PK0-005 Project Management Concepts Practice Question
Which TWO of the following are examples of gold plating? (Select two.)
⚠ Common exam trap
PK0-005 often tests the distinction between gold plating (unrequested additions) and approved changes or defect fixes, catching candidates who label any addition as gold plating.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Including an additional reporting module that was not specified
Gold plating means delivering extra functionality or quality beyond what was agreed in scope, without the customer requesting it. Option B is correct because adding an additional reporting module that was not specified introduces unrequested scope, which is a classic example of gold plating. Option D is correct because using higher quality materials than specified to improve durability exceeds the agreed requirements and adds unrequested value, also gold plating. Option A is not gold plating because the feature was requested by the customer after scope approval, making it a scope change rather than unrequested extra work. Option C is not gold plating because removing a feature reduces scope and cost rather than adding unrequested functionality. Option E is not gold plating because correcting a defect is required quality work to meet the agreed specification, not extra scope.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Adding a feature the customer requested after scope approval
Why it's wrong here
A customer-requested feature approved after scope approval is legitimate scope via change control, not gold plating. It tempts because the addition occurred post-baseline, but gold plating is unrequested, unapproved extra work; here the customer asked and the change was sanctioned, so it is authorised scope.
- ✓
Including an additional reporting module that was not specified
Why this is correct
Gold plating means delivering extra functionality beyond what was agreed. Adding a reporting module that was never specified exceeds the approved scope, consuming budget and schedule without authorisation, which is precisely the definition the question tests.
- ✗
Removing a feature to reduce cost
Why it's wrong here
Removing a feature reduces scope below the approved baseline, which is scope cutting or descoping, not gold plating. It tempts because both involve unapproved scope deviation, but gold plating specifically adds unrequested deliverables; removal is the inverse and would be handled through change control.
- ✓
Using higher quality materials than specified to improve durability
Why this is correct
Using higher quality materials than specified delivers durability beyond the agreed scope, satisfying the stem's requirement for gold plating: unrequested enhancements that add cost and effort without customer approval. Unlike scope creep, which the customer initiates, this remains a deliberate team-driven addition, making it a textbook example of the unnecessary work gold plating describes.
- ✗
Correcting a defect found during testing
Why it's wrong here
Correcting a defect restores the agreed scope and quality baseline, so it is required rework, not gold plating. It tempts because testing activity can look like extra work beyond delivery, yet gold plating means adding unrequested functionality; defect correction is the opposite, fulfilling specified requirements.
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Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
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