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PMP lesson · Delivery Approach · Choosing how to deliver · lesson 2 of 4 · about 6 minutes

The predictive life cycle: phases and gates

Predictive · hardware parts of hybrid projectsFree preview
Goal: After this lesson you can describe predictive phases and gates, explain when predictive fits, and reduce its typical risks.

1The situation

Why plan the steel first?

You cannot “iterate” a 4-tonne robot base. Once the steel is cut and welded, changing it costs days and thousands of dollars. That is why the robot cell's mechanical work is designed, reviewed and approved before fabrication starts.

The predictive life cycle is not old-fashioned. It is the right tool when the work is clear and changes are expensive.

2Phases and gates

A predictive project moves through phases (for example concept, design, build, install, close). At the end of each phase, a phase gate reviews the results against exit criteria and decides: go, no-go or go with conditions.

Plan
Up front
Scope, schedule and cost baselines before execution.
Control
Change control
Changes go through a formal process.
Gates
Decisions
Objective criteria; honest data; governance decides.
At a gate, the PM presents objective results, risks and options. Governance decides; the PM never “presents the data positively”.

3Phases and gates

Concept Design Build & FAT Install & SAT Close ◆ = phase gate: go / no-go / conditional, based on exit criteria
Each phase ends with a decision point.

4How it looks on the exam

Exam-style question 1. At a phase gate, the project fails two of five exit criteria. What should the project manager do?
A. Present the results positively to secure approval
B. Present the results objectively, with an assessment of risks and options, and let the governance body decide
C. Postpone the gate indefinitely
D. Proceed to the next phase without the review
Show the answer and the decode
Answer: B.
In simple English
Gate criteria not fully met.
What is the question really asking?
The right action.
Key words / trigger
“fails two of five exit criteria”
PMP logic
Gates rely on honest information; governance may decide go, no-go or conditional.
Why the wrong answer looks attractive
Postponing indefinitely avoids the decision instead of informing it.

5Remember this

Your memory card

  • Predictive: plan up front, phases, gates, change control
  • Fits clear requirements and costly late changes
  • Gates need objective data; outcomes: go / no-go / conditional
  • Reduce risks with reviews, prototypes, early testing, rolling wave
The full lesson in the PMCLEAR app also has:
  • the rest of the lesson (Progressive elaboration)
  • a worked example
  • the common traps (wrong vs right)
  • 2 exam-style questions with the decode
  • a 3-question quick check
Open the full lesson → Create a free account
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