HKSM
Progressive Elaboration
An ongoing, iterative approach where the project management plan is refined and detailed over time as additional information is discovered and estimates become more precise.
Key Points
- Details are added in cycles as the team learns more and improves estimate accuracy.
- Applies to the overall project management plan and its subsidiary plans (scope, schedule, cost, risk, etc.).
- Changes follow formal change control when baselines are affected, preventing uncontrolled scope growth.
- Common across phases and iterations; near-term work is planned in greater detail than distant work.
Example
During a system implementation, the initial plan sets high-level milestones and a rough budget. As requirements are validated and vendor lead times are confirmed, the team breaks down work packages, assigns resources, and updates cost and schedule estimates with greater precision, formally revising the plan where baselines are impacted.
PMP Example Question
A project manager regularly updates the project management plan and subsidiary plans with more specific tasks, refined estimates, and clarified risk responses as new information is confirmed. What is this practice called?
- Progressive elaboration
- Scope creep
- Gold plating
- Fast tracking
Correct Answer: A — Progressive elaboration
Explanation: The plan is intentionally refined as information improves. This is not unauthorized scope increase (scope creep), adding extra features (gold plating), or overlapping activities to shorten the schedule (fast tracking).
