Hey Reader,

TL;DR

• Every project has 4 constraints: time, scope, budget, quality
• You’re already managing these in everyday life - now bring that clarity into your work
• Don’t just track constraints - actively manage them and communicate trade-offs early

Ever planned a holiday?

You probably started by asking:

• How much can we spend?
• When do we want to go?
• What kind of trip do we want?
• And… are we going budget airline and 3-star? Or business class and 5-star?

If so,

You’ve already been managing time, scope, budget and quality.

These are the four key constraints in every project.

Ignore them, and you’ll overpromise, underdeliver, or burn out your team trying to catch up.

Manage them well, and your project runs smoothly - like a business class trip booked on points that actually lands on time and delivers the experience you hoped for.

Why Constraints Matter

When people think about project management, they often picture Gantt charts and status reports. However, real project management starts with knowing your boundaries.

Every project has four core constraints:

• Time → When does it need to be delivered?
• Scope → What exactly are we trying to deliver?
• Budget → How much can we spend - on people, tools, delivery?
• Quality → What standard are we aiming for?

These aren’t optional.

They shape how we plan, how we deliver, and how we course-correct when things change (and they always do).

Holiday vs. Project

Let’s play this out.

If you say: “We want to go away for a week, spend no more than £1,000, and have a relaxing beach break…”

That’s your triangle:

• Time = 1 week
• Budget = £1,000
• Scope = relaxing beach holiday
• Quality = maybe 4-star accommodation, direct flights, and good food

Now imagine your travel partner says:

“Oh, but we also want to go to 3 cities, stay in luxury hotels, and travel first class.”

Something has to give.

Either the cost goes up, the trip gets longer, or you adjust expectations.

Same with projects.

You can’t increase scope without affecting time, cost, or quality.

You can’t cut time without simplifying what’s being delivered.

Trying to do it all leads to late nights, missed deadlines, or underwhelming results.

Good PMs don’t just identify constraints. They manage them actively:

• Flag when something is creeping beyond scope
• Clarify what success looks like (not just “finish it”)
• Create room for trade-offs and honest conversations

Next week, we’ll talk about one of the most overlooked fundamentals.

Tools and documentation.

Because having a clear record and the right systems can make everything else easier.

See you next week,

Yomi

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