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Why we picked it This gives you the precise vocabulary your question is missing: gold plating is adding polish and features nobody asked for, distinct from scope creep, which is unapproved additions to the work. Naming the two separately makes it much easier to catch yourself in the act. Treat the project-management framing as a lens, then apply it to your own build.
Gold Plating vs. Scope Creep
From projectmanagementacademy.net by Project Management Academy ~8 min read
- Gold plating is work you add on your own initiative beyond what was agreed, which is exactly the refactor-and-repolish habit to watch for.
- The test is simple: does this change move against a defined goal or user need, or is it self-directed extra that just feels productive?
- Both gold plating and scope creep quietly inflate timelines, so protect the core deliverable and park nice-to-haves for a later pass.