, project, etc.), its goal deliverable is typically composed of several major parts. These parts are referred to in the work execution unit’s initializing reference or similar authorizing document as the components of the goal deliverable. In practice, these components often correspond directly to the Intermediate Deliverables produced during execution.

This creates two coexisting perspectives that are valid at every level of the hierarchy:

Product Perspective: The components answer the question: What does the goal deliverable consist of?
Delivery and Execution Perspective: The Intermediate Deliverables answer the question: What must be produced, in what sequence, to create the goal deliverable?

For example, a project’s goal deliverable (a fully operational system) is composed of components such as workflow designs, integrated applications, and trained operators. Each of these components is produced as an Intermediate Deliverable at a specific point in time. These Intermediate Deliverables may themselves be the goal deliverables of subordinate phases or releases.

During the initialization of a work execution unit, it is sufficient to describe the goal deliverable and its major components at a high level. This act establishes the high-level boundaries of what will be delivered and what will not, known as inclusions and exclusions. Detailed decomposition into specific Intermediate Deliverables occurs during subsequent planning stages.

Internal Management Deliverables

These are outputs created specifically to plan, execute, and control a work execution unit. While their audience is typically internal to the delivery team, they are essential for governance at all levels.

Function: Facilitate management, coordination, and control.
Hierarchical Application: The type of management deliverable corresponds to the level of the work execution unit.

Program: program initializing reference, program planning reference, program charter, program management plan, benefits realization plan.
Project: project initializing reference, project planning reference, project charter, project management plan and its subsidiary plans, status reports.
Work Package: work package initializing reference, work package planning reference, Work package authorization documents, detailed task lists.

The Critical Role of Perspective

The classification of a deliverable is not absolute; it depends entirely on the viewpoint and hierarchical level of the stakeholder. An output that is the final product for one team is a preliminary input for another. This principle governs the relationship between all levels of a work execution unit.

Consider the hierarchical structure of a program:

For a Work Package Team: A tested software module is the goal deliverable.
For a Project Manager: That same software module is an Intermediate Deliverable, an input required to produce the fully operational system, which is the project’s goal deliverable.
For a Program Manager: The fully operational system (the project’s goal deliverable) is an intermediate deliverable contributing to a broader organizational capability, which is the program’s goal deliverable.

From each higher level, the work of the subordinate level can be viewed as a sub-project or a constituent package of work.

Timing and Dependencies in Deliverable Identification

The stage at which deliverables are defined is a critical aspect of the progression of work at every level.

Phased Identification

Defining all specific objectives and their associated Intermediate Deliverables at initialization stage of a program or project is often premature. The detailed identification, decomposition, and specification of these items typically occur later, during planning and detailed work definition stages for that work execution unit or its subordinate parts. This allows detailed requirements to inform a more accurate and complete list of necessary outputs.

The Impact of Preparatory Work

An exception occurs when significant preparatory work precedes a work execution unit. If a selection process involved a deep analysis, that work may constitute a separate work execution unit (such as a pre-project or a spike). The goal deliverable of that first work execution unit (e.g., the studied and selected option) provides a clear and detailed basis for the subsequent implementation work execution unit. This allows the work execution unit to be initiated with a well-defined purpose, goal, and a clear set of specific objectives and linked Intermediate Deliverables.

Distinctions: Goals, Outcomes, and Benefits

To maintain conceptual clarity, it is essential to distinguish between the intent of a work execution unit (its goal), the immediate effects of its output (the outcome), and the long-term value created (the benefits). This logic applies across the entire hierarchy, with the definition and scale of each concept varying by level.

Concept	Definition and Application
Goal	A goal expresses what a work execution unit intends to achieve at its specific level. It is defined during initialization and describes the desired future state the work execution unit is meant to enable. It provides direction but does not describe how success will materialize in practice.
Outcome	An outcome is the immediate, observable, and measurable change that occurs when the goal deliverable is implemented and put into use. It is the direct effect of the deliverable’s application. An outcome only exists once the deliverable is used, not merely when it is handed over. For example, the outcome of an IT system is that staff can see real-time transaction status.
Benefits	Benefits represent the long-term value gained from outcomes. They materialize over time, often after the formal end of a project or other work execution unit. Benefits can be financial gains, strategic advantages, or improved efficiency. Their realization is often influenced by factors beyond the direct control of a single work execution unit, given its temporary character, and is most appropriately measured at the level of the upstream work execution unit.

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