ABSTRACT
The Discovery Phase is for the team to understand and validate the idea for the project and whether or not it is feasible. For small–simple projects, the effort required for initiating and planning the stage might be limited or almost negligible. The stage deliverable will be subjected to the first stage gate, and the project either stops there or goes on to the next stage. On the other hand, if the projects are moderate in size, large, or complex, the effort can be substantial and require a high level of resources, effort, and time. Therefore, the team must consider applying the processes for each phase or stage. For the projects, the Concept Stage could require significant effort, and it would be similar to a project in itself, justifying the application of any applicable project management processes. There are benefits to the first stage gate's being about the project alignment to the organization's strategic objectives.
