In 1969, Dr. Martin Barnes had created the concept of the “Iron Triangle”. This traditional waterfall approach highlighted the interdependent relationship between three key factors –scope, time, and cost. These factors were considered “iron” because of the fundamental constraint that you could not change one without affecting the others.
But at Azul Arc, we’ve always preferred a more flexible and agile approach to problems. We’ve also realised that in view of the modern-day design and development needs, the Iron Triangle’s waterfall approach has been largely ineffective for forecasting project requirements. That’s why, today we prefer to work with an Agile Triangle instead of the more rigid, original method.
Disadvantages of the Iron Triangle
- Rigid scope, time, and cost constraints
In the Iron Triangle, scope, time, and cost are considered fixed variables. This rigidity can cause issues when one aspect needs adjustment. For example, if the scope increases or new requirements emerge, it often leads to delays or budget overruns.
- Lack of flexibility
Projects are typically planned in great detail, leaving little room to adapt to changes in market conditions, customer feedback, or technological advancements.
- Focussed on plan, not value
The Iron Triangle’s emphasis on scope, time, and cost means that the project team focuses more on meeting predefined goals rather than delivering ongoing value.
Advantages of the Agile Triangle
In sharp contrast, the Agile Triangle emphasizes delivering value and responding to change.
- Value driven
The Agile Triangle shifts the focus from merely completing a project on time and within budget to ensuring that the product being built is valuable to the customer. It works towards delivering the right features and ensuring that they provide real value to the customer or end-user.
- Flexible in nature
This approach is based on being responsive to change. In the Agile Triangle, scope, time, and cost are variables that can shift based on ongoing feedback and changes in requirements. Teams can adapt to new needs, shifting priorities, or market changes without derailing the entire project.
- Quality focussed
The Agile Triangle places a strong emphasis on maintaining quality throughout the process, which is crucial for delivering sustainable, long-term success. It does not sacrifice quality if time or cost pressures become too high.
- Continuous Improvement
Agile encourages iterative cycles of development, allowing teams to improve the product over time rather than trying to get everything perfect upfront. This ensures that the product being developed is always aligned with customer expectations and market trends. If something isn’t working, it can be corrected early in the process, reducing the risk of delivering a product that misses the mark.
- Managing uncertainty
Agile recognizes that change is inevitable and builds it into the process. Agile teams are prepared for uncertainty and adjust their plans iteratively rather than trying to eliminate change entirely. This approach allows teams to continuously refine the product and adjust based on real-world conditions, technology shifts, and market changes. It turns uncertainty into a competitive advantage, allowing teams to be more responsive and innovative.
To conclude, the Agile Triangle offers a more modern, flexible approach that aligns better with today’s fast-paced, constantly changing business environment. While the Iron Triangle works well for projects where scope, time, and cost can be strictly controlled, the Agile Triangle thrives in situations where adaptability, customer feedback, and incremental delivery are essential to the project’s success.
The Agile Triangle has proven invaluable for Azul Arc, helping us offer our clients a more flexible and customer-centric approach. With its enhanced adaptability and value delivery, we find it especially suited to environments where change is frequent and rapid, like software development.