1. Purpose of the gate
Roadmap approved is the point at which the business stops studying the platform and starts paying for it. Everything before this gate is definition and architecture; everything after it is development across many teams at once: models, IP, software, tools, prototypes and the lead product's own SoC lifecycle, all built on the baselined reference architecture. The review must be confident that the roadmap is realistic, that the lead product is the right one to prove the platform, and that the IP the platform needs can be sourced and licensed for every product on the roadmap.
The roadmap is more than a list of dates. It ties platform versions to the products that need them, so a derivative never plans on a platform feature that will not be ready. It also shows the resources the platform needs over time, which are often underestimated after the lead product ships, when derivative support begins.
The gate criteria are: platform roadmap approved; lead product and first derivatives agreed with dates; IP sourcing and licensing plan agreed; and key risks tracked.
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