- Project Resource Management
- Project organisational chart
- Responsibility Assignment Matrices
- Resource Histograms
- Staffing Management Plans
- Estimating Activity Resources
Project Resource Management
- Every project needs resources. These can be human resources, machines and materials.
- Human resources are probably the only resources used in services. Hence, a project needs to plan human resources that would be required.
- This would include the numbers of resources, their locations, and their skills.
- Project resource management is concerned with making effective use of the people involved with a project and physical resources (materials, facilities, equipment, and infrastructure)
Project organisational chart
Similar to a company’s organisational chart, a project organisational chart is a graphical representation of how authority and responsibility are distributed within the project
- This can be depicted in two ways: using reporting relationship and using skills
- When we create a structure showing reporting relationships, it is called Organizational Breakdown Structure (OBS)
- When the structure is made on the basis of skills of the team it is called Resource Breakdown Structure (RBS)
An Example of Organizational Breakdown Structure
OBS shows reporting relationships
An Example of Resource Breakdown Structure
RBS is made on the basis of skills
An Example of Combining both OBS and RBS
Responsibility Assignment Matrices
A responsibility assignment matrix (RAM) is a matrix that maps the work of the project as described in the work breakdown structure (WBS) to the people responsible for performing the work
- For smaller projects, it is best to assign WBS activities to individuals;
- For larger projects, it is more effective to assign the work to organisational units or teams
RACI charts
RACI charts are a type of RAM that show:
- Responsible (who does the task)
- Accountable (who signs off on the task or has authority for it)
- Consulted (who has information necessary to complete the task)
- Informed (who needs to be notified of task status/results)
Sample RACI Chart
Alternative RACI Matrix
Resource Histograms
- Once we have assigned the work, we will be able to come up with staffing requirements in the form of a Resource Histogram.
- Resource Histogram is a bar chart showing staff requirements over the period of the project as shown below:
Staffing Management Plans
A staffing management plan describes when and how people will be added to and removed from a project.
- The plan should also include ways of hiring and releasing resources.
- Project resources can either be hired from within the company or from outside by recruiting new resources.
- It describes the types of people needed to work on the project, the numbers needed for each type of person each month, and how these resources will be acquired, trained, rewarded, and reassigned after the project
Estimating Activity Resources
Estimating activity resources involves estimating the type, quantity and characteristics of team resources and physical resources (i.e., materials, equipment, and supplies) required to complete the project.
- This process is closely related to estimating activity durations and costs.
- It is important that the people who help determine what resources are necessary include people who have experience and expertise in similar projects and with the organization performing the project.
- Resource estimates should be updated as needed during the project.
Important Questions to Answer in Activity Resource Estimating
- How difficult will it be to perform specific activities on this project?
- Is there anything unique in the project’s scope statement that will affect resources?
- Are there specific resources better suited to perform the activities?
- What is the organization’s history in doing similar activities?
- Have they done similar activities before? What level of personnel did the work?
- Does the organisation have appropriate people, equipment, and materials available for performing the work?
- Are there any organisational policies that might affect the availability of resources?
- Does the organisation need to acquire more resources to accomplish the work?
- Would it make sense to outsource some work?
- Will outsourcing increase or decrease the amount of resources needed and their availability?
- What assumptions have been made or need to be made?
