A Stage-Gate Process is a conceptual and operational roadmap for moving a new-product project from idea to launch. Stage-Gate divides the effort into distinct stages separated by management decision gates. Cross-functional teams must successfully complete a prescribed set of related cross-functional tasks in each stage prior to obtaining management approval to proceed to the next stage of product development.

Each of the defined stages is evaluated as input criteria for planning and approval to proceed to the next stage. Each stage culminates in a “decision gate” of measurable exit criteria which is used to evaluate technical accomplishment and technology readiness/maturity (TRL).

The structure of each stage is similar

• Activities: The work the project leader and the team must undertake based upon their project plan.
• Integrated analysis: The project leader and team’s integrated analysis of the results of all of the functional activities, derived through cross-functional interaction.
• Deliverables: The presentation of the results of the integrated analysis, which must be completed by the team for submission to the gate.

The structure of each gate is similar

• Deliverables: Inputs into the gate review - what the project leader and team deliver to the meeting. These are defined in advance and are the results of actions from the preceding stage. A standard menu of deliverables is specified for each gate.
• Criteria: What the project is judged against in order to make the go/kill and prioritization decisions. These criteria are usually organized into a scorecard and include both financial and qualitative criteria.
• Outputs: Results of the gate review. Gates must have clearly articulated outputs including: a decision (go/kill/hold/recycle) and a path forward (approved project plan, date and deliverables for the next gate agreed upon).

• We need to consider that while the scope of Decision Point covers TRL 1-6, most DoD S&T projects begin in Applied Research which occurs at or before TRL 3.
• In most S&T enterprises, the earliest a technology starts is somewhere beyond TRL 2 and those are often as not a technical concept introduced from:
• Industry
• Academia
• USG Basic Research Shops (e.g., DARPA)
• Generally speaking, these are conceptual technologies that have already been proven in one sense, but not necessarily validated by addressing a specific (DoD) problem set.
• The application of a proven technical concept and development of a working prototype is what is confirmed in Applied Research.
• Later, Advanced Technology Development applies specific User requirements to the engineer the working prototype into an operational demonstrator that can be transitioned to a Program Management customer.