Why most projects go off track before execution begins
Most project problems don’t start during execution - they start much earlier - when decisions are still unclear.
Common Patterns we see:
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We move too quickly into execution
Before fully understanding what we are trying to achieve.
Alignment looks good… but isn’t real
Stakeholders appear aligned - until decisions matter.
Success is not clearly defined
No shared view of outcomes, value drivers, or measures.
Assumptions are treated as facts
They are rarely tested and quietly drive decisions.
Solutions are chosen too early
Options are not explored, and teams lock into one direction too soon.
Decisions rely on outdated thinking
Old data, old context - but new commitments.
Risks are discovered too late
When they can no longer influence the decision - only the outcome.
These are not execution problems.
They are decision problems - at the start.
What Is the Decision Gate Process?
The Decision Gate Process is a simple way to make better project decisions - at the right time.
Instead of pushing ahead on assumptions, you move forward with clarity, agreement and a clear plan.
A project is split into five phases, with a gate between each one.
A gate is a point where you stop and decide whether to keep going - and choose between real, different options, based on evidence, before you spend the next round of money.
Each gate asks a different question. And each one is a real decision - not a rubber stamp on a choice you've already made.
The gate is only as good as the framing behind it
A gate can only choose between the options in front of it. If the framing was thin, the gate has nothing real to choose between, however rigorous the review.
PATH is the framework we use to do the framing properly: establishing the problem independent of any solution, mapping who genuinely owns the decision, defining what success would mean before anyone proposes how to get there, and generating options that differ in kind rather than in degree.
It is the step that gets compressed when a project is behind schedule, and it is the step that determines whether everything after it was worth doing.
Why this works
Focuses teams on the right decisions - at the right time
Confirms decision readiness - not just document completion
Surfaces risks, assumptions, and trade-offs early
Reduces rework, delays, and wasted capital
How we help you apply Decision Gate Process
You can apply this in many ways - across your organization, within a project, or by building capability.
1. Roll it Out
(Organization-level)
A simplified, fit-for-purpose governance model using our six-step roadmap.
2. Help with a live project
Governance set up, facilitated opportunity framing, assurance review and mentoring for your internal team.
3. Build the capability
Live 10-week long cohort with ready-to-use templates, mentoring and the community and in-house enterprise solutons.
