MENTAL MODEL · M0033

Stage-Gate System

BusinessHigh supportManagement

Included

Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30

CORE DEFINITION

Proposed by Robert G. Cooper. It divides the new product development process into a series of predefined stages, with a gate between each stage. At each gate, managers decide whether to continue, kill, hold, or recycle the project based on predetermined criteria.

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

psychology

Reduce cognitive load

Use stage-specific evidence to decide whether to invest further, stop, pause, or recycle projects that do not meet criteria, and clarify resource ownership for the next stage. This supports managing commitments and risk without guaranteeing that risk decreases at every stage.

anchor

Anchor fast decisions

Cross-functional work within stages produces information; gates use it to assess business value, readiness, and resource commitments for the next stage. Stages can iterate, and gates are more than backward-looking status reviews or approval stamps. Reassess investment against new evidence.

MINIMUM ACTION

In progress 0/1

Practice this model in one real situation:

For a development project, specify the market, technical, and financial questions needed for the next stage, with evidence deliverables, reviewers, and criteria. At the gate, decide Go, Kill, Hold, or Recycle. For Go, commit budget, ownership, deliverables, and a next review date.

Check to track your progress (stored locally)

Learning progress0%

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Source support: Explicit

link
baike.baidu.comhttps://baike.baidu.com/item/%E9%97%A8%E5%BE%84%E7%AE%A1%E7%90%86%E7%B3%BB%E7%BB%9FZH · Explicit
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link
stage-gate.comhttps://www.stage-gate.com/blog/the-stage-gate-model-an-overview/EN
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