Project Management Constraints — Quality, Time, Cost (Triple Constraint)
Foundation
Constraint Foundation
Constraints are numerous for all activities we endeavor, but constraint consideration is crucial for project management.
Three Main Constraints
3 PM Constraints
Quality, time, and cost are among the main constraints most often realized in project management:
- Quality
- Time
- Cost
Quality
Quality Definition
Quality refers to being in accordance with the requirement — the specifications.
Time
Time Definition
Time refers to the amount of time you have to complete the project.
Cost
Cost Definition
Cost refers to your resource constraints, to include:
- Money
- Manpower
- Machinery
- Materials
The Driving Constraint
Driving Constraint
One of the constraints (Quality, Time, or Cost) will be your driver for the project.
Driver Impact
The driving constraint for your project will have an impact on the other two constraints.
Take Driver Into Consideration
Driver Consideration
Ensure you take this into consideration when:
- Making decisions about the project's objective
- Adjust the management of your project accordingly
Project Manager Responsibility
PM Responsibility
It is incumbent upon a project manager to:
- Provide leadership
- Use good team-building techniques
…to:
- Establish a sound project objective
- Generate the solution options necessary to achieve those objectives