# Pick which of these three elements is or should be highest priority **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 17, 2016, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-which-of-these-three-elements-is-or-should-be-highest-priority/749291 "2016-03-17T17:38:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![SigMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@SigMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SigMan)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2016, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-which-of-these-three-elements-is-or-should-be-highest-priority/749291/21 "2016-03-18T05:02:09Z")
Quality all the way. This is the one out of three that I will not forgive for failure to provide it. ---
**Author:** ![straight\_man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/straight_man/32/3027_2.png) [@straight\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/straight_man)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2016, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-which-of-these-three-elements-is-or-should-be-highest-priority/749291/22 "2016-03-18T05:09:00Z")
> [@drewder](#): > > This is a well known triangle in consulting. Random fact: the fancy word for a three-way tradeoff is a “trilemma.” Isn’t that just a fun word? _Trilemma_. ---
**Author:** ![Jake\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Jake\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake_Jones)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2016, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-which-of-these-three-elements-is-or-should-be-highest-priority/749291/23 "2016-03-18T07:00:48Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > We’re speaking in an abstract sense, here. Pretend a loaded gun is pointed at your head, and you have to pick one, _without further context_. Or, supply some arbitrary context that is important to you. **Or, bitch about my not providing context in this thread. Whichever.** Okay, I will. I don’t even know what class of thing I’m supposed to apply my values to. People? Consumable goods? Durable goods? Services? As **drewder** points out, there is a well known concept of a project management triangle that refers to time, scope and cost and the balance between them. Fast, good and cheap. Pick any two. But your question isn’t even addressing two thirds of the triangle. Punctual isn’t necessarily fast and quantity doesn’t necessarily relate to price. An ideal project will place equal importance on all three corners. We want the best results in the soonest time possible at a reasonable cost. This ideal project will have two points assigned to each corner. If you prioritize one corner, the point you add has to come from one of the other corners, which is then compromised. Prioritizing two corners or highly prioritizing one corner means you spent all 6 points, so the third corner is sacrificed. Let’s take this out of project management, which I’m sure you would have mentioned if that was your motivation in posting this poll. Let’s apply it to a real world example. Fast, good and cheap versus quality, quantity and punctuality. A couple of years ago, I decided to buy a desk. I wanted a high quality, large hardwood desk with ample drawer space. Anything I found locally that met my quality requirements was significantly more than I wanted to spend, so I went online and found a seller in Ohio, hundreds of miles away from me, who sold Amish handmade desks, built to order. Delivery time was 2-3 months. Ten weeks later, I took delivery of my new desk. It was less than half the price of the least expensive local option I was considering and better quality. I wanted a high quality desk at a reasonable price and I was willing to wait three months. Here’s the breakdown of my priorities for this purchase on the six point scale: Fast: 0 Good: 4 Cheap: 2 Under your triangle of quantity, quality and punctuality, if I keep my quality requirement at four, I have nowhere to use my remaining two points. I don’t want more than one desk. The delivery was not fast, but it was delivered in the agreed upon time, so it was punctual. I have to ask. What was your motivation in posting this poll? Is there any basis of curiosity behind it or did you just decide to post a poll with some choices to a hypothetical situation that you didn’t even bother to create for no reason at all? ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2016, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-which-of-these-three-elements-is-or-should-be-highest-priority/749291/24 "2016-03-18T07:21:30Z")
Quality. Pretty much always quality. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2016, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-which-of-these-three-elements-is-or-should-be-highest-priority/749291/25 "2016-03-18T07:30:37Z")
Quality, because if it’s poor quality, it’s not made better by being on time, and/or abundant. Whereas if it’s high quality, it’s worth waiting for, and/or still worth having even if rare. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2016, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-which-of-these-three-elements-is-or-should-be-highest-priority/749291/26 "2016-03-18T16:07:38Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > Pretend a loaded gun is pointed at your head, and you have to pick one, _without further context_. Without context? While I was blithering incoherently, the person with the gun would give up and pull the trigger. Guess punctuality was the most important in _that_ context. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2016, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-which-of-these-three-elements-is-or-should-be-highest-priority/749291/27 "2016-03-18T17:00:32Z")
> [@Jake\_Jones](#): > > Under your triangle of quantity, quality and punctuality, if I keep my quality requirement at four, I have nowhere to use my remaining two points. I don’t want more than one desk. The delivery was not fast, but it was delivered in the agreed upon time, so it was punctual. Ok, in that situation it doesn’t work well, but it’s perfectly applicable to, say, a restaurant situation, where quality, quantity, and punctuality, are all normally used to evaluate a product. On your six-point scale, I would go 4 quality, and 1 for the other two. I don’t care about slow service, and I don’t care too much about portion size. ---
**Author:** ![Blue\_Blistering\_Barnacle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blue_blistering_barnacle/32/3386_2.png) [@Blue\_Blistering\_Barnacle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blue_Blistering_Barnacle)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2016, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-which-of-these-three-elements-is-or-should-be-highest-priority/749291/28 "2016-03-18T18:32:58Z")
> [@straight\_man](#): > > Random fact: the fancy word for a three-way tradeoff is a “trilemma.” Isn’t that just a fun word? _Trilemma_. “Trilemma”- a quality word, and punctual enough, coming in at post #22 and barely 3 hours after the consulting triangle was mentioned. At 9 letters and 3 syllables, though. :dubious: Not really very copious… I mean plentiful… I mean plenteous… Okay, it is pretty good in quantity. Maybe you broke the triangle with that one. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![epolo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@epolo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epolo)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2016, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-which-of-these-three-elements-is-or-should-be-highest-priority/749291/29 "2016-03-18T20:53:11Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Without context? While I was blithering incoherently, the person with the gun would give up and pull the trigger. Guess punctuality was the most important in _that_ context. 😉 Gun to my head? I’m probably most worried about quantity…of bullets. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2016, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-which-of-these-three-elements-is-or-should-be-highest-priority/749291/30 "2016-03-18T21:05:25Z")
I work in manufacturing (semiconductor). If a single defect makes it to our customer, it has the potential to cost us hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of dollars. So “quality” over quantity or punctuality is hardwired into my brain. Punctuality is a very close second though, as that can be very costly too if you shut down a customers production line. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2016, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-which-of-these-three-elements-is-or-should-be-highest-priority/749291/31 "2016-03-18T21:17:39Z")
> [@epolo](#): > > Gun to my head? I’m probably most worried about quantity…of bullets. I’d be much more worried about the punctuality. Maybe the shooter is a chronic procrastinator and you’ll have a chance to run away before he gets around to pulling the trigger. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2016, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-which-of-these-three-elements-is-or-should-be-highest-priority/749291/32 "2016-03-18T21:46:53Z")
Quality. _Unless_ in the specific instance of things _designed_ to be low quality, like McDonald’s, or Top Ramen. Then either quantity (in Top Ramen’s case) or punctuality (in McDonald’s). Though really, in both of those cases, “cheap” is the top priority. I’m unconvinced punctuality is actually all that important, but McDonald’s, et al, have made it their mission. “My favorite thing about deadlines is the _whooshing_ sound they make when they fly by” – Douglas Adams ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2016, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-which-of-these-three-elements-is-or-should-be-highest-priority/749291/33 "2016-03-18T22:08:47Z")
In many situations, I’d rather have nothing at all than a low quality item. Food, movies, and music are all examples here. Punctuality and quantity are obviously irrelevant in that case. ---
**Author:** ![Jake\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Jake\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake_Jones)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2016, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-which-of-these-three-elements-is-or-should-be-highest-priority/749291/34 "2016-03-19T05:08:33Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Ok, in that situation it doesn’t work well, but it’s perfectly applicable to, say, a restaurant situation, where quality, quantity, and punctuality, are all normally used to evaluate a product. On your six-point scale, I would go 4 quality, and 1 for the other two. I don’t care about slow service, and I don’t care too much about portion size. Had the OP specified that hypothetical, I would have no complaint. Had the poll options been the standard choices of the well known problem, it would still be kind of meaningless without context, but I wouldn’t have bitched about the poll. What we actually got? Imagine this question being posed as a real attempt to start a conversation between a group of people at a social gathering. “I have a loaded gun pointed at your head. Quantity, quality or punctuality. Pick one or I shoot you. I’m not going to give you any context or explain my motivation in asking. Choose.” You know what? If it will end this conversation, just put the fucking bullet in my brain. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2016, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-which-of-these-three-elements-is-or-should-be-highest-priority/749291/35 "2016-03-19T09:10:11Z")
I am very much an admirer of **Punctuality**. People who are late a lot really frustrate me. **Quantity** doesn’t really interest me most of the time, though being shorted something is irritating. So I pick _ **Quality** _, because that seems to be all-round important, if not always crucial, in every walk of life. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2016, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-which-of-these-three-elements-is-or-should-be-highest-priority/749291/36 "2016-03-19T12:58:54Z")
> [@Jake\_Jones](#): > > You know what? If it will end this conversation, just put the fucking bullet in my brain. You know what? There’s an easier way. Don’t participate in the thread. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2016, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-which-of-these-three-elements-is-or-should-be-highest-priority/749291/37 "2016-03-19T13:20:14Z")
Anything is worthless if it’s so late that it never arrives, or so rare that there’s none of it, or so low quality that it doesn’t work at all. How bad a lack of any element is depends on how close it is to that worst-case situation, and there’s no relative metric specified. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2016, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-which-of-these-three-elements-is-or-should-be-highest-priority/749291/38 "2016-03-19T13:40:00Z")
Prioritizing one element does not necessarily imply other elements are worthless. ---
**Author:** ![Jake\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Jake\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake_Jones)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2016, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-which-of-these-three-elements-is-or-should-be-highest-priority/749291/39 "2016-03-20T05:58:25Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Anything is worthless if it’s so late that it never arrives, or so rare that there’s none of it, or so low quality that it doesn’t work at all. How bad a lack of any element is depends on how close it is to that worst-case situation, and there’s no relative metric specified. In other words, the entire conversation is meaningless without context. I couldn’t agree more. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2016, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-which-of-these-three-elements-is-or-should-be-highest-priority/749291/40 "2016-03-20T07:03:42Z")
> [@Jake\_Jones](#): > > In other words, the entire conversation is meaningless without context. I couldn’t agree more. Then please make up one that is important to you. Kindly cease what can now only be described as thread-shitting. I disagree, in any case, with your assertion. Plenty of folks in this thread have enjoyed discussioning it abstractly, or coming up with their own contexts if needed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-which-of-these-three-elements-is-or-should-be-highest-priority/749291.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-which-of-these-three-elements-is-or-should-be-highest-priority/749291.md?page=3)