Gold plating, or the idea of delivering more or better than requested is generally not accepted in project management doctrine. However, I think we need to take this with a grain of salt and consider how to discern when and how we might over deliver.
As project managers, we are well aware of our budget and schedule constraints. Indeed it is our job to deliver exactly what was requested or exactly the fee that was agreed to. However that statement provides a lot more wiggle room than meets the eye.
First, even the most explicitly defined projects leave room for discernment and decision-making within the borders of specifications. This allows a project team the ability to perform the tasks and deliver the product of the project in a way that not only satisfies the requirements but delights the stakeholders.
Delighting a stakeholder involves more upfront work than it does work on the product which is where gold plating really occurs. The upfront work involves being more intimate and sensitive to the needs of the stakeholders. To the extent that we can feel the pain and quote of the stakeholders, the more like we will be to deliver not only what our stakeholders have specified but to leave them absolutely delighted.
Another approach in the planning stages is to actually plan some well conceived extras that clearly address the needs of the stakeholders but just a little better than specified. If we plan for this type of thing, then our budget and time constraints virtually disappear.
Yes, gold plating alone is bad but over delivering in a real sense cements our relationship with a client or stakeholders and paves the way for success in anything that follows especially in these tough economic times taking a more discerning stands in the issue of gold plating can be very helpful to successful project managements.
John Reiling, PMP
Project Management Training Online
Tech Training Online
37 responses so far ↓
1 bmossing // Dec 21, 2009 at 4:40 pm
As project managers we know we have a budget and schedule to work within, quality to deliver, and customers to satisfy. I don’t see anything wrong with over-delivering a little when possible. Providing additional information, finding ways to save schedule time and reduce budget, and showing flexibility with customer requests where possible are all good ways to give your project that extra special touch it needs to really please stakeholders. It might be my own connotation of the phrase, but gold plating seems to be almost irresponsible given the constraints most projects are under.
2 jkapur // Jun 6, 2010 at 12:24 pm
Gold Plating is always bad. Always. No exceptions. It is self induced scope creep. If you feel that customer has missed a feature on the requirements document and can benefit from it. You must try to negotiate that feature and try to put in the scope document. You should estimate cost for the feature, and assign appropriate resources. It is your responsibility as a Project Manager to keep scope under control, under all circumstances. By gold plating you are not delighting customer, but you are looking for trouble.
http://www.kapurtraining.com/lms/
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