Freelance Web Writer

The impact of marketing is rarely measured, even when the scope is clearly defined. Small business owners, who are pressed for time, may not see how metrics like 12,000 likes, 63 comments, and 9 shares translate into bottom line.

As a freelancer, this is one of the most frustrating experiences you can have. No matter what, you lose in that scenario. Even if you were well-paid, once the project ends, there’s no concrete proof that you delivered real value. That’s why every freelancer, especially in marketing, should apply the Triple Constraint framework.

The Triple Constraint framework, time, cost, and scope is a project management tool that helps you evaluate whether a project can be realistically completed within given parameters. By understanding these constraints, you can make informed decisions about whether to take on or reject a project.

How to Determine Quality

When working on a project, it’s essential to consider the Triple Constraint framework. These three factors play a significant role in defining the quality of a project. By evaluating these constraints, you can better understand how they affect the final outcome and whether the project aligns with your goals and capabilities.

Understanding how the Triple Constraint affects your projects will guide your decision-making process, helping you decide whether to take on a project or pass it up.

When to Say Yes or No

As a freelancer, it’s easy to feel the pressure to say yes to every opportunity, especially when you’re building your portfolio or trying to secure consistent work. However, not every project will be a good fit, and it’s crucial to evaluate whether the time, cost, and scope align with what you can realistically deliver.

Knowing when to say no, whether due to unrealistic deadlines, insufficient budgets, or overly broad scopes helps you maintain the quality of your work and avoid burnout. Here’s how you can decide when to take on a project and when it’s better to pass.

Time

Is the timeline realistic? Time constraints often dictate how much can be achieved within a given period. If the deadline is tight, can you realistically deliver the quality your client expects without compromising your other responsibilities?

Now that we understand the role of each constraint, let’s dive deeper into how to assess them in real-life scenarios.

The Tight Deadline Scenario

A wellness brand hires you to write blog content for their website, but midway through, they start asking for social media captions, email newsletters, and video scripts, none of which were part of the original agreement. You politely remind them of the original scope and suggest either increasing the budget to cover the additional tasks or narrowing the focus to the blog content. The client decides to stick with the blog posts, ensuring the project remains manageable.

Cost

Does the budget fit the scope of work? If the budget is too small for the deliverables required, you’ll need to adjust either the scope or time. It’s crucial to understand whether the project’s cost aligns with the effort and resources needed to achieve the desired outcomes.

The Budget Constraints Scenario

An e-commerce store selling organic skincare products wants a full-scale copywriting overhaul for its website, including landing pages, product descriptions, and email templates. The budget they’ve allocated is too small to cover the extensive work required. You explain the situation, offering two options: reduce the number of pages to focus on high-priority ones or increase the budget to ensure quality across the entire site. The client opts to scale back the scope and targets the most important products first.

Scope

Is the scope manageable within the time and budget? It’s important to be clear about what is being delivered. If the scope is too broad or not defined clearly, it can lead to unrealistic expectations and challenges during execution.

The Expanding Demands Scenario

A wellness brand hires you to write blog content for their website, but midway through, they start asking for social media captions, email newsletters, and video scripts—none of which were part of the original agreement. You politely remind them of the original scope and suggest either increasing the budget to cover the additional tasks or narrowing the focus to the blog content. The client decides to stick with the blog posts, ensuring the project remains manageable.

Knowing When to Say No

As tempting as it is to always say yes, sometimes it’s better to say no—or at least, not at this moment. Saying no doesn’t mean the project can’t happen, but it could mean that the timing, budget, or scope isn’t ideal at the current moment. By being realistic about the constraints, you protect both yourself and your client from disappointment and ensure that expectations align with what can truly be delivered.

Conclusion

Applying the Triple Constraint framework is a way to manage projects; but it’s really a strategy to safeguard the quality of your work and ensure that your freelance career remains sustainable by ensuring deliverables are of the highest quality.

By carefully evaluating time, cost, and scope before accepting a project, you set yourself up for success, delivering tangible value to your clients while protecting your own time and well-being. Remember, saying “no” when the constraints means you’re prioritizing the projects that truly fit your skills and capacity. In the long run, this approach will build stronger client relationships, maintain your professional reputation, and keep your workload manageable.