Setting Realistic Project Expectations

Use the priority triangle to figure out what’s most important for the client: speed, quality or price. The idea is that you can only prioritise 2. The 2 you choose will negatively impact the 3rd.

• Setting Realistic Project Expectations
• A Solution to Decision Overwhelm
• Putting the Priority Triangle into Action
• Example 1
• Example 2
• Example 3
• Implementation of This Simple Method
• Action Points

In the horticulture and agriculture industries, no project is the same. Every grower has their own wishes and pretty much always, the contours of the land are unique. Same in construction, most buildings or steel structures are different from each other.

You can rarely copy and paste past made quotes, designs or installation drawings in an engineering business. This makes the engineering space never boring.

But what is challenging as an engineer is that:

• There is always a limited budget.
• There is always a limited timeframe.
• There are always differences in what clients value.
• There are always many solutions to a problem.
• There are always many suppliers who can supply the same thing.
• There are always other engineering firms competing to win the same project.
• There is always a safety factor you need to factor in, but how much is too much.
• There is always a chance you engineer and quote a project but lose it to the competitor.

It's decision overwhelm at its finest. These challenges can even lead to sleepless nights and headaches.

The biggest challenge I found is dealing with losing a project to the competition.

One of the worst feelings in engineering is when you put a lot of effort into designing and quoting a system, only to lose the project to a competitor. It's especially frustrating when you thought you had come up with a great solution that the client would love.

Project files you can delete and no profits for your work.

I know it’s part of the game but I hate it haha.

I hate it less if it turned out the competitor came up with a smarter and better system that they could install quicker which impressed the client. Then they out-engineered me. They might asked better questions in the information collection phase and knew exactly what the client valued most. Well done.

I hate it more when I discover the competitor lied to the client. And believe me, that happens more often than you think. They promised something to the client that I know isn't right, but to the client, it sounded like a great deal!

Competitors might promise unrealistic delivery dates or offer lower prices with hidden charges. I've seen it all, and it's frustrating.

A Solution to Decision Overwhelm

You've likely faced similar challenges. You know by now that choices made early in the engineering and quoting process affect how a project turns out.

A solution to reduce decision overwhelm and increase the chance you win most projects you quote is not to start lying too. To win projects with ambitious fake promises. That is all short term thinking. It will hurt your professional reputation and profits. We want to build a strong reputation with great profits.

The solution to reduce decision overwhelm and increase the chance you win most projects you quote, is to educate clients early. Explain what's possible, realistic and what the consequences are of various decisions.

A simple way to educate your client is to explain the priority triangle.

Use this method to figure out the client's top priorities: speed, quality, or price. The key principle is that you can only prioritise two out of these three factors. The two you choose will have a negative impact on the third.

Putting the Priority Triangle into Action

Let's explore an engineering example to see this method in action.

A farmer has 2 paddocks. He needs to plough each paddock, but the problem is that the 2 paddocks are separated by a creek. The farmer approaches an engineering firm to get a proposal for a bridge that will connect both paddocks.

The engineer guides the farmer through the priority triangle. He asks him to choose which two factors are most important for his bridge project. The farmer must consider the following scenarios:

Example 1

He wants the bridge installed next week. The weight the bridge can carry is 3 times the tractor’s weight in case he upgrades to heavier farm equipment in the future. The bridge is built from stainless steel because there is no time to galvanise the steel structure.

Formula for this option: fast + quality = higher price

Example 2

He wants the bridge installed in 2 months. The weight the bridge can carry is 3 times the tractor’s weight in case he upgrades to heavier farm equipment in the future. The bridge is built from galvanised steel so it does not rust but it is cheaper than stainless steel.

Formula for this option: quality + lower price = less fast

Example 3

He wants the bridge installed next week. The weight the bridge can carry is 1 tractor . The bridge is built from black steel because there is no time to galvanise the steel structure.

Formula for this option: fast + low price = lower quality

Of course, the farmer would like a high quality bridge installed next week for cheap. But, the reality is that compromises must be made. By using the priority triangle, the engineer can help the farmer understand the trade-offs involved. He can make an informed decision that best suits his needs and constraints.

Can you see that this method sets the right expectations for the client? But also helps the engineer with his decision making process, reducing overwhelm.

If the farmer choses for example 2 it goes from:

"A proposal for a steel bridge".

Before the engineer guides the farmer through the priority triangle, to:

"A proposal for a client who needs a bridge, values quality and doesn't need access to the other paddock with his tractor for a couple of months. So, the bridge is constructed using steel beams and galvanized after fabrication, which will make it last a long time".

After the engineer guides the farmer through the priority triangle.

Implementation of This Simple Method

I encourage you to start thinking about how you can use this priority triangle method into your operation.

The main goal is to help clients understand the trade-offs involved in their projects. It's to set realistic expectations and make informed decisions.

Clients will appreciate it that you educate them. You will gain trust by being honest about timeframes, costs and quality. And because you educated your client, they can sense better if your competitor offers something that is too good to be true.

Most of the time clients don't know how long something takes to build or how much something costs. This information is second nature to you as an engineer, but it's not common knowledge for most people.

So guide the customer through examples and help narrow down the options. This will help you in creating accurate proposals and meeting client expectations.

By using the priority triangle, it helps you and your client get on the same page on project deliverables.

You will have less decision overwhelm and you will win more projects.

Action Points

Actions you can take if you want to help clients understand the trade-offs involved in their projects. To set realistic expectations and reduce your decision overwhelm:

• Create a visual (diagram or chart) to explain the priority triangle.
• Prepare example scenarios for each priority combination to illustrate trade-offs.
• Introduce the priority triangle concept to clients during first conversations.
• Develop a set of questions to help clients identify their top two priorities.
• Regularly review and refine your approach based on client feedback and project outcomes.

If you're struggling with decision overwhelm in your engineering projects or need help, don't hesitate to reach out. I can help you streamline your processes and help you win more projects.