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The Triple Constraints
of Project Management

D. MAJDA HUIDI
NOOF KHALAF
2009517
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 The Triple Constraints of Project Management: Time, Scope & Cost

The three limita+ons that a project is o2en "bound" to in contemporary corporate se8ngs are represented by the
project management triangle, some+mes known as the iron triangle. The Triple Constraints of Project Management's
three components have a propor+onate connec+on, therefore changing one will also affect the other two constraints.
Project managers have been using the triple constraint theory for at least 50 years, thus it is not a brand-new idea.
What Are the Triple Constraints of Project Management?
Project management limita+ons are modeled a2er the "Triple Constraints of Project Management." Here are these
three restric+ons:
• Cost: The project budget, which acts as the project's financial restric+on.
• Scope: The tasks required to carry out the project's objec+ves.
• Time: The +meline according to which the project will be finished.
The success of the project depends on its expenses, +meline, and scope, according to the Triple Constraints of Project
Management. By balancing these three limita+ons through compromises, a project manager may keep the triple
constraints under control.
Any project must adhere to the Triple Constraints of Project Management, however this does not guarantee success.
Projects have many more parts than just the three that make up the Triple Constraint. Some project management
specialists have modified the model to incorporate the following extra constraints in order to more accurately reflect
the most important aspects of a project:
• Quality: Whether the final product has a tangible or immaterial output, every project must meet certain quality
standards. Project managers need a quality management strategy in order to manage quality.
• Risk: Any endeavor will inevitably include some level of risk. Project managers must evaluate risks and develop
a risk management strategy that es+mates and describes how risks will be handled .
• Benefit: Projects generate a variety of advantages. A project manager makes sure that all project stakeholders
have access to the op+mum financial advantages.
Jus+fica+on for the Triple Constraint's Importance in Project Success.
The triangle is an easy method for warning stakeholders about scope creep. It also emphasizes the necessity of the
ability to weigh tradeoffs. Project managers may also determine how external effects and variables will affect one or
more of the triangle's "legs" using the triangle model.
Project managers may use this dashboard to track the +metable, budget, and scope of their projects by customizing it to
fit the requirements of almost any project. Project managers and supervisors can inform stakeholders before a project is
threatened by keeping in mind the three project management restric+ons. For a dashboard to be effec+ve, it must track
the three key variables that may be changed to provide the greatest quality in a project.
What Are the Rules of the Triple Constraint?
The project management theory's triple limita+ons are simple to put into prac+ce. Everything comes down to mastering
the tradeoffs between the three restric+ons.

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The triangle acts as a visual cue that decisions made about restric+ons will have an impact on other people. Project
managers are aware that they will always need to oversee the budget, +meline, and scope of any project. However, it is
hard to manage any of them independently since every choice made about one has an affect on the other.
The following ac+ons can assist project managers in properly balancing the three project management constraints:
Step 1: Work with the Client.
Find out whether the customer has a budget, scope, and +mescale in mind before trying to comprehend what they
want from the project.
Use the triple constraint to evaluate op+ons and consider poten+al compromises if choosing project guidelines appears
impossible to achieve. Even though you are aware that adjustments may be necessary along the road, it is crucial to
start with a realis+c aim.
Step 2: Communicate the Project Scope.
Everyone involved in your project must comprehend its scope, roles, and responsibili+es in order for it to succeed. They
must also comprehend each element of the plan as well as the expected results.
Everyone concerned can agree on the deliverables thanks to the scope. If customers or colleagues want to make
adjustments, they must first understand how those changes will impact the triangle. To ensure that everyone is
informed, any revisions must also be included in the project's formal paperwork.
Step 3: Set Deadlines.
Maintaining the project's +metable is essen+al. For reference, a +meline that is simple to set up and comprehend by
team members should be shown in a prominent loca+on. For example, a number of applica+ons offer a large library of
templates, such as Gan` charts and calendars, that may help you create visual +melines that can be seen whenever and
wherever you need a visual reference.
Step 4: Allocate Resources.
When alloca+ng resources effec+vely, it's crucial to assign employees with the suitable skill set to the right jobs. You'll
succeed if you also guarantee that the teams have the resources and tools they need.
Step 5: Monitor the Project and Make Tradeoffs and Adjustments as Needed.
Plans that are well stated are necessary for the project to succeed. However, if you don't monitor the strategy's success,
it won't be of any service. You may monitor and make minor modifica+ons while keeping the three limita+ons in check.
You may make adjustments while keeping your objec+ves realis+c and reachable using the three constraints theory.
If one of the three limita+ons changes, you should modify the other two. To make sure everyone is on the same page,
share any changes as soon as you can with the team.
How to Manage the Triple Constraint?
Despite the triangle's apparent simplicity, each of its three components may be examined to reveal a deeper meaning:
Cost: The financial contribu+on to the project is impacted by a number of factors. First, there are resources to consider,
such as people and material, both of which have costs.
Any project that involves expenditures such as labor or equipment must es+mate both variable and fixed costs. When
u+lizing contract employees or outsourcing, this is especially crucial.
Project managers can take the following ac+ons to keep costs in check:
• Calculate the expenditures for each task covered by the project's scope.

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 • Create a project budget based on the an+cipated costs of the project.
• During the project's execu+on, use the budget plan as a cost baseline for cost control.
Keep track of all project expenses to keep within the project budget, and make any adjustments to the budget.
Scope: The work required to accomplish the project is referred to as the project scope. The success of the project
depends on the management of these du+es. To properly plan and assign resources while handling scope, you must
priori+es your du+es.
To manage scope, project managers take the following ac+ons:
• To describe the project ac+vi+es that will be carried out, use a scope management plan.
• The strategy should be distributed widely so that everyone is aware of it.
• To prevent scope creep and keep track of all project scope changes, use change orders.
• Manage stakeholder expecta+ons to keep the project on course.
• Use task management tools and processes to keep tabs on all project ac+vi+es that fall inside the defined
scope.
These scope management ac+vi+es must be carried out by project managers since the dura+on of each ac+vity affects
both the cost and the caliber of the final product. Therefore, if the project is vast in scope, this might have a
considerable impact on schedule and costs.
It is easy to assign, organize, and priori+ze your ac+vi+es using the project management tool's task management
features. They let you to assign all important project tasks to the right team members, preven+ng the dreaded scope
creep. We also assure teamwork by offering file sharing and task feedback.
Time: The simplest defini+on of a project schedule is the +me frame allo`ed for comple+on of the project or delivery of
the final deliverable. Typically, this is established by first es+ma+ng the length of +me required for each project ac+vity .
A Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is used to categorize every project work. Using various scheduling techniques, such
as PERT charts or the cri+cal path approach, the project manager may then determine the project's total +me.
The following advice can be used to manage the project schedule:
• To visualize the project schedule, define task sequences and use a Gan` chart to track each task's length.
• For project planning, implementa+on, and monitoring, create policies, procedures, and documenta+on.
• To properly distribute resources, use a resource schedule.
• Compare the actual progress to the baseline +metable to determine if ini+a+ves are on course.
Using project management so2ware, the triple constraint may be managed.
The op+mum method for project management and a successful delivery is to use the triple constraint in conjunc+on
with project management so2ware. By u+lizing the real-+me data offered by the cloud-based so2ware, they make
controlling the triple limita+ons simple .
Costs: U+lizing project management so2ware helps you keep track of project expenses, so you don't go over budget.
The real-+me dashboard records and reports on pricing and five other factors across your project in simple-to-read
charts and graphs. Hourly rates for all the resources are entered, budgets are created, and project expenses are
included. This is a quick way to monitor your spending and make sure you're staying within your budget. Addi+onally,
this makes it possible for you to see financial problems before they become major ones.

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Time: Using this project management so2ware, scheduling is simple. When tasks are changed, the program
automa+cally updates to reflect the changes. That suggests that your dashboard and reports are current. The Gan`
chart's dura+on bar aids in monitoring the advancement of each job separately.
Teammates may choose and input their assignments easily because +mesheets and team tasks are synced. By doing
this, their +me is recorded on the +mesheet, which may then be quickly reviewed and authorized.
Scope: The project management tools are adaptable enough to alter when the scope shi2s. To see your work more
clearly, you may switch between project views like the Gan` chart and the Kanban board. As the relevance shi2s, so
does the priori+zed overview of the tasks on the Kanban cards.
When the capacity and resources needed to fulfill the tasks become available, Kanban boards will only distribute them
to teammates. The board then adapts to the new scope.
Color-coded charts that show who is busy and who is reachable are included on the workload page. As a consequence,
whether teams are over or under-allocated, managers may rapidly balance the burden.
Best Prac+ces for Managing Triple Constraints Theory.
The following advice can be kept in mind when handling the three triple limita+ons of project management:
S+ck to the Plan: Once the customer has accepted the guidelines, s+ck to the triple constraint structure to keep your
project on schedule. The triple constraint triangle should not be used to make frequent adjustments.
Know Your Priori+es: Choosing the most important project restric+ons will help maintain the triangle balanced, allowing
for improved decision-making.
Add Constraints if Needed: You might include restric+ons like risks and quality if necessary to guarantee the project is
completed effec+vely and successfully.
Team Members and Stakeholders Should Be Consulted:
Consult with other stakeholders before making any adjustments to the three constraints of project management. You
may achieve the right balance of all the factors with the help of opinions from diverse viewpoints or perspec+ves.
Execu+ves and department heads, for instance, can assist in determining how changes will effect their teams and what
needs to alter to make up for it.
Conclusion: Project constraints are a constant component of project management. To guarantee that the iron triangle is
balanced and the restric+ons, if one is modified, should be in sync with the other two, it is your duty as the project
manager to cooperate and communicate with the stakeholders, clients, and team members.

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References:
h`ps://www.researchgate.net/publica+on/271455172_Theory_of_the_triple_constraint_-_A_conceptual_review
h`ps://www.academia.edu/43332224/Managing_Triple_Constraints_in_So2ware_Project_Management