Avoiding the Top 6 Mistakes Companies Make When Rolling Out Stage Gate

The Stage Gate process is one of the most proven ways to improve project success rates in capital-intensive industries.

But here’s the reality:

According to industry benchmarking, most companies fail to see measurable benefits from Stage Gate in the first few years - often because they set it up the wrong way.

After years of working with companies in oil & gas, mining, and infrastructure, I’ve seen the same mistakes come up again and again.

 Here’s what they are, why they matter, and what to do instead.

1. Leaving Training Until the End

Mistake: Many companies delay training until after the framework is built - relying on consultants for every decision. This can mean years before your people actually understand how to apply Stage Gate in their day-to-day work.

Impact:

• Teams don’t speak the same “Stage Gate language.”

• Key decisions are delayed or made inconsistently.

• Consultants become the bottleneck.

Do This Instead: Train your people from Day 1 - even while the framework is still being developed. Early training of the key principles creates a shared understanding, accelerates adoption, and reduces dependency on external consultants.

2. Not Agreeing on the Framework Early Enough

Mistake: Companies start without locking in the number of phases and gates, or without clear governance process.

Impact: 

• Endless debates about “how we do Stage Gate here.”

• Inconsistent gate reviews and decision-making.

• Loss of momentum before you even launch.

Do This Instead: In the first month, align executives on phases, gates, governance, and decision-making roles. Without this, you’ll keep reinventing the wheel every time a project moves forward.

3. Starting Without Data

Mistake: Jumping in without understanding the context - portfolio of projects, stakeholder expectations, success rates, long-term strategy, and current challenges.

Impact:

• You may solve the wrong problem.

• Priorities get hijacked by the loudest voice, not the most strategic need.

• Stakeholder support fades when results don’t match expectations.

Do This Instead: Start with a current state review. Gather hard data on portfolio performance, interview stakeholders, and align with executives on success criteria. This makes your Stage Gate process fit your actual needs, not a generic template.

4. Confusing the Management System with the Stage Gate Process

Mistake: Expanding the scope to rebuild the entire management system while implementing Stage Gate.

Impact:

• Projects stall for years while scope balloons.

• Employees get overloaded with extra work they’re not paid for.

• Momentum and trust drop.

Do This Instead: Keep the initial implementation laser-focused on Stage Gate essentials - phases, gates, governance, framing and minimum deliverables. You can always integrate with the wider management system later. This way, you can roll out Stage Gate in 6 months or less.

5. Talking About Stage Gate for Years… and Doing Nothing

Mistake: Spending years “discussing” Stage Gate without making decisions or taking action.

Impact:

• The business loses confidence that change will happen.

• You miss opportunities to improve project outcomes.

• Competitors move faster and gain market advantage.

Do This Instead: Commit to a time-bound implementation roadmap with clear milestones, owners, and accountability. A 6-phase approach keeps things moving and gets results quickly.

6. Skipping Opportunity Framing

Mistake: Many Stage Gate rollouts completely skip Opportunity Framing - the structured workshop that kicks off the process by aligning the project team, clarifying the problem, and exploring options before committing to a path forward.

Impact:

• Teams jump into projects without shared understanding.

• Stakeholders remain misaligned on goals and priorities.

• Early engagement and buy-in are lost, making every gate harder to pass.

Do This Instead: Make Opportunity Framing a non-negotiable first step for major projects. It’s the “ignition spark” that builds engagement, creates alignment, and drives clarity from the start - massively increasing the odds of success.

✅ Bottom line: Stage Gate implementation doesn’t need to take years. With the right focus, alignment, and early training - plus Opportunity Framing to kickstart engagement - you can have a working framework in place in 6 months or less and start seeing benefits immediately.