Project Management Framework Fundamentals a project manager needs to understand the effects other outside forces play in managing projects. The most obvious external factors for projects are · Cultural and social environment-- The team needs to understand differences among team members such as language and customs. Any characteristics that set team members apart are potential areas for conflict. · International and political environment-- Team members might be from different countries or politi- cal systems. As with cultural differences, such differences among team members can cause conflict. These differences can also result in regulatory confusion due to different legal systems in place. · Physical environment-- Team members might not be physically located in the same place. Physical separation requires modified strategies for communication. Time zones and communication media support can be issues when communicating with separate team members. Managing the Triple Constraint The PMBOK mentions the three main variables of a project several times. Each of these variables is related to the other two and directly affects the quality of the project. The three variables are called the triple constraints and must all be managed to successfully complete a project. Each of these three variables tends to compete with one the others. Too much attention on one generally means one or both of the others suffer. A major concern of the project manager is to ensure each of these variables is balanced with the other two at all times. The three variables of the triple constraint are · Project scope-- How much work is to be done? Increasing the scope causes more work to be done, and