Concepts
Getting certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP) entails a thorough understanding of various important aspects such as project integration, project scope, project time, and project cost management. A very significant aspect of PMP learning encompasses the wisdom to efficiently plan and manage resources.
Resource management are the processes that project managers utilise to plan, identify, and manage resources required to successfully complete a project. These resources can vary from team members, equipment, technology, tools to physical resources. Sound planning involves strategic allocation and reallocation of resources based on their availability and requirement in different phases of the project.
Effective resource management facilitates in improving efficiency, reducing costs, optimising resources, and ensuring that resources are utilised to their fullest potential. Let’s delve into some of the fundamental steps for effective planning and management of resources:
1. Defining & Identifying the Resources:
Before you even start the project, identify the resources that you will need. This could include people with particular skills, technologies, tools or equipment, or specific types of information. For example, a software development project may require Python coders, beta testers, software, and hardware components.
2. Analysis of Resource Demand and Supply:
Resource demand and supply analysis constitute analysing how many resources are available and how many are needed for the project. A project manager should do a thorough risk assessment to determine any possible factors that might hinder resource availability in the future. For example, a construction project might involve risks such as machinery breaking down, workers getting ill, and other unforeseen circumstances which could disrupt the supply of resources.
3. Resource Estimation:
Resource estimation concerns estimating the quantity of resources required to perform work. It includes not just the raw materials but also intangible resources like time and labor. For example, a software development project needs to estimate the coding time, man-hours for testing, debugging, and the number of developers needed for the project.
4. Resource Scheduling:
Resource scheduling involves assigning dates to project activities based on resource availability. Proper scheduling is crucial to prevent overload or under-utilisation of resources. Gantt charts are often used for scheduling resources, depicting each task’s duration, sequencing, and resource allocation.
5. Monitoring and Controlling Resources:
This procedure includes ensuring resources are being managed as per plan and taking corrective action if necessary. A project manager must regularly monitor resource usage to detect and rectify over-utilisation or under-utilisation. For example, if a task is taking much longer than expected, the project manager might have to allocate additional resources to it to stick to the schedule.
A comparison table of the steps involved in the planning and management of resources is as follows:
| Steps | Description |
|---|---|
| Defining & Identifying Resources | Recognition of resources needed to complete the project. |
| Resource Demand and Supply Analysis | Analyzing the demand and availability of resources. |
| Resource Estimation | Determining the quantity of resources for project tasks. |
| Resource Scheduling | Assigning project tasks based on resource availability. |
| Monitoring and Controlling Resources | Ensuring proper management and utilization of resources. |
In conclusion, excellent resource planning and management are integral to a project’s success. The ability to efficiently allocate and manage resources can dramatically increase operational efficiency, lead to better decision-making, and ultimately improve the project outcomes. This is why resource planning and management have been given significant weight in the PMP examination. Preparation for a PMP exam should hence include a thorough understanding of all these processes and their effective application in real-life scenarios.
Answer the Questions in Comment Section
True or False: In project management, resource planning is not really important.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Resource planning is a critical aspect of project management. It helps to understand what resources are available, how they are allocated, and how they can be managed efficiently to deliver a project successfully.
In driving efficient resource management, which of the following is NOT crucial?
- a) Understanding the availability and skills of the resources
- b) Periodic review of resource utilization
- c) Excessive resource allocation to minor tasks
- d) Predictability of resource requirement
Answer: c) Excessive resource allocation to minor tasks
Explanation: Efficient resource management requires understanding availability and skills, periodic review of resource utilization and predictability of requirement. However, excessive resource allocation to minor tasks leads to inefficiency and wastage.
True or False: The identification and acquisition of team members is never considered as a part of resource management planning.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: The identification and acquisition of team members is a key part of resource management planning. This is where project managers decide who, with what skills, will be needed to complete the project.
What does a Resource Breakdown Structure (RBS) provide?
- a) A description of the project management plan
- b) A hierarchical decomposition of the resources needed
- c) A list of project risks
- d) A detailed task breakdown
Answer: b) A hierarchical decomposition of the resources needed
Explanation: The Resource Breakdown Structure (RBS) provides a hierarchical decomposition of the resources by category and type that are needed to perform project work.
Which of the following is NOT a key responsibility of a project manager in relation to resource management?
- a) Resource allocation
- b) Resource leveling
- c) Defining project scope
- d) Monitoring resource utilization
Answer: c) Defining project scope
Explanation: Defining project scope is a responsibility of a project manager, however, it falls under project scope management, not resource management.
True or False: Technology should not be considered as a resource in project management.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Technology is considered as a resource in project management. It can greatly assist in improving efficiencies, communication, and productivity.
Effective resource management requires…
- a) Over-allocation of resources
- b) Balance between resources and tasks
- c) Less focus on task allocation
- d) Minimal resource utilization
Answer: b) Balance between resources and tasks
Explanation: Effective resource management requires a balance between resources and tasks. Over-allocation or under-utilization can lead to inefficiencies.
Which of the following is the proper sequence for resource planning?
- a) Resource Identification, Resource Acquisition, Resource Deployment
- b) Resource Deployment, Resource Acquisition, Resource Identification
- c) Resource Acquisition, Resource Deployment, Resource Identification
- d) Resource Identification, Resource Deployment, Resource Acquisition
Answer: a) Resource Identification, Resource Acquisition, Resource Deployment
Explanation: The correct sequence for resource planning is Resource Identification (understanding what resources are needed), Resource Acquisition (obtaining the required resources), and finally Resource Deployment (assigning and using the resources).
True or False: Resource leveling can lead to project schedule delays.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: While resource leveling helps avoiding over-allocation of resources, it may lead to project schedule delays as efforts are made to balance resource allocation.
The primary purpose of a project resource management plan is to:
- a) Outline the communication protocols
- b) Establish project budget and financing needs
- c) Detail how project resources will be identified, acquired, managed, and released
- d) Describe the technical requirements of the project
Answer: c) Detail how project resources will be identified, acquired, managed, and released
Explanation: The primary purpose of a project resource management plan is to provide guidance on how resources for the project will be managed throughout the project lifecycle, from identification and acquisition through to eventual release.
Great blog post on planning and managing resources! It was really helpful for my PMP exam prep.
I really appreciate the breakdown of the resource management tools. It made it so much clearer.
Can anyone explain the difference between Resource Leveling and Resource Smoothing in detail?
Thanks for the great content! Helped me a lot to understand the PMP concepts better.
The way you explained Resource Histogram was spot on! Thanks!
Is it necessary to use a project management software for resource management or can we manage resources using spreadsheets?
Thanks for sharing this, very informative.
I’ve heard about the RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) matrix. Can someone explain how it fits into resource management?