What is Feature Creep?
Feature creep, also called scope creep, refers to the tendency of project requirements to exceed their original estimations. It is common with the development of major computer projects, in which engineers decide that additional features should be added to the product before release to make it more usable and enjoyable for the target market. It can also happen when the client contracting the project keeps adding to the wish list. Feature creep can affect the overall budget for a project, as well as delaying the release time considerably, causing frustration to company executives. It can also ultimately weaken a product by clogging it with interesting but unneeded features, so companies need to take care to avoid it. The problem can be mitigated by having a tightly organized project team which recognizes the exact requirements of the project and works together to meet them. A project manager who is aware of the risks of feature creep can help to head it off at the pass by refocusing the
As a system evolves through its lifecycle, typically functionality is added to address new needs. However, the usage of the system usually changes too, so that features that were once important become used less often or perhaps never. Feature creep describes this generally as growth in the functions in a system, which progressively weakens security, since each new feature is a potential attack point. Only by measuring behaviour is it possible to understand and control feature creep.
Feature creep is the process of slowly adding features to a product or interface over time. The result is a design that is less than the sum of its parts. The features may have added functionality, but the overall effect is negative. The complexity brought on by the features has, instead of adding value, made the design undesirable and a pain to use. Simply put: Feature creep happens when the design team underestimates the burden each additional feature puts on the person using it. • Why Feature Creep Happens There are several reasons why feature creep happens. Most of the reasons have everything to do with the mindset of the designer/design team, not the actual features or the goal of the design itself.
Feature creep is the process of slowly adding features to a product or interface over time. The result is a design that is less than the sum of its parts. The features may have added functionality, but the overall effect is negative. The complexity brought on by the features has, instead of adding value, made the design undesirable and a pain to use. Simply put: Feature creep happens when the design team underestimates the burden each additional feature puts on the person using it. To prevent feature creep from happening, it is useful to explore why it happens in the first place. By looking at the reasons why it happens, we can get a better idea of how to avoid it happening to us.
