Project Constraints

project constraints
Every project is constrained in different ways, often by its scope, time, and cost goals.
These limitations are sometimes referred to in project management as the triple
constraint. To create a successful project, a project manager must consider scope, time,
and cost and balance these three often-competing goals:
• Scope: What work will be done as part of the project? What unique product,
service, or result does the customer or sponsor expect from the project? How
will the scope be verified?
• Time: How long should it take to complete the project? What is the project’s
schedule? How will the team track actual schedule performance? Who can
approve changes to the schedule?
• Cost: What should it cost to complete the project? What is the project’s
budget? How will costs be tracked? Who can authorize changes to the budget?
Figure 1-1 illustrates the three dimensions of the triple constraint. Each area—
scope, time, and cost—has a target at the beginning of the project. For example, the IT
collaboration project might have an initial scope of producing a 40- to 50-page report and
a one-hour presentation on about 30 potential IT projects. The project manager might
further define project scope to include providing a description of each potential project,
an investigation of what other companies have implemented for similar projects, a rough
time and cost estimate, and assessments of the risk and potential payoff as high, medium,
or low. The initial time estimate for this project might be one month, and the cost
estimate might be $45,000–$50,000. These expectations provide targets for the scope,
time, and cost dimensions of the project. Note that the scope and cost goals in this example include
ranges—the report can
be 40 to 50 pages long and the project can cost between $45,000 and $50,000. Because
projects involve uncertainty and limited resources, projects rarely finish according to their
original scope, time, and cost goals. Instead of discrete target goals, it is often more realistic
to set a range for goals, such as spending between $45,000 and $50,000 and having a 40- to
50-page report. These goals might require hitting the target, but not the bull’s eye.
Managing the triple constraint involves making trade-offs between scope, time, and
cost goals for a project. For example, you might need to increase the budget for a project
to meet scope and time goals. Alternatively, you might have to reduce the scope of a
project to meet time and cost goals. Experienced project managers know that you must
decide which aspect of the triple constraint is most important. If time is most important,
you must often change the initial scope and cost goals to meet the schedule. If scope goals
are most important, you may need to adjust time and cost goals.
To generate project ideas for the IT collaboration project, suppose that the project
manager sent an e-mail survey to all employees, as planned. The initial time and cost
estimate may have been one week and $5,000 to collect ideas using this e-mail survey. Now,
suppose that the e-mail survey generated only a few good project ideas, but the scope goal
was to collect at least 30 good ideas. Should the project team use a different method like
focus groups or interviews to collect ideas? Even though it was not in the initial scope, time,
or cost estimates, it would really help the project. Because good ideas are crucial to project
success, it would make sense to inform the project sponsor that adjustments are needed.
Although the triple constraint describes how the basic elements of a project
interrelate, other elements can also play significant roles. Quality is often a key factor
in projects, as is customer or sponsor satisfaction. Some people, in fact, refer to the
quadruple constraint of project management, which includes quality as well as scope,
time, and cost. A project team may meet scope, time, and cost goals but might fail
to meet quality standards and satisfy the sponsor. For example, Anne Roberts may
receive a 50-page report describing 30 potential IT projects and hear a presentation that
summarizes the report. The project team may have completed the work on time and
within the cost constraint, but the quality may have been unacceptable.
Other factors might also be crucial to a particular project. On some projects,
resources are the main concern. For example, the entertainment industry often needs
particular actors for movies or television shows. Project goals must be adjusted based
on when particular people are available. Risk can also affect major project decisions.
A company might wait to start a project until the risks are at an acceptable level. The
project manager should be communicating with the sponsor throughout the project to
make sure it is meeting expectations. Chapter 10, Project Communications Management,
and Chapter 13, Project Stakeholder Management, address communicating with
stakeholders and understanding their expectations in greater detail.
How can you avoid the problems that occur when you meet scope, time, and cost
goals, but lose sight of customer satisfaction? The answer is good project management,
which includes more than managing project constraints.

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project constraints

These limitations are sometimes referred to in project management as the triple

and cost and balance these three often-competing goals:

will the scope be verified?

approve changes to the schedule?

a one-hour presentation on about 30 potential IT projects. The project manager might

in projects, as is customer or sponsor satisfaction. Some people, in fact, refer to the

quadruple constraint of project management, which includes quality as well as scope,

Other factors might also be crucial to a particular project. On some projects,

make sure it is meeting expectations. Chapter 10, Project Communications Management,

and Chapter 13, Project Stakeholder Management, address communicating with

stakeholders and understanding their expectations in greater detail.

which includes more than managing project constraints.

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