Customer Constraints
Budget, urgency, authority, risk, politics, resources, decision process, current-state drag, internal priorities.
Constraints do not eliminate opportunity. They define it.
Every real opportunity exists inside limits. Budget, time, authority, risk, capacity, capability, politics, dependencies, procurement, implementation, and market pressure all shape what is possible.
Provider Constraints
Capacity, delivery model, margin, capability, fit, timing, expertise, operational focus, strategic direction.
Environmental Constraints
Competition, regulation, technology, market movement, supply, demand, labor, external deadlines.
Constraint Question
What must be true for this outcome to occur?
That question sits above selling, negotiation, project management, economics, and strategy. It forces the work to confront reality before resources are committed.
Constraint Interpretation
| Constraint | Poor Response | Strategic Response |
|---|---|---|
| No budget | Discount | Clarify economic priority and timing |
| No authority | Keep presenting | Map stakeholder access path |
| No urgency | Push harder | Identify trigger events or status-quo cost |
| Delivery risk | Overpromise | Reframe scope and safe path forward |