Stage Gate
A go/no-go checkpoint that an initiative must pass before advancing to the next phase.
Definition
A stage gate is a structured review (typically with explicit entry/exit criteria) that an initiative must pass to progress, e.g., from discovery to delivery, or from beta to GA. Product Ops often owns the stage-gate definitions and facilitates the reviews. A good stage gate is fast (under 30 minutes) and produces a clear decision; a bad one turns into a bottleneck and gets bypassed.
Related concepts
Frequently Asked Questions
A stage gate is a structured review (typically with explicit entry/exit criteria) that an initiative must pass to progress, e.g., from discovery to delivery, or from beta to GA. Product Ops often owns the stage-gate definitions and facilitates the reviews. A good stage gate is fast (under 30 minutes) and produces a clear decision; a bad one turns into a bottleneck and gets bypassed.
Stage Gate is also commonly called Go/No-Go Review. The terms are used interchangeably in most Product Operations contexts.
Stage Gate is part of the Product Operations vocabulary under the process category. Product Ops leaders use this concept when running planning rituals, setting operating standards, and aligning cross-functional stakeholders.