Causes of Gold Plating
The causes of gold plating in project management often include:
- Desire to Exceed Expectations: Project teams may use gold plating to go above and beyond stakeholder’s expectations. Teams may add features or deliverables beyond what was initially agreed upon to impress or delight stakeholders.
- Pressure to Show Value: In highly competitive settings, especially, project teams may experience pressure to show the worth of their work by going above and beyond what was initially promised. Both external and internal stakeholders, including clients and customers, as well as management and team leaders, may exert pressure on this issue.
- Client Pressure or Requests: Throughout the project, clients or other stakeholders may make requests for new features or functionalities, which can result in scope creep and gold plating. Although these demands might have good intentions, if they are not handled correctly, they could lead to difficulties and inefficiencies in the project.
- Lack of Understanding of Scope: There may be times when members of the project team are unaware of the entire extent of the project or how it fits into the larger goals of the endeavour. Gold plating might result from this lack of clarity when team members try to close perceived gaps or meet unclear needs.
- Fear of Failure or Criticism: Members of the project team may be afraid that the final product or service they provide will be viewed as being insufficient or inferior. They might add more components to the project to allay this worry and prevent failure or criticism.
What Is Gold Plating in Project Management?
Gold Plating in project management refers to the practice of adding extra features or enhancements to a project that are not necessary or requested by the client or stakeholders. It’s like adding a layer of gold to something when it’s not needed. This can happen when a team member goes beyond the original requirements or scope of the project, often with good intentions but without considering the impact on the project’s timeline, budget, or objectives. Gold plating can lead to unnecessary costs, delays, and complications, and it’s generally something project managers try to avoid to keep projects focused and efficient. Project teams can reduce the risk of gold plating and improve project outcomes by concentrating on providing value within the approved scope.
Table of Content
- What is Gold Plating in Project Management?
- Causes of Gold Plating
- Impacts of Gold Plating on Project Management
- How to Avoid Gold Plating?
- Best Practices for Preventing Gold Plating
- Examples of Gold Plating in Project Management
- Gold Plating vs Scope Creep
- Conclusion: Gold Plating in Project Management
- FAQs: Gold Plating in Project Management