The development team has been delivering software components faster than planned, but some components include more features than originally specified. What should you do?

In this situation, making sure the development team understands the business objectives and requirements is crucial. Clear communication of these objectives ensures that the team stays aligned with the overall goals of the project. When team members deepen their understanding of what is truly necessary, it helps them focus on delivering what meets the users' needs as specified and avoid unnecessary feature creep.

Understanding the core business requirements is fundamental for the team to prioritize their efforts effectively. It can lead to better decision-making when it comes to adding or modifying features, improving efficiency and customer satisfaction. This alignment also aids in managing stakeholder expectations, as it creates a common understanding of what is needed versus what is being delivered.

In contrast, other approaches such as ignoring the added features, merely approving them as enhancements, or assigning penalties may lead to unresolved issues. Ignoring features that are beyond the agreed specifications could result in confusion about scope and value delivery. Approving them without proper evaluation could steer the project off course from its goals. Penalties for over-delivery can foster a negative team culture and demotivate team members, discouraging them from exceeding expectations in the future. Hence, ensuring a thorough understanding of the business objectives leads to more productive outcomes.