Feature creep is the proliferation of features in a product such as computer software.[1] Extra features go beyond the basic function of the product and so can result in baroque over-complication, or "featuritis", rather than simple, elegant design.
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Causes
The most common cause of feature creep is the desire to provide the consumer with a more useful or desirable product, in order to increase sales or distribution. However, once the product reaches the point at which it does everything that it is designed to do, the manufacturer is left with the choice of adding unneeded functions, sometimes at the cost of efficiency, or sticking with the old version, at the cost of a perceived lack of improvement.
Characteristics
Feature creep is the most common source of cost and schedule overruns.[2] It thus endangers and can even kill products and projects. Apple's abandoned Copland operating system is an example of this.[citation needed]
Control
Temptation of later feature creep may be avoided to some degree by basing initial design on strong software fundamentals, such as logical separation of functionality and data access. It can be actively controlled with rigorous change management and by delaying changes to later delivery phases of a project.[3]
See also
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Mitigation
References
- ^ J.M. Sullivan (8-10 June 2005), "Impediments to and incentives for automation in the Air Force", 2005 International Symposium on Technology and Society: 101–110, http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/freeabs_all.jsp?arnumber=1452719
- ^ Davis, F.D. and Venkatesh, V. (February 2004), Toward preprototype user acceptance testing of new information systems: implications for software project management, 51 issue 1, IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, ISSN 0018-9391, http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/freeabs_all.jsp?arnumber=1266852
- ^ Kenneth S. Norton (2001), Applying Cross-Functional Evolutionary Methodologies to Web Development, paper in Web Engineering: Managing Diversity and Complexity of Web published by Springer, ISBN 3540421300, http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Ak5slktYul8C
External links
- http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?CreepingFeaturitis (registered on October 23, 1995 at the latest.)
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