Enclosure (1) to COMDTINST 7044.1A
NEW PRODUCT GATING (NPG) PROCESS
The R&D Program has recently adopted the New Product Gating (NPG) process, a systematic
stage-gate process for the selection, execution and implementation of its products. The NPG
process is based on industry best practices and is aimed at helping both the R&D Program and the
entire Coast Guard make better decisions about the products we develop and use. The NPG
process shown below is a five-stage process covering R&D involvement in a product's lifecycle
from conception through implementation. Although this is a process used by the R&D Program for
new product development, active involvement by R&D customers, support program managers and
decision-makers at all levels is needed to allow this process to deliver the maximum benefit for the
Coast Guard. Implementation costs are ultimately borne by the customers and support program
managers; their commitment is therefore assessed at each successive gate.
Each NPG stage is designed to gather the information needed to move the product to the next
decision point. A go/kill decision gate precedes each stage. Each gate has two parts: an evaluation
of the product against pre- defined criteria, and an evaluation of the product's merits against those
of the other R&D products in progress. Gate criteria include (but are not limited to): strategic
policy alignment; technical feasibility and risk; availability of necessary expertise; value to the
Coast Guard; strength of customer and stakeholder commitment; and likelihood of CG
acceptance and implementation. Use of the NPG process ensures that the portfolio of R&D product
development efforts is systematically evaluated and judged to provide the best return for the Coast
Guard's R&D investment.
The foldout diagram on the next page describes the Coast Guard R&D Program's NPG Process in
detail.
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