1. Why was it necessary for the RAZR team to work outside of the M-Gate methodology? In what situations might it be necessary to work around or modify an existing methodology?

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Motorola employs the following 16-stage project methodology called M-Gate: M15 Idea Concept M14 Concept Accept M13 Solution Select M12 Portfolio Accept M11 Solution Lock M10 Project Initiation M9 System Requirements Baseline M8 System Requirements Allocated M7 Contract Book M6 Design Readiness M5 System Test Readiness M4 Ready for Field Test M3 Ready for Controlled Intro M2 Volume Deployment M1 Retirement Plan Approved MO End of Life The methodology corresponds roughly to a five-phase product life cycle: M15 M14 M13 M12 M11 M10 M9 M8 M7 M6 M5 M4 M3 Business Case Portfolio Planning Project Definition Implementation M2 M1 MO Launch and Closeout Each stage specifies entrance and exit criteria, management and task requirements, and key participants and stakeholders. The full process includes five "go/no-go" gates at which a product's viability must be proved in order for the project to survive. The M-Gate methodology emphasizes product quality and customer needs, but it was cre- ated before the era of ubiquitous cell phones. It produced some well-known successes-but at the snail's pace of one every 3 to 4 years. The stages and gates reduce risk and increase quality, but they also discourage new ideas and hold up product launch-big drawbacks in the fiercely compet- itive handheld phone market.