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Gold plating

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Vinod Vadakkethalakkal Lead Assistant manager Chennai, Tamilnadu, India
Hi I am from IT background .Here is my Question .Client raise a change request and it can be done within 4 hours using existing code in application. But the project manager wants to use advanced technology here and it may take 32 hours extra to finish. Can we consider it as gold plating ?
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Vincent Guerard Coach - Trainer - Speaker - Advisor| Freelance Mont-Royal, Quebec, Canada
Aug 12, 2016 2:42 PM
Replying to Vinod Vadakkethalakkal
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Here the case is "For the experience of using the advance technology" may be useful for the next project in pipe line.
To be "gold plating" the change request would need to add no new functionality to the product.

The way the work is perform, is a management decision.
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1 reply by Anupam
Aug 13, 2016 10:44 PM
Anupam
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"The way the work is perform, is a management decision."

I agree with Vincent
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Anupam India
It is an unnecessary effort. An Apple to Pineapples comparison.

Ask yourself –

When you can finish the work in 4 hours, why you want to do it in 32 hours using advance technology?

Client raises the change request, did he mention to use advance technology explicitly?

Is client aware, the usage of advance technology, and of affected budget and timeline?

Advance technology may introduce additional functionality that is not mentioned in the requirement. Is PM & team aware of that?
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1 reply by Vinod Vadakkethalakkal
Aug 14, 2016 3:34 PM
Vinod Vadakkethalakkal
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Client is not bothered about the technology.All they expect is the functionality "click it get it"..
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Anupam India
Aug 13, 2016 3:51 PM
Replying to Vincent Guerard
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To be "gold plating" the change request would need to add no new functionality to the product.

The way the work is perform, is a management decision.
"The way the work is perform, is a management decision."

I agree with Vincent
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Thomas Walenta Global Project Economy Expert Hackenheim, Germany
It is rather no gold plating but may be unethical anyhow.

My understanding is that the change request still has to be approved. The PM may suggest 2 options: a. existing code 4 hours, b. using advanced technology 32 hours. As PM assumingly prefers option b. he will also offer benefits from that, offsetting the addition 24 hours. If customer agrees, any option is within agreed scope and cost, no gold plating.

If the PM only offers b, this is most likely fraud and unethical. The motivation of the PM may be gold plating, or covering up previous flaws in the design.
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Vinod Vadakkethalakkal Lead Assistant manager Chennai, Tamilnadu, India
Aug 13, 2016 10:40 PM
Replying to Anupam
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It is an unnecessary effort. An Apple to Pineapples comparison.

Ask yourself –

When you can finish the work in 4 hours, why you want to do it in 32 hours using advance technology?

Client raises the change request, did he mention to use advance technology explicitly?

Is client aware, the usage of advance technology, and of affected budget and timeline?

Advance technology may introduce additional functionality that is not mentioned in the requirement. Is PM & team aware of that?
Client is not bothered about the technology.All they expect is the functionality "click it get it"..
...
1 reply by Anupam
Aug 14, 2016 9:39 PM
Anupam
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You may need to rephrase your question :)
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Anupam India
Aug 14, 2016 3:34 PM
Replying to Vinod Vadakkethalakkal
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Client is not bothered about the technology.All they expect is the functionality "click it get it"..
You may need to rephrase your question :)
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Venkata Rama Satish Nyayapati Hyderabad, Telangana, India
I agree with what most of you have said. In this case, with the new technology which could help future implementations, the PM would definitely have a case to back his decision. So, I don't see this as Gold Plating. It is upon the client to decide whether he would buy that idea or not.
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Marco Riberio Brazil
Good question.
For me, this is not a gold plating. I don't see additional function in this change request.
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Marco Riberio Brazil
Recently, I published a paper with this subject.
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Divyakant Narkhede PM I| Tech Mahindra Nagpur, Maharashtra, India
This is not Gold Plating. Gold Plating is delivering additional functionality to please customer.
In this scenario, Customer has requested for implementation of new requirement.
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