What do you do when features slip - and possibly the whole schedule as well? (After pulling out your hair and crying in your soup.) Here are your options:
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Change the Schedule: The most obvious response is to accept the new date and adjust the roadmap accordingly.
Change the Scope: If it is most important to meet the original schedule, you can look at cutting back on some of what you planned to deliver by that date.
Change the Resources: If you can’t change schedule and you can’t reduce scope, the next option is to add resources, thus probably blowing the original budget.
Compromise on the Quality: An option, surprisingly, on occasion. Anyone have a story here?
The push and pull of Scheduling, Scope, Resources and Quality is known as the Iron Triangle. I delve into the Iron Triangle in Chapter 10 of my book, Product Roadmaps Relaunched. Which of these choices have you followed? Tell me a story.