The Triangle - Priority Clarity
The simple, powerful lesson of the triangle is often overlooked: the wisdom of setting clear expectations upfront about how to manage inevitable challenges to the project.
January 31, 2025
Project management theories come and go but some best practices stand the test of time. One such practice is the project management triangle, a foundational tool introduced as part of the Microsoft Solutions Framework (MSF) in the 90s. The simple, powerful lesson of the triangle is often overlooked: the wisdom of agreeing upfront about how to address issues that might delay, derail or otherwise threaten the success of the project.
Over time all of these small, seemingly reasonable decisions can lead to huge gaps in expectations between stakeholders.
Setting Expectations
At the heart of any successful project is the ability to set expectations clearly and manage them effectively. When we begin a project, this often feels straightforward. We have a sense of the work, we have a rough timeline and we understand the budget and resources available. Yet, as the project progresses, scope creeps kicks in, unexpected issues arise and the initial plan begins to fray. The team works to adapt, making trade-offs to stay on track but often without the explicit, strategic context that is needed to make those trade-offs wisely.
This is where one key project management question can make all the difference, even though it’s rarely asked: What is most important - scope, schedule or resources?
To understand why this question matters, let’s break down the core elements of the project management triangle:
- Scope: What are we trying to achieve? What problem needs to be solved, what features need to be built, etc?
- Time: How long do we have to complete this project? Is there a fixed deadline, like the start of a new fiscal year or an industry event?
- Resources: What people and budget do we have at our disposal to make this happen?
These elements are interconnected and when one shifts, the others are impacted. When a project slips behind schedule, you may need more resources or reduced scope to recover. When the budget is strained, you may have to cut features or extend the timeline. Despite the inherent trade-offs, project adjustments are often made organically, one small decision at a time, without a guiding framework to manage the bigger picture. Over time all of these small, seemingly reasonable decisions can lead to huge gaps in expectations between stakeholders.
What Matters Most?
Here’s the challenge: Most customers and stakeholders want all three elements to be inviolable. They want the project done on time, on budget and with the full scope promised. Asking them to prioritize feels like admitting defeat before starting, so it’s tempting to avoid the conversation altogether.
But the reality is that no project is immune to change. Requirements shift, team members leave, dependencies fall through and unforeseen obstacles arise. When these issues appear, project managers often dip into the buffer, cut corners, add overtime, etc., decisions that, if made too late or without context, can lead to frustration and conflict with stakeholders.
Proactive Risk Management
So have the conversation upfront. Determine which element of the triangle is sacrosanct, what is priority number two and what can be flexible. In some cases it may appear to be obvious - perhaps the schedule is non-negotiable because you’re delivering a keynote presentation at a conference - but most of the time ranking these priorities will require debate and compromise.
By agreeing on these priorities at the beginning, you set a framework for decision-making that guides the team throughout the project. For example, if everyone knows the schedule is the top priority, they’ll focus on delivering core features over nice-to-haves, ensuring critical deadlines are met. If product market fit is the goal, scope will be the top priority.
What If Everything Is a Priority?
What if stakeholders insist on “all of it”? What if the client insists that the project be on-time, on-budget and on-spec without exception? This is where less obvious elements come into play - quality and risk.
When scope, time and resources are fixed and challenges arise without adjustments being made, risk increases and quality always suffers. The team begins cramming tasks, cutting corners and juggling priorities, leading to a cascade of rushed work and missed details. This is how projects reach a tipping point and implode, often with plenty of frustration and blame to go around.
The Benefits of Clear Prioritization
No project manager looks forward to discussing overruns, late deliveries or missing features with stakeholders, but these conversations are far easier to have at the beginning when everything is on track than in the heat of a crisis when deadlines loom and tempers flare. By agreeing upfront on how project risk will be managed and which elements of the triangle have flexibility, you create a shared understanding that helps navigate tough decisions later.
Managing expectations proactively isn’t just about avoiding problems; it also helps create clarity and context for every decision along the way. It gives the team the confidence to make trade-offs that align with the agreed priorities, reducing friction and conflict with stakeholders. And it ensures that when issues inevitably arise, they can be addressed in a way that everyone understands and supports.
When you prioritize the elements of the project management triangle at the outset:
- Teams stay aligned: With a clear understanding of what matters most, everyone pulls in the same direction, making decisions that support the top priority.
- Stakeholders are prepared: When challenges arise, stakeholders are less likely to be surprised or disappointed by necessary trade-offs.
- Quality is protected: By planning for flexibility in one or more areas, you avoid a scenario where quality must be sacrificed to avoid the appearance of failure - a missed deadline, feature, etc.
- Risk is reduced: clear priorities are in themselves a risk mitigation plan!
Clarity isn’t just nice to have, it’s the foundation for successful projects.
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