PMP Certification Training: Understanding the 3 Constraints of Project Management

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Every organization nowadays needs qualified Project Managers to manage the various business projects for their customers. These projects need to be handled with the utmost care from the initial planning till the delivery. In Project Management, which is the process of planning and executing projects, there are several constraints or limitations that affect the end result. Project Management Professionals (PMPs) are responsible to recognize these limitations and overcome them to ensure successful project delivery.

Project Management has 3 major constraints - Time, Scope, and Cost. These are also referred to as the ‘triple constraint’ or the ‘iron triangle’ or simply the ‘project management triangle’. This concept identifies the importance of the three constraints on each other that ultimately affect the delivery of the project. The inter-dependency of time, scope, and cost factor is the main objective of the project management triangle. PMPs utilize this iron triangle of project management to determine that the project delivered meets the client’s requirement. It resides at the center of all successful projects. Thus, understanding the project management triangle is very important for aspiring PMPs.

The three constraints of project management are as follows:

Time ConstraintPMPs are assigned the task of estimating the time needed to finish the project and deliver it to the customer on time. This is a crucial step. It is usually considered in the initiation or planning stage of the project development process. The time constraint is then monitored throughout the project life cycle so as to ensure timely delivery of the project. This process is regarded as a schedule management process in project management.Scope ConstraintThis constraint is another vital factor that impacts the project delivery cycle in an organization. Project managers need to create a layout of all the tasks involved in the project and assign them to the project management team. The scope of the project is determined early on, in order to avoid any problems in the project execution process. Scope creep as it is known is one of the major reasons for project failure. Thus PMPs need to manage the scope of the project through project scope management.Cost ConstraintProjects require cost management to meet the cutoff for both the organization and its clients. PMPs have the ability to estimate the cost of the project and deliver projects within the stipulated budget. Any deviation from the estimation results in the failure of the project and affects the organization’s productivity. This is not an easy task to do and project managers use many project management tools to predict the financial requirement of the project efficiently.

 The triple constraints are dependent on each other and affect the end result, equally. A change in the estimated time for the project completion increases the scope and costs of the project. Similarly, when the budget is adjusted, the time and scope needed to complete the project also get affected. PMPs apply their knowledge of the iron triangle to deliver successful projects for their organization. The PMP Certification Training offers PMP aspirants an in-depth understanding of the project management triangle to help them in their project management careers.