Denver Airport Baggage Handling: Triple Constraint Report

This report delves into the concept of the triple constraint in project management, using the Denver International Airport baggage handling system as a case study to illustrate its importance. The report begins with an introduction that sets the stage for the discussion and then examines the causes of the project's failure, highlighting the significance of the triple constraint elements: scope, time, and budget. It explores how inadequate planning and management led to the project's downfall, emphasizing the need for proper strategies to address changes and complexities. The report then defines and explains the triple constraint with examples and includes a figure to visually represent the triple constraint. It also discusses how the triple constraint acts as a safeguard for projects. The report concludes by summarizing the key issues related to the triple constraint and the mistakes made during the Denver Airport project's design and construction. References are provided to support the analysis.

Running head: PM FOCUS ON TRIPLE CONSTRAIN
PM Focus on Triple Constrain
Name of student
Name of University
Author’s Note

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Introduction
In this report, the case study of Denver International Airport Baggage Handling will be
discussed to understand the reason behind the failure of the project. The study will analyse,
provide information about the importance of Triple Constrain, and discuss the elements of it with
example to better understand the concept of using triple constrain. Finally, it will conclude the
changes mentioned in the triple constrain that describes the problem and mistakes done in
designing and construction of the system.
Importance of PM focus on Triple Constrain based on the case study
In the case study of Denver International Airport Baggage Handling that have
experienced a horrific problem and failure in the system plan (Burge and McCall 2015).
According to the opinion of the expert, they were running out of test time due to some changes
requested from the airlines, while working and facing problems from other vendors and electrical
power supply failure in the airport (Wanza and Susan 2017). This happens because Denver could
not implement proper planning strategies to overcome such changes. Denver has even
underestimated the project complexity. Due to improper planning and management skill, Denver
end up making a decision that has affected the project execution (De Neufville 2016). The main
reason for undertaking a project plan is to meet the needs of the business and get a new level of
performance through charter organizations (DuBois et al, 2015). Within the environment of the
project are competing priorities and demands are conflicting when constrained. The modern
project is bound by three elements which is also known as the Iron Triangle in a Project
Management which is shown as below:
 Scope, time, budget

PM FOCUS ON TRIPLE CONSTRAIN2
 Scope, schedule, cost
 Good, fast, cheap
Understanding triple constraints in PM with other examples
Guardrails are the basic level for a project as it has the entire concept to which everyone
agree before beginning any project. When the stakeholders creep the scope, a clear signal is
provided by the triple constrain. The forces and the external factors that affect more than one
legs of the project managers has measured by empowerment (Serrador, P. and Turner, R., 2015).
The figure below gives an idea about how the dashboard helps the project managers to track the
project scope, schedule and budget and meet any project needs.
Figure 1: Triple Constrain
Source: Author

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The triple constrain is helpful for the supervisors and the project managers as they can
raise an alert before the adverse impact in the project. The dashboard regulates and delivers a
best quality project that should measure the three factors. It is a fact that cost, time, and scope are
inter-related for the starters’ project manager. Moreover, if any adjustment has done by the triple
constraint, it will affect the others too. There are many cases in which the project manager wish
to add scope to a project or may accept the change in the budget cut without determining the
consequences. The potential repercussions of the project cost, time and scope of Denial may lead
to issues and cause failure of the project (Serra and Kunc 2015). The project triple constrain has
become codified in the manufacturing industry. Many projects have result in finished products
with the use of triple constrain concept. The case of a united airline project that order twenty 707
jets from a Boeing manufacturer including a total budget, delivery expectation of complete 20
functioning planes and an estimated timeline (Lopez, Mascione and Liu 2017). Later, if the
United want to request for more planes then the timeline and budget will be shifted accordingly.
Conclusion
However, from the above it has concluded that though there is changes in the names of
the three elements that has mentioned in the triple constrain but all of them measure the same
thing, a fixed schedule or timeline, a set of deliverables or expectations that are fixed and a fixed
budget. If anything happens to any one element of the triangle then to accommodate the changes,
one or both the other elements need to be adjusted.

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References
Burge, J.E. and McCall, R., 2015. Diagnosing Wicked Problems. In Design Computing and
Cognition'14 (pp. 313-326). Springer, Cham.
De Neufville, R., 2016. Airport systems planning and design. Air Transport Management: An
International Perspective, p.61.
DuBois, M., Hanlon, J., Koch, J., Nyatuga, B. and Kerr, N., 2015. Leadership styles of effective
project managers: Techniques and traits to lead high performance teams. Journal of Economic
Development, Management, IT, Finance, and Marketing, 7(1), p.30.
Lopez, R., Mascione, D. and Liu, H.J., 2017. Management of issues in the delivery of airport
infrastructure within Western Australia. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers-
Management, Procurement and Law, 170(5), pp.207-217.
Serra, C.E.M. and Kunc, M., 2015. Benefits realisation management and its influence on project
success and on the execution of business strategies. International Journal of Project Management,
33(1), pp.53-66.
Serrador, P. and Turner, R., 2015. The relationship between project success and project
efficiency. Project Management Journal, 46(1), pp.30-39.
Wanza, M.B. and Susan, W.E.R.E., 2017. Challenges Facing The Implementation Of Clearing
System Upgrade Projects In Kenya: A Case Study Of The Direct Debit Automation In Selected
Commercial Banks. International Journal of Project Management, 1(7), Pp.119-137.