The work to do, the time to do it in, and the associated cost — these are the three points of what I think of as ‘the triangle of needs’.

All individuals, teams, and organisations will have these three fundamental limits in some form or another when setting off to build something.

There is generally a finite amount of money limiting the amount of resources available over a given time period, plus a looming deadline to complete the project, and hopefully some well thought out, impactful work to get done.

The earlier these are identified, and the limits and constraints of each recognised, the easier it is to have the conversation on what can be built, by when, and by who.

Once you have the what, the when, and the who, the who can start figuring out the where and how. We assume the why has already been answered as part of the first conversation about the project — why should we work on this?

The who, hopefully empowered are able to give a more precise what they can build by when: a roadmap of the smaller deliverables that lead to the completion of the work.

However, there should always be scope for negotiation and adjustment of the what and when.

Modern engineering teams learn as they build: they’ll have hit unexpected roadblocks or have found innovative shortcuts. Ensure their feedback is heard and incorporated into any roadmaps and schedules to keep them engaged.

Trust them. Empower them to take risks and make mistakes. Learn from them, and each other. Ensure that you always get a functioning piece of work (the chunks of the what) at a regular cadence.

Collectively, always be hunting for that sweet spot in the triangle that gets the work delivered, on time, within budget.

Most of the time we are constrained by the needs of our triangle: cost, deadlines and/or deliverables.

The triangle will tell you what is being traded. Cost for time and/or deliverables, deliverables for cost and/or time, time for cost and/or deliverables.

Recognise and manage those expectations early, and a positive outcome is nearly always possible.