Gap vs. Lag

Take a look the following two pictures above.

Figure 1: Gap = Promise - Reality. A –ve value is always bad. Higher +values could be bad, because you might be leaving money on the table. If you are consistently generating large –ve values of Lag, then you lose credibility and customers, you are finito!.

Figure 2: Lag = Promise - Reality. Note the 90 degree rotation of the axis/ values. Lag is generally not bad. You promise something that you don't have, and deliver it on a predictable schedule. This is life in most s/w companies. This is what solution providers and service providers do. In a s/w company we call that a roadmap. –ve numbers are not bad, as long as you can deliver to it. +ve numbers for Lag are bad, as you undersold your capability. It is the responsibility of the product owner to ensure you don't deliver a Lag as a Gap. Many companies go from Figure 2 to Figure 1 while delivering solutions to their companies. Do it consistently, they are toast. Companies that consistently stay in Figure 2 are the long term winners.

Thoughts?