Quote from Christopher on April 8, 2025, 12:18 pm

Great question — and yes, “gold plating” is one of those terms that sounds kind of positive at first, especially if you come from a customer service background where going above and beyond is seen as a plus. But in project management, particularly in the PMP world, gold plating is actually something you’re not supposed to do — and understanding why is key for both the exam and real-world projects.

Let’s break it down.

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What is Gold Plating?

In project management, gold plating refers to delivering more than what was required or requested — adding features, functionality, or extras that weren’t in the scope or agreed-upon requirements.

Here’s the catch: it’s not because the customer asked for more — it’s because the project team or someone on the team decided to add it, thinking it would be a nice bonus or an improvement.

Gold plating = Unrequested extras.

It might look like:

• A developer adding a cool feature to a software product because they thought it would impress the client.

• A designer upgrading materials on a deliverable without approval, thinking it adds value.

• A team extending the testing phase because they want to “really make sure” everything is perfect, even though the client didn’t require that level of QA.

It’s well-intentioned, but it crosses a line in formal project management.

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Why Is Gold Plating a Problem?

At first glance, gold plating might seem generous — “We’re giving the client even more than they paid for!” But from a PMP standpoint, it’s actually scope creep in disguise, and it introduces a lot of risks.

Here’s why it’s considered a bad practice:

1. It Breaks the Scope Baseline

Projects are governed by approved scopes. When you go outside that scope — even for something "better" — you’re violating the project plan. Gold plating is an unauthorized change.

2. It Consumes Resources

Even small extras take time, budget, and effort. That time could’ve been spent on core deliverables. Gold plating can cause delays, cost overruns, or rework later if it disrupts other tasks.

3. It Sets Unrealistic Expectations

Once you give more than promised, clients might start expecting that level of delivery going forward — even if it wasn’t in the original contract. That’s a recipe for future dissatisfaction or conflict.

4. It Can Lead to Defects

Yes, ironically, gold plating can reduce quality. When you add features that haven’t been reviewed, approved, or tested properly, you’re increasing the chance of defects or integration issues.

5. It Undermines Change Control

PMP methodology emphasizes formal change control. If something isn’t in the scope, it should go through the Integrated Change Control process before being added. Gold plating skips that step entirely.

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Gold Plating vs. Scope Creep: What’s the Difference?

Another important distinction for the PMP exam is understanding how gold plating differs from scope creep.

Gold Plating	Scope Creep
Voluntary extras added by the team	Uncontrolled expansion of scope, often from stakeholders
Usually well-intentioned	Often driven by external pressure or unclear requirements
Still a scope violation	Also a scope violation
Example: Developer adds bonus feature without client asking	Example: Client keeps adding features mid-project without formal approval

Both are bad, but gold plating is more subtle because it often comes from trying to do something nice — which makes it a tempting trap.

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What the PMBOK Says About Gold Plating

PMBOK doesn’t emphasize gold plating with a formal definition, but it’s well understood in the PMI world as an anti-pattern — something you should actively avoid.

From a process perspective:

• If you think something should be added to the project, it must go through change control.

• Only changes that are formally approved should be implemented.

• Deliver exactly what was promised — no more, no less.

That’s not being lazy or stingy — it’s being professional and accountable.

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How Might Gold Plating Show Up on the PMP Exam?

The PMP exam might test your understanding of gold plating in a few different ways:

Scenario-Based Questions:

You might get a scenario like:

“A team member added an unrequested feature to a software deliverable, believing it would increase customer satisfaction. The client later reported confusion and requested changes to remove it. What project management mistake was made?”

Correct answer: Gold plating

Process Questions:

You could also be asked what action a project manager should take if a team member wants to “go the extra mile.” The correct choice would likely involve reminding the team to stick to the approved scope and using change control if a feature truly adds value.

Best Practice Questions:

Sometimes, it’s phrased as “Which of the following should a project manager avoid?” and gold plating will be one of the options.

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Real-World Example of Gold Plating

Let’s say you’re managing a website redesign for a client. The agreed-upon scope includes a responsive design, content migration, and basic SEO setup. One of your developers, wanting to impress, also builds a custom analytics dashboard and integrates it into the CMS.

The client didn’t ask for it, it wasn’t budgeted for, and now it introduces a whole new layer of functionality the client doesn’t fully understand. Support requests spike, and now your team is spending hours training them and debugging code that was never part of the plan.

That’s gold plating — and now your schedule, budget, and client satisfaction are all taking a hit, despite good intentions.

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How to Avoid Gold Plating as a Project Manager

Here’s how to prevent gold plating from creeping into your project:

1. Communicate Scope Clearly
   Make sure the whole team knows exactly what’s included and what’s not.

2. Create a Culture of Change Control
   Encourage your team to bring ideas forward, but emphasize that nothing should be added without proper approval.

3. Reward Adherence to Process
   Celebrate innovation within the boundaries of the project plan, and give recognition for staying on track just as much as you would for creativity.

4. Stay Connected with Stakeholders
   Keep a close feedback loop so the client can formally request changes if they want more — and you can manage them through the right channels.

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Final Thoughts: Gold Plating Isn’t Gold

The name “gold plating” makes it sound like you’re polishing up the final product, but in project management, it’s more like gilding a perfectly good wheel — shiny, but unnecessary and potentially problematic.

For the PMP exam, just remember this golden rule:

Deliver exactly what was asked for — no more, no less — unless a formal change request is approved.

If you see team members adding unapproved extras, it’s your job as the project manager to step in and remind them that gold plating isn’t quality — it’s a risk.

Stick to the plan, follow the process, and you’ll be golden (pun intended — couldn’t resist 😄).