Literature about innovation attests to a high variability at the new product development process (NPDP) level. Numerous models are proposed to describe the innovation process, including: ‐ Kline and Rosenberg and the Fuzzy Front‐Ends ‐ The idea life cycle ‐ The open innovation model ‐ The Stage Gate model However, even taking into account these meta‐models, the description at the micro‐level of the sequence of tasks and methodologies during the period between idea emergence and new product launching is scarcely identical, considering companies of the same sector and similar projects. Hence, adjusting the NPDP to the context and objectives of the company represents a key success factor. Consequently, one theoretical challenge consists in finding interrelations between some initial characteristics of an innovative project and recommendations in the progress of the development phase. This requires the identification of some descriptive criteria characterising an innovative project, focusing on criteria that are documented and evaluable from the start, more precisely the fuzzy front Page 2811 P108 ends of the project. Then the objective is to define methodology assisting decision‐making in the field of new development process design based on these descriptive variables. The research approach integrates a literature review about evaluation criteria available during the fuzzy front ends, including the degree of newness and the inner impacts of the new project (changes to product, production, sales). Secondly, choosing the stage gate model as a reference, a list of best project management practices is elaborated and a maturity grid is defined for each of these practices. Finally, an expert consultation is conducted and a multi‐criteria algorithm established in order to define minimum maturity thresholds for each practice according to the outcomes of the evaluation of the descriptive criteria of the project. This paper provides the main theoretical aspects. The limitations of the research are discussed, including the necessary evolution of the methodology.