When to use it
A useful fit
Use it to agree what must be learned, delivered and approved before committing the next tranche of effort.
Know the limits
Do not make a rigid sequence stand in for discovery. Where requirements are uncertain, repeat short learning cycles within the wider governance structure.
How to use it
- Define the outcome and the phases needed to reach it.
- Set entry and exit evidence, a decision owner and possible gate outcomes.
- Choose review intervals that fit uncertainty, then revise the plan as evidence changes.
Worked example
A service team wants to replace a paper application. It first tests whether users can complete a prototype, then authorises a working release only after the privacy review and support plan are ready. A failed user test sends it back to discovery, not automatically into development.
Illustrative scenario by fannarmaximus; not an official exam question.
Common pitfalls
A gate with no realistic stop or change option creates ceremony rather than control.
Attribution & sources
Common project-management practice; this explanation and example are by fannarmaximus. No single inventor is claimed.
The citations below identify authoritative references for this topic. They do not imply endorsement or reproduce the bodies’ competence lists.
- IPMA® (2015). Individual Competence Baseline for Project, Programme and Portfolio Management, Version 4.0 (ICB4). Zurich: International Project Management Association. ISBN 978-94-92338-00-6 (print), 978-94-92338-01-3 (pdf). Free PDF from IPMA®: https://ipma.world/ipma-standards-development-programme/icb4/
- Project Management Institute (2025). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide), Eighth Edition, and The Standard for Project Management. Newtown Square, PA: PMI®. ISBN 9781628258295.
- Association for Project Management (2025). APM Body of Knowledge, 8th edition. Princes Risborough: APM. ISBN 9781913305390.