Phil & Monique: The Iron Triangle

INT. GRAB-AND-GO CAFE - DAY

MONIQUE, exhibit developer wise beyond her years, and PHIL, anxious museum consultant, meet up at the SEGD Annual Conference.

PHIL: This coffee is terrible. No wonder it was so cheap and fast.

MONIQUE: Iron Triangle, baby. [Sips matcha]

PHIL: Uh, what?

MONIQUE: That old saw: “Fast, cheap, or good — pick two.” That’s the Iron Triangle. Especially true in exhibition projects.

PHIL: And coffee?

MONIQUE: Yep. Time, money and quality have fixed proportions. You can’t improve one without being flexible on the others.

PHIL: So there’s no coffee that’s fast, cheap and good? 

MONIQUE: Nope.

PHIL: But if I paid more, and waited, it would be better?

MONIQUE: Yep.

PHIL: Wait. Last time the coffee was expensive, bad and took forever.

MONIQUE: The Iron Triangle says you can’t improve all three variables. But you can make all three worse, easy.

PHIL: Ah. So how’s your matcha?

MONIQUE: Good. And fast. But overpriced.

PHIL: Iron Triangle, baby. 

MONIQUE: …

FADE OUT.

Warmly,
Jonathan

P.S. Next week: a LIVE recording of Making the Museum, the podcast, on Friday 25 Aug in DC. I’ll be on the SEGD Nexpo stage during lunch, featuring guests Museum Hue (and possibly Phil & Monique). Come watch!