Feature creep (sometimes known as requirements creep or scope creep) is a tendency for product or project requirements to increase during development beyond those originally foreseen, leading to features that weren't originally planned and resulting risk to product quality or schedule. Feature creep may be driven by a client's growing "wish list" or by developers themselves as they see opportunity for improving the product. To control feature creep, project management tools, such as the requirements stability index (RSI), are sometimes advocated.
Feature creep and the deliberate spoonerism creature feep should not be confused with the "creature feature," the kind of horror movie that might be popular at Halloween.
This was last updated in September 2005
Editorial Director: Margaret Rouse
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