Project Performance Dimensions
Three major dimensions that define the project performance are scope, time, and resource.
These parameters are interrelated and interactive. The relationship generally represented as an
equilateral triangle. The relationship is shown in figure 1.
Time Cost
Scope
Figure 1. Project performance dimensions
It is evident that any change in any one of dimensions would affect the other. For example,
if the scope is enlarged, project would require more time for completion and the cost would also
go up. If time is reduced the scope and cost would also be required to be reduced. Similarly any
change in cost would be reflected in scope and time. Successful completion of the project would
require accomplishment of specified goals within scheduled time and budget. In recent years a
forth dimension, stakeholder satisfaction, is added to the project. However, the other school of
management argues that this dimension is an inherent part of the scope of the project that
defines the specifications to which the project is required to be implemented. Thus the
performance of a project is measured by the degree to which these three parameters (scope,
time and cost) are achieved.
Mathematically
Performance = f(Scope, Cost, Time)
In management literature, this equilateral triangle is also referred as the “Quality
triangle” of the project.
Project Life Cycle
Every project, from conception to completion, passes through various phases of a life
cycle synonym to life cycle of living beings. There is no universal consensus on the number of
phases in a project cycle. An understanding of the life cycle is important to successful completion
of the project as it facilitates to understand the logical sequence of events in the continuum of
progress from start to finish. Typical project consists of four phases- Conceptualization, Planning,
