🎯 PM Foundation: Constraints and Success

The Birthday Party Story 🎂

Imagine you’re planning the best birthday party ever for your friend. You have:

• $50 to spend (that’s your budget)
• 3 hours to set up everything (that’s your time)
• A small backyard to work with (that’s your resources)

And your friend wants a superhero-themed party with cake, games, and decorations (that’s what you need to deliver).

This is EXACTLY how project managers think! Let’s discover the secrets together.

🔗 What Are Project Constraints?

Constraints are the “rules” you must follow when doing any project.

Think of it like playing a video game:

• You can only jump this high
• You can only run this fast
• You only have this many lives

These limits shape HOW you play the game.

The 6 Main Constraints

graph LR
    A[🎯 PROJECT] --> B[💰 Cost]
    A --> C[⏰ Time]
    A --> D[📋 Scope]
    A --> E[⭐ Quality]
    A --> F[⚠️ Risk]
    A --> G[👥 Resources]

🔺 The Triple Constraint (The Magic Triangle)

The Triple Constraint is the MOST FAMOUS idea in project management!

Picture a triangle where each side depends on the others:

graph TD
    S[📋 SCOPE<br>What you build]
    T[⏰ TIME<br>How long it takes]
    C[💰 COST<br>How much you spend]
    S --- T
    T --- C
    C --- S

The Golden Rule

If you change ONE side, at least ONE other side MUST change too!

Real Examples:

🍕 Pizza Example

You order pizza for 10 friends:

• Scope: 3 large pizzas
• Time: Delivered in 30 minutes
• Cost: $45

Now your friend says: “Can we get 5 pizzas instead?”

That’s MORE scope! So either:

• ⏰ It takes longer to make
• 💰 It costs more money
• ⭐ Quality might drop (rushed work)

You can’t have everything perfect at once!

🎮 Constraint Management

Constraint Management = Finding the BEST balance between all your limits.

It’s like being a DJ with mixing sliders. You adjust one, and others move too!

The 3 Steps

graph TD
    A[1️⃣ IDENTIFY<br>What are my limits?] --> B[2️⃣ PRIORITIZE<br>Which matters most?]
    B --> C[3️⃣ BALANCE<br>Trade-off decisions]

Priority Game

Ask the sponsor: “If I can only keep ONE perfect, which is it?”

Example: School Play 🎭

The school play is in 2 weeks (FIXED time).

✅ Project Success Criteria

Success Criteria = The checklist that proves you DID IT RIGHT!

Before you start, everyone agrees: “The project is successful IF…”

The 4 Questions

graph LR
    A[🎯 SUCCESS?] --> B[Did we deliver what was promised?]
    A --> C[Did we finish on time?]
    A --> D[Did we stay in budget?]
    A --> E[Is the customer happy?]

Examples

⚠️ Important!

Success criteria must be:

• Specific (not vague)
• Measurable (you can count or check)
• Agreed (everyone says yes before starting)

Bad: “The party should be fun” ❌ Good: “At least 8 out of 10 guests say they enjoyed it” ✅

🌟 Project Success Factors

Success Factors = The INGREDIENTS that help you succeed!

If success criteria is the finish line, success factors are the training and equipment that help you win the race.

Key Success Factors

graph LR
    A[🏆 SUCCESS FACTORS] --> B[👨‍💼 Strong Sponsor]
    A --> C[📋 Clear Goals]
    A --> D[💪 Good Team]
    A --> E[🗣️ Open Communication]
    A --> F[⚠️ Risk Planning]

Success Criteria vs Success Factors

📦 Product Scope vs Project Scope

This is where many people get confused! Let’s make it super clear.

🎁 Product Scope

Product Scope = WHAT you are building

“What features and functions does the final thing have?”

Birthday Party Product Scope:

• Superhero decorations
• Chocolate cake with Batman logo
• 3 party games
• Goodie bags for guests

🛠️ Project Scope

Project Scope = ALL THE WORK needed to build it

“What tasks do you need to complete?”

Birthday Party Project Scope:

• Buy decorations from store
• Order cake 3 days early
• Set up backyard
• Send invitations
• Prepare game supplies
• Pack goodie bags

The Difference Visualized

graph LR
    A[🎯 GOAL: Birthday Party]
    B[📦 PRODUCT SCOPE<br>The Party Itself]
    C[🛠️ PROJECT SCOPE<br>All Work to Create It]

    A --> B
    A --> C

    B --> D[Decorations ✨]
    B --> E[Cake 🎂]
    B --> F[Games 🎮]

    C --> G[Shopping 🛒]
    C --> H[Setup 🔧]
    C --> I[Invitations 💌]

Quick Test

Why This Matters

If you only focus on product scope, you might forget all the work needed!

“Sure, the cake should have 3 layers… but who’s baking it?”

🎬 Putting It All Together

Let’s see how all these concepts work together in one story:

🚀 Building a Treehouse

Product Scope (What we want):

• Wooden treehouse with ladder
• Window and door
• Roof that doesn’t leak

Project Scope (Work to do):

• Buy wood and nails
• Build the floor
• Build the walls
• Add the roof
• Paint it

Constraints:

• 💰 $200 budget
• ⏰ 2 weekends
• 👥 Dad and you

Triple Constraint Moment: Dad says: “We can add a slide!”

You think:

• More scope means more time ⏰
• Or more money for materials 💰
• Or lower quality on other parts ⭐

Success Criteria:

• ✅ Treehouse holds 2 kids safely
• ✅ Finished before school starts
• ✅ Under $200

Success Factors:

• Dad has building experience 💪
• Clear blueprint drawing 📋
• Good weather forecast ☀️

🎯 Key Takeaways

🧠 Remember This Forever!

The Triple Constraint is like a water balloon.

Squeeze one side (less time), and the other sides bulge out (more cost, less scope, lower quality).

You can’t squeeze ALL sides at once!

Now you understand how project managers think. Every project is a puzzle of balancing what you want with what you have.

You’ve got this! 🌟