This refers to the common adage in software development (at least that's where I heard it - it apparently is common in other fields of research and development too): Fast, cheap, good - pick any two.

The idea is that you can't get everything you want when developing something:

• If you want something done fast and cheaply, it won't be any good.
• If you want something done fast and well, it will be expensive.
• If you want something done well and cheaply, it will take a long time.

It took some searching to find this in Wikipedia, but I eventually found it.