What's the correct term for "gating criteria"?

Question

In project management for software development our bosses have introduced quality gates. The idea is to reach a certain level of quality before the project can continue in the next phase.

Now, the criteria for that are called gating criteria and I wonder whether gating is a good choice. Looking up the Oxford dictionary, there's no such word.

The most likely reason for that is the German origin of our country and no native speakers are involved.

If gating criteria is not a valid word, then what is the valid word for what I described above?

Answer 1

"Gating" is not a standard English word, but it's a reasonable word to invent in this context.

A "gate" is, of course, a barrier that can be opened and closed. So in order to "open" the gate so your project can pass to the next level, you need to meet certain criteria. Their are criteria for the gate.

We sometimes add -ing to a word for a "thing" to change it into a process or subject area. Like, we sell our products to the "market". We call this process "marketing". We attach two pieces of metal together with a "weld". We call this process "welding". Etc.

So, we pass through a "gate". We call this process "gating".

There are already common words for this idea, as @probablyme says. But if you're inventing a new technique, it's common to invent new words for it. At best this is to prevent confusion with older ideas that are similar but not quite the same. At worst it is to make it sound like you've invented something truly new when really you just have a minor refinement of existing ideas.

Answer 2

The term acceptance criteria is widely used in relation to the conditions that must be satisfied before a software system is released to the customer, but it can also be used about parts of a system. It could therefore be used about the individual phases in the development process.

That said, it's a specialized term and if the term is only used within one organization, you can use any term you like, as long as it will be understood by everybody involved: why not stick to gating criteria?

Answer 3

"Gating criteria" sounds strange to me.

I like

threshold
: the point or level at which something begins or changes

So

We have to reach a certain threshold before we can move on.

I think these might work too.

1. continuation level/point/criteria
2. transition level/point/criteria

I don't really see a problem with "quality levels", or "levels of quality"

We have to reach certain (quality levels)/(levels of quality) before we can move on.

Answer 4

Prerequisite

(Noun) A thing that is required as a prior condition for something else to happen or exist.

(Adjective) Required as a prior condition.

You could use it as a noun like so:

"We can't start work on the next phase until we complete the prerequisites."

"This criteria is a prerequisite for the next phase."

Or you could use it as an adjective like so:

"We can't start work on the next phase until we satisfy the prerequisite criteria."

"This is a prerequisite criteria for the next phase."

Often in casual, or informal business settings, prerequisite is spoken in a shortened form: prereq, pronounced /priːˈrɛk, as in "Hey, did you hear they made this a prereq for phase two?"

Answer 5

The term advancement criteria (or criteria for advancement) is widely used in various fields, including education and sports, where some entity has to progress by steps toward a particular goal.¹ I think it would be well-understood in your context from the plain meaning of the words. The relevant definition of advancement (MW 1.b) is

progression to a higher stage of development

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¹ _{In the realm of education, the steps might be passing each class or year on the way to graduation for students, or passing each step of the promotion process on the way to tenure or full professorship for teachers/faculty. In the realm of sports, it could be winning tournament games or racking up enough wins vs losses on the way to some sort of championship.}