Making It Happen: A Non-Technical Guide to Project Management

19.1. Scope, Schedule, Cost, and Quality

A smoke ring drifted by my ear. "If you're willing to spend a little more money, you can always make the execution a little shorter," Martha said.

Various members of the project team had spent the rest of the afternoon trying to tighten up our plan. We had found a few places to save time, but not enough to bring our finish date from June 23 to April 15.

"But, Martha, we've been over the plan several times and we ended up saving about a week and a half. We need to cut almost two more months!"

That didn't seem to bother her. "Like I said, Will, it can be done. It's just a question of money."

I said dejectedly, "Ralph doesn't want us to spend any extra money."

Martha picked up my pad of paper and a pencil and drew something.

"This is a picture that both you and your sponsor need to learn about, Willie," she said. "I've simplified things a little, but these four components roughly represent all the aspects of an assignment." She tapped each in turn as she elaborated. "Scope has to do with how much is in the assignment.

"Schedule has to do with how long things are going to take.

"Cost has to do with the price of disposable diapers versus cloth ones." I looked up at her quizzically. "Just seeing if you're awake, Willie." What a weird lady. "Actually, cost has to do with how much the whole assignment is going to cost.

"Finally, there's quality, ...