What’s in a name? Good, Cheap & Fast. Pick two.

Some time ago, I wrote a blog article that gave a small clue to why we called our business Therefore Strategic Technology Services (What's in a name?). At the time, the question was answered in the most cryptic of terms … and we are still not going to give the full secret away. None the less, provided below is the second clue to how the name Therefore was settled upon.

The Holy Triangle

Consider a triangle with three corners. Draw a dot on each corner … and you have the Therefore symbol, assuming that you have one dot at the top and two dots below it. Interestingly enough … turn the Therefore symbol on its head … and you get the symbol for Because.

Now, let’s give the dots names … Good, Cheap and Fast.

The rules of the game are simple. You can only ever touch two of the three points. So, if you select “Good” and “Cheap” … you can’t have “Fast”. Similarly, if you select “Cheap” and “Fast” … you have to give up on “Good”. Finally, “Good” and “Fast” are certainly not going to add up to “Cheap”.

This principle is referred to as the “Holy Triangle”. When creating a project charter, you need to consciously select two out of the three options, as dictated by the strategic position that the project plays in your environment. Sadly, you can't have it all.

The image below is often used to portray the “Holy Triangle”. Interestingly enough, you may be able to draw it … but it would be impossible to model it in the real world.

If you look at it carefully, there are three possible outcomes when you make your “Good”, “Cheap” and “Fast” selection.

You choose ... Good + Fast = Expensive

Your Team says ... Choose “Good” and “Fast” and we will postpone every other job, cancel all appointments and stay up 25 hours a day to get the job done. But, don't expect it to be cheap.

You choose ... Good + Cheap = Slow

Your Team says ... Choose “Good” and “Cheap” and we will do a great job for a great price, but you may need to find a bit of patience.

You choose ... Fast + Cheap = Inferior

Your Team says ... Choose “Fast” and “Cheap” and expect an inferior job delivered on time. The “Inferior” option is not a recommended position, and the Therefore Team are unfortunately not available to assist.

Now back to Therefore …

By now you would have guessed that the Therefore Team feel strongly about optimising your use of resource, both from the perspective of your financial and time resource … and we are aware that the world in which you operate has a scarcity of both. Quality can never be compromised.

The three points contained in the Therefore logo encapsulate this philosophy.