What is the Iron Triangle, and how has it changed?

Pollack, J; Helm, J; Adler, D

What is the Iron Triangle, and how has it changed?

Pollack, J

Helm, J Adler, D

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 2018, 11 (2), pp. 527 - 547
Issue Date:: 2018-01-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Pollack, J https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8879-9408	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Helm, J	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Adler, D	en_US
dc.date.issued	2018-01-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 2018, 11 (2), pp. 527 - 547	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	1753-8378	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/129489
dc.description.abstract	© 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited. Purpose: The Iron Triangle, also called the Triple Constraint, is a central concept to project management research and practice, representing the relationship between key performance criteria. However, there is disagreement about which criteria should be represented on the vertices of this triangle. The purpose of this paper is to explore which concepts are part of the Iron Triangle, and how these concepts have changed over time. Design/methodology/approach: This paper explores 45 years of project management research, drawing on a database of 109,804 records from 1970 to 2015. Three corpora were constructed, representing the project management and Time, Cost, and Quality Management literature. Time and Cost are consistently identified as part of the Iron Triangle. However, the status of quality is contested. Key concepts in the project management literature were explored using scientometric research techniques, to understand the relationship between these concepts. Findings: Significant links were found between Time, Cost, and Quality, verifying these concepts as the vertices on the Iron Triangle. These links were significantly stronger than links to alternatives, such as Scope, Performance, or Requirements. Other concepts that are core to the Iron Triangle were also identified, and how these have changed over time. Originality/value: This research develops the understanding of a key project management concept by clarifying which concepts are part of the Iron Triangle, based on evidence of how the concept is used in research. This paper also reveals the context in which this concept is used, and how this has changed over the last 45 years.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	International Journal of Managing Projects in Business	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1108/IJMPB-09-2017-0107	en_US
dc.title	What is the Iron Triangle, and how has it changed?	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	2	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	11	en_US
utslib.for	1202 Building	en_US
utslib.for	1503 Business and Management	en_US
utslib.for	12 Built Environment and Design	en_US
utslib.for	15 Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/e-Press
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building/School of Built Environment
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CMOS - Centre for Management and Organisation Studies
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Students
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.issue	2	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	11	en_US

Abstract:

© 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited. Purpose: The Iron Triangle, also called the Triple Constraint, is a central concept to project management research and practice, representing the relationship between key performance criteria. However, there is disagreement about which criteria should be represented on the vertices of this triangle. The purpose of this paper is to explore which concepts are part of the Iron Triangle, and how these concepts have changed over time. Design/methodology/approach: This paper explores 45 years of project management research, drawing on a database of 109,804 records from 1970 to 2015. Three corpora were constructed, representing the project management and Time, Cost, and Quality Management literature. Time and Cost are consistently identified as part of the Iron Triangle. However, the status of quality is contested. Key concepts in the project management literature were explored using scientometric research techniques, to understand the relationship between these concepts. Findings: Significant links were found between Time, Cost, and Quality, verifying these concepts as the vertices on the Iron Triangle. These links were significantly stronger than links to alternatives, such as Scope, Performance, or Requirements. Other concepts that are core to the Iron Triangle were also identified, and how these have changed over time. Originality/value: This research develops the understanding of a key project management concept by clarifying which concepts are part of the Iron Triangle, based on evidence of how the concept is used in research. This paper also reveals the context in which this concept is used, and how this has changed over the last 45 years.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/129489