The Invisible Barrier to Efficiency in IT Projects

The Invisible Barrier to Efficiency in IT Projects

When it comes to digital transformation, the biggest obstacles are often not budget constraints or lack of infrastructure. The real threat usually stems from a mindset that quietly undermines project efficiency:

The “more is better” misconception.

This commonly encountered pitfall in IT projects has a name:

Gold Plating.

So, What is Gold Plating?

It’s the act of adding unnecessary hardware or software features beyond what was initially defined — often justified by a “just in case” approach.

While it may sound like a thoughtful, well-intentioned move, the reality is this:

Gold plating inflates the budget, increases maintenance costs, and reduces long-term efficiency.

A Simple Example:

A company is required to store access logs under KVKK (Turkish Data Protection Law).

The actual need:

• 1TB log storage
• Basic access control
• Monthly backup scheduling

What the project manager adds “just to be safe”:

• 5TB SSD storage
• Real-time access analytics software
• 24/7 monitoring system

Result:

The budget triples, the system becomes more complex, and maintenance costs rise — even though the core need remains unchanged.

How to Avoid Gold Plating

The steps are clear:

• Accurate needs assessment: Technical teams should collaborate closely with business units. Clearly define what is needed — and what is not.
• Choose what’s sufficient, not what’s excessive.
• Establish documentation culture: When decisions are documented, adding extras “later on” becomes harder to justify.
• Think like an auditor: Standards like KVKK and ISO 27001 don’t demand “more,” they demand what’s necessary — no less, no more.

Think Strategically, Avoid Waste

IT projects are investments. Every unnecessary feature added today could mean fewer resources available tomorrow.

Gold plating may appear helpful, but in the long run, it damages a company’s agility and sustainability.

Remember:

A successful IT project isn’t the one with the most features — it’s the one that meets actual needs in the most efficient way possible.

At Everhub, we don’t design IT projects around “what ifs.”

We build solutions around real, defined needs.

Instead of inflating projects, we simplify them — delivering sustainable, auditable, and cost-effective IT solutions.

Are you still chasing “more,” or are you moving forward with solutions tailored to your needs?

Let’s simplify things together.

Let us help you make your project smarter and more effective.