Problem that causes progress to come to a complete halt

Question

There are some problems that are minor and do not affect the overall operation at hand enough to stop it. For example, a broken radio is not a significant enough problem for driving a car. However, an empty gas tank is, and it needs to be resolved before the car can go.

What is an adjective to describe such a major problem or issue? I think I've heard a "gating issue" on a project I was involved in before, but a Google search didn't turn up much.

e.g. This is a _____ issue, so it needs to be resolved before we can make any progress.

Answer 1

A term used in the software industry is showstopper:

showstopper: n.

A hardware or (especially) software bug that makes an implementation effectively unusable; one that absolutely has to be fixed before development can go on. Opposite in connotation from its original theatrical use, which refers to something stunningly good.

So you could say, "This is a showstopper, so it needs to be resolved before we can make any progress."

Answer 2

Drop the word "issue" and say "This is a roadblock." which means:

something that stops progress

[Merriam-Webster]

Answer 3

This is a blocking issue:

the action or process of obstructing movement, progress, or activity, in particular.
^{via Google}

Answer 4

We call these a Blocker

blocker: n.

A task or problem that halts progress on a project.

Answer 5

"This is a critical issue."

According to ODO

3.2 Having a decisive or crucial importance in the success, failure, or existence of something:

"temperature is a critical factor in successful fruit storage"
"getting banks lending again was critical to any recovery"
"time-critical tasks"

For example:

BSOD or Blue Screen of Death is a serious problem seen on computers running Windows OS.

How To Geek's article "Everything You Need To Know About the Blue Screen of Death" (emphasis mine)

BSODs appear when Microsoft Windows encounters a critical error it can’t recover from, requiring a reboot and possibly resulting in lost work.

...

A blue screen occurs when Windows encounters a “STOP Error.” This critical failure causes Windows to crash and stop working. The only thing Windows can do is stop the computer and restart it.

Another example in the field of project management.

A critical task is defined, by Dictionary of Construction, as

A task or activity that lies on the critical path of the schedule, which if delayed will delay the completion of the project.

_{^{synonyms crucial, vital, essential, all-important, paramount, pre-eminent, fundamental, key, pivotal, decisive, climacteric, momentous}}

Answer 6

impediment

This is probably the most professional term fitting your definition.

According to Google, it means:

a hindrance or obstruction in doing something.

Remember, however, to use it as a noun:

The empty gas tank was an impediment.

And not an adjective:

The empty gas tank was an impediment issue.

Answer 7

A mechanical term might be something like a wrench in the wheels/gears. Used to mean a small item that can cause the entire machine to grind to a halt. It can of course be used metaphorically to relate to software or other showstopping problems as well.

Answer 8

Try prohibitive (source - dictionary.com)

serving or tending to prohibit or forbid something.

sufficing to prevent the use, purchase, etc., of something

Also, restrictive (source - cambridge dictionary)

limiting the freedom of someone or preventing something from growing.

Answer 9

Try fatal.
In computing: "In computing, a fatal error or fatal exception error is an error that causes a program to abort..." -Wikipedia

[Middle English, fateful, from Old French, from Latin fātālis, from fātum, prophecy, doom; see fate.]

Synonyms: fatal, deadly, lethal, mortal
These adjectives apply to what causes or is likely to cause death. Fatal describes conditions, circumstances, or events that have already caused death or are virtually certain to do so in the future: a fatal accident; a fatal illness.

Source: TheFreeDictionary

Answer 10

If your example is metaphorical, consider deal-breaker.

any issue or factor that is significant enough to terminate a negotiation, esp. in business or politics

Answer 11

"We've hit a wall," is fairly common, usually when breaking the news to someone. It connotes a solid object that is high and wide and cannot be easily worked around or climbed over.

The "go" and "no-go" is used by some software teams. Modeled on the NASA launch sequence, wherein each station reports whether the systems it monitors are "go" for launch of "no-go" for launch. A single "no-go" in an arbitrary long sequence of checks halts the launch.

Answer 12

Adding the British English corollary to Darrel Hoffman's answer.

Spanner in the works -to do something that prevents a plan or activity from succeeding

Answer 13

Try "impassable" issue.

The definition, from Merriam-Webster, is "impossible to pass, cross, or travel over".

Answer 14

There is really no commonly used adjective that meets your criteria. You could say "running out of gas is a showstopper", but if you had a list of "issues", you would more likely list that as "sufficient gas" or similar. if you then wanted to tag your issues you could use "non-negotiable", "required", "essential", etc. for those issues that would halt progress of not properly addressed.

Answer 15

One of the senses of bottleneck can be used in this context:

A hindrance to progress or production. - thefreedictionary.com