Decision gates are a series of points in the life cycle of a project that require a decision to either proceed to the next phase of the project, modify the scope, schedule or budget of the project or end the project all together. They are also known as stage gates, phase gate or simply gates. If you’re familiar with the Waterfall methodology, stage gate is similar in that it’s also a linear process where one stage flows onto the next.
The basic premise behind the process is that a project is broken up into various phases. The gate is a review and key decision-making part of the project. It’s especially useful for large projects with multiple departments and stakeholders involved. The gate is an opportunity for key stakeholders to review project progress, make decisions about the viability of the project and ultimately, decide whether or not to proceed to the next stage.
