A designated point in a process, project, or journey where progress is reviewed, verified, or where specific criteria must be met before continuing.
Originally a military term from the early 20th century referring to control points where personnel or vehicles were inspected. The term expanded into project management and computing by the 1960s-70s, where it describes points of verification or data saving.
In video games, checkpoints revolutionized gameplay by allowing players to restart from specific points rather than the beginning, making difficult games more accessible. This gaming concept has influenced how we think about progress in real life - we now expect 'save points' in our personal and professional journeys.
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