Better, Faster, and Cheaper was published today and I hope you’ll read it, and then challenge your own assumptions for a minute. Is it always 2 of the 3?

This was hard to write because I struggled for a good example. In the end my example is both contrived and twists the definition some – doesn’t that support the idea that you really can only get 2 of the 3? It’s harder than that. I think there are a lot of times when we do get all three and when we do, we don’t think about it as hey, I beat the axiom! No, usually this phrase is a defensive stick when someone wants the impossible. Sometimes it really is impossible, sometimes it isn’t (at least that’s my opinion). If you can show me how each leg of the triangle affects the other then I’m more comfortable with making decisions because I can see and challenge the assumptions – and perhaps agree with them. It’s no fun to hear it on the customer side, and I think it’s damaging on the provider side because you’re closing doors.