Going beyond the agreed-upon project scope might sound like a good idea, but it often causes more harm than good. Gold plating—adding unrequested features or enhancements—can lead to wasted resources, delayed timelines, and deliverables that miss the mark. While it’s often driven by good intentions, the consequences can be costly for both teams and stakeholders.
This article examines the root causes of gold plating, its potential risks, and actionable strategies to avoid it, ensuring your projects stay efficient, aligned, and successful.
What Is Gold Plating?
Gold plating occurs when additional features or enhancements are added to a project that go beyond the original scope. These additions are typically unrequested by the client and unapproved through formal channels.
For example, during the development of a new website, a designer may add custom animations to every page, even though the client only requested a simple, functional interface. While these additions might seem like a way to elevate the deliverable, they often result in unnecessary costs, complexity, and delays.
Gold plating is not about meeting higher standards of quality; it’s about deviating from the agreed-upon objectives. Instead of enhancing the final outcome, it often detracts from project efficiency and risks misaligning with stakeholder needs.
Why Gold Plating Happens
1. Desire to Impress Clients: Teams sometimes assume that adding extras will enhance client satisfaction or showcase their expertise.
2. Misinterpretation of Requirements: Without clear communication, teams may misjudge what stakeholders truly value.
3. Lack of Strong Boundaries: Poorly defined or enforced project scopes create opportunities for unnecessary additions.
4. Cultural Pressure: In organizations that equate “going the extra mile” with excellence, gold plating may be encouraged—albeit unintentionally.
5. Fear of Disappointment: Teams may add extras to preempt potential dissatisfaction, even if such additions are unnecessary.
The Risks of Gold Plating
While gold plating is often viewed as harmless or even beneficial, it introduces a range of risks:
· Budget Overruns: Adding unplanned features increases project costs.
· Timeline Delays: Extra work often leads to missed deadlines.
· Client Dissatisfaction: Features that do not align with client needs can reduce the perceived value of the deliverable.
· Operational Complexity: Unnecessary additions can complicate maintenance and future updates.
By focusing on what is required rather than what seems impressive, project managers can mitigate these risks and ensure their efforts remain targeted and efficient.
How to Avoid Gold Plating
1. Define and Communicate Clear Scope
At the start of the project, work with stakeholders to establish clear goals, deliverables, and boundaries. Document these in a detailed scope statement and ensure all team members understand the importance of adhering to it.
2. Implement Change Control Processes
If stakeholders request changes or if the team identifies potential enhancements, route these through a formal change control process. This ensures all adjustments are evaluated for their impact on the timeline, budget, and objectives.
3. Focus on Stakeholder Value
Train teams to prioritize features and deliverables that align with client needs. Instead of trying to add “nice-to-have” extras, focus on delivering what the client values most.
4. Encourage Open Communication
Regularly update stakeholders on progress and solicit feedback to ensure alignment with expectations. If there is uncertainty about requirements, seek clarification rather than making assumptions.
5. Reinforce a Culture of Precision
Foster a work environment that values meeting objectives efficiently and effectively, rather than exceeding them unnecessarily. Recognize and reward teams for adhering to scope and delivering high-quality results on time.
6. Maintain Strong Oversight
Project managers should actively monitor deliverables to ensure that no additional work is being added without approval. Regular check-ins and reviews can help identify potential instances of gold plating before they escalate.
Gold plating might seem like a way to go above and beyond, but it often leads to more problems than benefits. By understanding its causes and risks, project managers can take proactive steps to avoid it and keep their projects focused on delivering what matters most.
Clear communication, strong boundaries, and a disciplined approach to scope management are the keys to ensuring that teams stay aligned with project objectives—delivering results that satisfy stakeholders without unnecessary complications.