What is gold plating in project management?

In project management, gold plating refers to the practice of adding extra features or functions to a project that were not originally requested by the client or necessary for the project to be successful. This can lead to unnecessary work, increased costs, and potentially delays in project completion.

Gold plating is often done with good intentions, as team members may want to exceed client expectations or showcase their skills and abilities. However, it can also be a sign of poor scope management and a lack of clear communication between stakeholders.

To avoid gold plating in project management, it is important to clearly define project requirements and scope at the beginning of the project, and to stick to these parameters throughout the project lifecycle. Additionally, project managers should closely monitor project progress and deliverables to ensure that the team is not engaging in unnecessary work.

Ultimately, gold plating can have negative consequences for a project, including increased costs, reduced efficiency, and potential client dissatisfaction. Project managers should strive to prevent gold plating by focusing on delivering the agreed-upon project requirements, on time and within budget.