What type of meeting does a project manager conduct at the transition point between different project phases?

A phase gate review is a crucial meeting conducted by a project manager at the transition point between different project phases. This meeting serves as a checkpoint to evaluate the progress of the project and determine whether it is ready to proceed to the next phase. During the phase gate review, the project team presents their findings, achievements, and any issues encountered during the current phase. Stakeholders then assess these factors to decide whether to approve the continuation of the project, make modifications, or even terminate it based on its alignment with project goals.

Phase gate reviews are essential for maintaining project control and ensuring that resources are allocated effectively and that the project remains aligned with organizational objectives. They help to mitigate risks and allow for informed decision-making based on the project's current status.

The other options, such as gap analysis, external status reporting, and ad hoc reporting, serve different purposes. Gap analysis typically identifies differences between current performance and desired outcomes, external status reporting focuses on communicating project progress to stakeholders outside the project team, and ad hoc reporting involves generating reports as needed, rather than at regular intervals or predefined points in the project lifecycle. These activities are not specifically tied to the formal transition points of project phases, making them less relevant in this context.