Who This Is For
Most professionals have never been taught how governance systems like the Stage Gate process actually work.
If you understand it, you stand out.
This course will elevate your skillset, increase your credibility, and accelerate your career.
For Those Making Decisions
These roles need to ensure projects are well-defined and set up for success.
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Project Executives
Lead major capital projects and need to ensure clarity, alignment, and governance from the start. -
Sponsors & Gatekeepers
Responsible for approving funding and making critical investment decisions. -
Assurance & Risk Leads
Need structured reviews and governance to reduce exposure and improve predictability.
For Those Managing Projects
These professionals are in the trenches and need to execute well-defined projects.
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Project Managers
Responsible for planning, execution, and navigating complex stakeholder environments in early and later phases. -
Project Engineers
Often shape the scope, make technical recommendations, and need to understand gate expectations. -
Owner Representatives
Acting on behalf of the owner company, they must ensure processes are followed and value is protected.
For Those Facilitating or Supporting
These roles guide, train, and facilitate alignment and decision quality.
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Internal Facilitators
Help teams navigate opportunity framing, planning, and early decision-making. -
PMO and Governance Leads
Define and improve the delivery process and build organizational maturity. -
Trainers & Coaches
Want to teach and mentors others on how the stage gate process and framing tools work.
For Those Collaborating With Owners
These external professionals support projects and must understand the owner's processes.
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Contractors in Development Phase
Work with owners to define scope, evaluate options, and contribute to early phase deliverables. -
Consultants & Advisors
Support FEL, governance, assurance, or technical reviews and want to speak the owner's language. -
Framing Workshop Participants
Engineers, analysts, or leaders contributing to major early-stage workshops and needing clarity
Why This Matters
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According to IPA's 2025 data, the quality of project definition (FEL) has declined significantly over the past 5 years.
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Poor FEL = weak alignment, unclear scope, increased rework and massive cost overruns.
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The Stage Gate Process is the proven system that helps project leaders frame the opportunity, make better decisions, and reduce risk before execution.
What You’ll Learn - Course Modules
Module 1: Why Projects Fail (And How To Fix Them)
Understand why so many capital projects fall short and how governance, alignment, and structure can prevent it.
Module 2: Breaking Down Projects With a Decision Gate Process
Learn what is a decision gate process, front-end loading, project categorization, scalability, key roles and responsibilities and common mistakes to avoid.
Module 3: Making Smart Decisions With Confidence
Discover the anatomy of a good decision, how to run or contribute to a Gate Review and Decision Review Board. We also cover the Decision Quality Wheel and explain some of the most commonly occurring biases and how to prevent them from happening.
Module 4: Integrating Risk Management and Assurance Reviews
Know when and how to bring in assurance, how to assess risk early, and how to build an effective governance that supports project success.
Module 5: Opportunity Framing
Learn how to facilitate alignment at the front end using our PATH Framework. Gain clarity on key framing tools and how to use them in a workshop.
Bonus 1: Lessons Learned – How to capture them.
Learn how to capture lessons learned, and embed better ways of working into your team.
Bonus 2: Facilitation Fundamentals for Facilitators
Learn the Role of a Facilitator and the Core Principles of Leading Workshops. Discover how to prepare effectively, start strong by engaging your audience from the very beginning, maintain energy and focus throughout, and handle dysfunctions with confidence. You’ll also learn how to close your workshop with clarity and impact.
Choose Your Path to Project Success
Leading Capital Projects: Mastering the Decision Gate Process is available in multiple formats to meet your professional development needs:
Online Options
From $499
Annually
You'll Get:
✔ Digital Platform Access
✔ Video Modules + Resources
✔ Expert Community
✔ 12 Month Access
Best For:
✔ Individual professionals, self-directed learners, global accessibility
Why It Work
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Designed for real-world capital projects
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Combines best practices on front-end loading from oil & gas, mining, renewables
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Based on over 20 years of global project experiences
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Applicable to contractors, owners, and consultants
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Focused on doing the right work at the right time - not compliance
About The Trainer
I’m Iwona, and I’ve spent two decades working on major oil and gas projects in Australia, the UK, and the US.
Years ago, I walked away from a senior QA role because I knew there had to be a better way to drive value early.
Then I discovered opportunity framing and the power of Front-End Loading.
Since then, I’ve facilitated hundreds of workshops, helping teams get clear, aligned, and confident - before execution.
This course brings that knowledge to you and your team, so you don’t have to waste time, money, or trust fixing what could have been prevented.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Can I upgrade to Expert Hub later?Yes. You can start with the course and upgrade anytime.
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What if I’m new to Stage Gate?Perfect. We designed this for both beginners and seasoned professionals looking to refine their approach and train their teams.
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Can I share confidential info in the Expert Hub?Yes. We offer private spaces for organizations and access to 1:1 coaching sessions with our experts where you can execute your own NDA requirements. We treat confidentiality seriously and ensure a secure, respectful environment.
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Who are the Experts?You’ll meet seasoned professionals like Neil Maxfield, Akin Oni, myself and others with decades of global experience in oil & gas, mining, renewables capital projects.
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Is this only for project managers?No. It’s built for project executives, engineers, assurance leads, risk managers, and anyone involved in decision-making or planning.
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How is this different from traditional project management methods?Unlike PMP, Agile, or Lean, this framework is decision-driven rather than process-heavy. It focuses on: - Front-end alignment to ensure the right projects move forward with the right solution. - Scalability—adaptable to both large and small projects. - Governance without bureaucracy—clear decision gates while allowing flexibility.
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How long does it take to implement?Most organizations see improvements within 3 to 6 months. Full adoption, including training and integration into governance structures, typically takes 6 months to a year.
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How does the framework help reduce costs and avoid rework?It prevents costly mistakes by ensuring: - Better project definition—reduces scope creep. - Structured decision-making—stops bad investments early. - Risk-informed reviews—ensures projects are feasible before execution.
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Can this framework be tailored to my company’s needs?Yes! This process is highly adaptable to different project types and organizational structures. We customize: - Governance levels based on project size. - Decision-making models to fit existing workflows. - Templates, procedures & training based on your needs.
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Who is the Stage Gate Process for?This framework is ideal for project leaders, executives, PMO teams, and decision-makers in industries like oil & gas, mining, and large-scale infrastructure who need a scalable, structured system for developing and managing complex projects.
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How does it help minimize team turnover?By improving team alignment and engagement, the framework: - Reduces confusion and frustration caused by unclear decision-making. - Ensures everyone knows their role and what’s expected at each stage. - Creates a collaborative, structured environment, fostering job satisfaction.
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What is a Simplified Stage Gate Process?A simplified Stage Gate Process is a structured, decision-driven approach designed to ensure projects move forward with clarity, alignment, and governance. Built on the traditional Stage Gated Process, it prevents costly mistakes, streamlines decision-making, and helps organizations deliver projects smarter, faster, and with confidence.