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Project Management vocabulary · Scope & Requirements

Triple constraint

Meaning in project management, with examples

/ˌtrɪpəl kənˈstreɪnt/nounCommon term

In project management, triple constraint means: The idea that scope, time and cost are linked, so a change to one of them, such as adding features, affects at least one of the others, with quality in the middle.

In Turkish: üçlü kısıt, demir üçgen, proje üçgeni

How it is used

A classic idea in training and job interviews. Also called the iron triangle or project management triangle. People use it to explain trade-offs to clients: “fast, cheap, good: pick two”.

Example sentences

  1. Because of the triple constraint, we can't add the new module without more time or more money.

  2. I used the triple constraint to explain why the earlier date would mean fewer features.

Common collocations

  • the triple constraint
  • iron triangle
  • balance the triple constraint
  • scopeAll the work, features and results that a project has agreed to deliver, and by extension what it will not deliver.
  • budgetThe total amount of money approved for a project, usually broken down into costs such as staff, equipment, suppliers and a reserve for surprises.
  • timelineThe planned order and dates of the main activities and milestones of a project, often shown as a line or chart.
  • scope creepThe slow, uncontrolled growth of a project's scope, when new features or tasks are added without adjusting time, budget or resources.

More terms: Scope & Requirements

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