🔍 Gold Plating in Project Management: When Good Intentions Turn into a Project Risk

In project management, some team members may feel tempted to deliver more than what's required, thinking it adds “extra value” for the client. This is known as Gold Plating — implementing features or enhancements that were not requested by the client and not documented in the official project scope.

✋ While the idea might seem positive at first, in reality, it goes against project management principles and can lead to:

• Exceeding the project timeline and budget
• Increasing the risk of unexpected errors or issues
• Causing project scope creep
• Creating misalignment with client expectations
• Complicating project testing and delivery

🎯 The golden rule: Deliver only what was agreed upon, and implement any additional improvements only after client approval and an official scope update.

💡 Effective project management requires discipline, not personal improvisation outside the scope. Project quality is not measured by how many features you add — but by how precisely and professionally you meet the agreed objectives.