Free Clip from Managing IT: Metrics and Measurements - The IT Triangle

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This course was published via Pluralsight.

Finally, I get to talk about tension metrics or, as I like to refer to them, the IT triangle. This triangle is used in many industries, not just information technology. It's used to visually explain the pull between three competing elements. Think about the last time you were given an assignment at work. Any assignment. Your boss wanted three things from you. They wanted your work to be of high quality. They wanted you to deliver your work quickly and didn't want to have to invest a lot of money into your work. In other words, they wanted your work good, fast, and cheap. It's what everyone wants with everything.

Think about when you bought a house or renting an apartment. You wanted it in a good location with a lot of room, available to move in soon, and at a steal of a price. Did you get the best house or apartment available with a quick move‑in date at a price that was below market? Nope. You had to give up at least one of those things. That's how this triangle works. Good, fast, and cheap, pick any two. If you want something good and fast, it won't be cheap. If you want something good and cheap, it won't be fast. And if you want something fast and cheap, it won't be good.

Let's look at this from another angle. A college student wants good grades, which is your high quality, a good social life, which means not spending a lot of time studying, and a lot of sleep. Time is the currency used to obtain good grades and a good social life. He or she can pick any two because as college student will tell you, having all three is impossible.

So how does this relate to work? It's pretty simple actually. On your next assignment, your boss is going to ask for high quality, a speedy delivery, and that little to no cost. It's up to you to find out which of the three has the most wiggle room.

This course was published via Pluralsight.