A stage / phase-gate process is a project management technique in which an initiative or project is divided into stages or phases, separated by gates. At each gate, the continuation of the process is decided by a manager or a steering committee. The decision is based on the information available at the time, including the business case, risk analysis, and availability of necessary resources (e.g., money, people with correct competencies). The process provides top-level management control over projects to assure that the organization continues to invest in the most worthwhile the projects and effectively manages risks.