The Project Box: Beyond the Triple Constraint
Traditionally, project managers are told to optimize scope subject to constraints on time, cost, and quality. This is embodied in the expression, “better, faster, cheaper—choose two.” The phrase has become a rhetorical distraction to effective project management. It presumes a magic bullet; if you can precisely balance the constraints you will be successful. In reality, the triple constraint poses a calculus problem that has no tangible solution.
The project box introduces a new and better paradigm for describing the interaction of time, cost, quality, and scope for many software projects—particularly Agile projects. The project box simplifies the calculus of managing the project constraints:
- Duration is set,
- Scope is time-boxed and negotiable,
- Quality is both time-boxed and imperfections are expected, and
- Cost is proportional to duration.
The project box represents a paradigm shift for managing software projects. It recognizes the primacy of time and reorients the other dimensions accordingly. To traditionalists, the project box provides a new worldview for managing time, scope, quality and cost. To Agilests, it provides a better representation of their principles and replaces the inverted triangle.
To read the full article: https://www.scrumalliance.org/community/articles/2015/november/the-project-box-evolving-beyond-the-triple-constra
Outline/Structure of the Talk
- Review the triple-constraint
- Origins of the triple constraint
- Practical limitations of using the triple constraint
- The Project Box—an alternative framework
- Time is the primary constraint—duration is fixed
- Scope is time boxed and negotiable
- Quality is good enough
- Cost is a function of time
- Examples of the project box in use
- Project Box and the inverted triangle
Learning Outcome
The triple-constraint is no longer relevant for most software projects. The Project Box is new paradigm that more effectively explains the interplay of time, cost, quality and scope.
Participants will leave with session with a new and better paradigm to describe the relation between time, cost, quality, and scope on their Agile projects.
Target Audience
Executive Leadership, Project Managers, PMO Organizations
Links
Blog posts on LinkedIn
Articles published on ScrumAlliance
Project Management Essentials website: http://www.pmessentials.us
schedule Submitted 4 years ago
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