Will the Triple Constraint become the Project Diamond?

Craig Brown shares his experience (here) using a project diamond instead of the triple constraint (a.k.a., the Iron Triangle).  I was wondering whether someone would do like this… I’ve seen quality represented as a “Q” in the middle of the triangle or as an area “under” the triangle. 

I’ll have to think some more about how to use it.   I like the concept in theory, but I’m not sure how well the prioritization exercise Craig describes would work in practice.

PM Quote of the Day — George S. Patton

A good plan, violently executed now, is better than a perfect plan next week.

This quote is an nice appropriate bookend to yesterday’s Eliot quote (here).  Most SAP projects have to be delivered within a tight time window within strict resource constraints.  With two legs of the triple constraint almost fixed — and we can’t compromise on quality with mission-critical applications — our scope planning and prioritization must be ruthless. 

While it is important to have patience with ourselves and others, dithering about features and functions doesn’t work in today’s project environment.  To slip in another quote: Say what you’ll do, do what you say… and don’t look back.

Serendipity in WordPress — the “Related Posts” feature

WordPress added a feature called “Possibly Related Posts” that identifies posts that may be of interest of the readers of one’s post (explained here).  I’ve left the feature on in my blog, but I forgot about it until I saw two new blogs in my “Clicks” stats (from my Triple Constraint posts here and here)

Sit down and shut up! had an older post on the Triple Constraint (here).  It was nice to see that Extreme programming still pays homage to the ol’ Iron Triangle.  Also, I have to like any post that references Spock’s lament from The City on the Edge of Forever.

Suburban Fizz posted on projects, life, and how the Triple Constraint is part of everyday living (here).  I try not to impose PM jargon on my family, but I smiled with recognition at many of the same trade-offs that have gone through my head.

My wife — a refugee from Wall Street — does occasionally use her past experience, however.  For example, when I ask about what might be good for lunch, she’ll reply:

Well, we’re way long hot dogs…