Innovation Academy Interactive Learning Tool

Stage-Gate Innovation Process

Work through an illustrative innovation initiative, review evidence at successive gates, and practise making Go, Hold, Recycle and Kill decisions as the evidence changes.

At a Glance
Primary Focus Evidence-based innovation gate decisions
Typical Duration 12–18 minutes
Learning Format Guided decision simulation
Best For Innovation, product, portfolio and governance teams
Overview

Use gates to make explicit investment decisions as evidence develops.

The attached INDENTRA topic brief defines this interaction around four gate outcomes: Go, Hold, Recycle and Kill. This simulation uses an illustrative five-gate learning scenario to practise those decisions. Its stage labels, evidence scores and decision rules are learning constructs rather than a prescribed external standard.

Guided Simulation

Stage-Gate Innovation Process — Step by Step

Eight locked stages establish the gate logic, take one illustrative initiative through five gates, apply a changed-evidence challenge and finish with a management review.

Current Gate Not revealed
Decision Status Not revealed
Progress Stage 1 of 8
Guided learning stages
Foundation Stage 1 of 8

Current Instruction
Interactive Stage-Gate Decision Dashboard

Evidence, Gate Decision and Investment Path

Reveal the gate logic to begin.

100%
Gate status: Establish the decision logic.
Decision Table

Interpret the four gate outcomes consistently.

Experiment Mode

Test Alternative Gate Evidence

Experiment Mode is isolated from the guided simulation. Adjust the evidence profile and blocking condition to see how the illustrative INDENTRA learning rule changes the recommended gate outcome.

Knowledge Check

Test gate-decision judgement.

Choose an answer, then check it.
Quick Reference

Four gate outcomes

Go

Release the next tranche of work when the evidence is sufficiently strong and no blocking condition prevents progression.

Hold

Pause the decision when a time-dependent dependency, approval or evidence item is unresolved but substantial rework is not yet required.

Recycle

Return work for targeted improvement when the case remains promising but specific evidence, design or assumptions need rework.

Kill

Stop further investment when evidence no longer supports continuation or a blocking issue has no credible corrective path within the decision context.

Source note: The attached INDENTRA topic list specifies practising Go, Hold, Kill and Recycle decisions. The five-gate scenario and numeric evidence model on this page are illustrative teaching constructs created for the simulation.
Key Takeaway
A gate is a decision point—not a ceremonial approval step.

Use current evidence to decide whether to advance, pause, rework or stop. The purpose is to protect learning quality, investment discipline and the organisation’s ability to redirect resources as evidence changes.