resource assignment meaning

What is Resource Planning and Why is it Important?

“How many and what resources do I need for the coming weeks, months, quarters, or years”? “Should I hire more people to meet future demands or leverage sales efforts to keep everyone occupied with work”? “How can I avoid billing loss and control project costs before it’s too late?”

These are the pertinent questions that stakeholders ask themselves on an everyday basis. To get the correct answers, we need efficient resource planning.

Without implementing the proper process and technique, making any decision will be like throwing darts in the air.

Resource planning can address these challenges in today’s dynamic business conditions. It helps plan resources intelligently from the ground up and continuously optimize your workforce. However, taking a shortcut and failing to make a timely decision will adversely affect the organization’s business objective.

This guide is curated for enterprises to gain a detailed understanding of resource planning in project management.

Let’s dive deep into it.

Resource planning definition

Resource planning is the process of identifying, forecasting, and allocating best-fit resources , i.e., human resources, equipment, assets, facilities, and more, to the projects at the right time and cost.

It also ensures the efficient and effective utilization of resources across the organization. In other words, it’s the strategic planning process to make the best use of resources depending on their capacity/availability and deliver every project within time and budget.

Let’s take an example: your firm is an IT company, and you have a software development project in the pipeline received from a global client for a long-term horizon.

Here, project managers will look after the client’s requirements, assess the scope of the project, and will also predict and evaluate the resource demand. As a part of the process, they will request resources from resource managers to fulfill this demand.

The resource managers will now assess the new requirement, find out the gap between the demand and the available workforce, and look for different ways to fill this gap. This will include hiring a new workforce from the market or juggling resources available within the organization. Thus, the ability to forecast requirements and develop a strategy to plan, allocate, schedule, and utilize the resources and their competencies effectively is termed resource planning.

Once you know what resource planning is, let’s understand its importance in project management.

Importance of resource planning in project management

According to a PMI survey , “26% of companies with a dedicated resource planning solution can estimate and allocate resources to deliver projects on time.”

Thus, resource planning is a crucial part of the project management process as it plays a key role in a project’s success.

Here is a list of the benefits and how planning resources makes a difference in the project management landscape:

Allows resource planning for pipeline projects

Creating more projects in the pipeline is desirable, but not having enough resources to execute them causes project bottlenecks, delays in meeting deadlines, and impacts the quality. An intelligent resource plan and timely forecasting help managers predict all pipeline project requirements in advance.

Thereby, resource managers can either allocate a cost-effective global resource or hire an on-demand or permanent workforce with a suitable skill set. This helps reduce last-minute hiring activities, which can lead to cost escalation and compromise quality.

Bridges the capacity gap proactively

Demand forecasting, one of the significant pillars of resource planning, identifies the excess or shortage of resources by comparing the resource demand against the existing capacity. Based on this data, managers can implement the right resourcing treatments to bridge the capacity and demand gap.

CASE I: Excess of resources

When the resource demand decreases vis-a-vis available capacity, it results in excess resources. This excess capacity can be mitigated by bringing future project work ahead, adjusting timelines, redeploying resource capacity in other projects, etc.

CASE II: Shortfall of resources

When the resource demand is higher than the capacity, there is a shortage of resources. It can be resolved by exploring two different resourcing channels.

Internal Channels:

Internal recruitment focuses on the employees already on a firm’s payroll. This includes selecting an employee from the bench based on their skills and qualifications or transferring resources from different projects.

External Channels:

If the required skill is absent in the organization’s internal network, then the resource managers hire the resources from external sources. It includes hiring resources through recommendations/networks and recruiting freelance/contingent workforce from partner vendors.

Minimize project resource costs significantly

According to the Deloitte Global Cost Survey 2020: “Reducing project resource cost takes precedence over other business initiatives.”

Allocating the right resources to the right project ensures the timely delivery of the project within the budget. If resources are underqualified, a delay in project timelines is inevitable, and if overqualified, it can spike project costs . However, with an effective resource planner, managers can make data-driven decisions to eliminate the deployment of over/under-skilled resources on project tasks.

This will enable managers to implement suitable resourcing measures at the right time. For instance, they can allocate a cost-effective global/local resource or a benched resource to a task. Moreover, they will have enough lead time to conduct planned hiring in place of last-minute activities and create the right resource mix that suits the project budget.

Forecast and maximize profitable resource utilization

Resource planning and forecasting provide foresight into utilization within a project. A structured resource plan includes mobilizing resources from non-billable to strategic/billable projects for increased revenue based on their skill set. This prevents under or overutilization of resources and helps improve productivity and employee satisfaction.

Furthermore, an efficient resource scheduler allows managers to view the resource’s present and future allocations on one platform. They can also have a periodic check on forecast vs. actual resource utilization report and accordingly, optimize the utilization levels of the resources.

Read More: What is Resource Utilization and its Significance?

Ensures competent resource allocation across a matrix organization

Resource planning in project management helps managers gain a centralized view into all resource-related information, such as skill sets, cost rate, location, resource capacity, among others. This visibility and a systematic resource-requesting process help managers leverage the shared service model of a matrix organization. Thus, they can filter and load the appropriate resources to the project/tasks across departments.

Further, it empowers managers to allocate global resources from low-cost locations and control project costs. Moreover, the advanced resource scheduler ensures that strategic resources are not assigned to only high-priority projects but are uniformly distributed across the enterprise. This ascertains competent resource allocation in projects and allows resources to work on different assignments and improve their portfolios.

Delivers project on time and within budget

PwC Project Management Insights states that “30% of projects fail due to a lack of resources.”

The benchmark for successful delivery is meeting project deadlines and avoiding budget overruns. Efficient resource planning ensures that all project resourcing requirements are identified and fulfilled. This also involves periodically reviewing project performance throughout their lifecycle as resource demand fluctuates occasionally.

However, by using forecast vs. actual reports, resource utilization heatmap, etc., managers can monitor and control project budgets. Regular monitoring will ultimately lead to accomplishing the most critical project metrics, such as client satisfaction, higher retention, enhanced work rate, and increased brand loyalty.

Let’s gain insight into the critical elements of resource planning.

Essential components of resource planning template

A robust resource planning software will enable managers to effectively manage resources, mitigate risks, and drive projects to success. Here are some salient features that are foundational to efficient resource planning.

Multi-dimensional resource planner

Identifying the project’s resource requirements is a fundamental aspect of resource planning. This involves analyzing the quantity and type of resources required, i.e., human or non-human. Moreover, it also includes a thorough evaluation of the skills, competencies, and subsequent proficiency levels needed for accomplishing projects and subsequent tasks.

With a multidimensional resource planner, managers have visibility into resource profiles across multipe dimesions such as as team, departments, location, etc. It empowers them to allocate appropriate resources in real time to the projects. In other words, it allows managers assign the best-available-best-fit instead of the first-visible-first-fit resource, enabling competent allocation for all projects.

Project pipeline planning

Once a pipeline project reaches a certain probability stage, the manager estimates the resource requirements and initiates the requisition process. The corresponding resource manager then begins the fulfillment of the request. But first, they must analyze if the organization possesses adequate internal resources to start the project. Therefore, the resource manager compares the existing resource capacity against the project demand from multiple perspectives such as role, department, team, skills, etc.

This meticulous evaluation helps firms identify the shortages or excesses ahead of time. Accordingly, managers can apply appropriate resourcing strategies such as training/upskilling, out-rotation and backfill strategy, or staggered hiring for niche resources. This approach minimizes wasteful hiring/firing cycles to ensure that the right resources are available for projects at the right time and cost.

Resource utilization forecasting

Resource forecasting techniques enable firms to optimize billable and strategic utilization. It allows mobilizing resources from non-billable to billable or strategic work. Resource planner helps to control project financials by comparing forecasted with actual utilization . It also detects and proactively mitigates under and over-resource utilization.

Further, managers can refer to comprehensive utilization reports, color-coded heatmaps, etc., to identify under/overutilization of resources. Consequently, they can implement resource optimization techniques such as levelling and smoothing to ensure optimal profitable utilization and productivity.

Resource capacity planning

Forward planning resource demand for current and pipeline projects is essential to avoid last-minute scuffles for competent professionals. With robust resource capacity planning, organizations can analyze the enterprise’s resource capacity vs. project demand gap. This foresight helps identify resource excess or shortage and implement corrective steps to bridge the gap.

In the case of a resource shortage, managers can facilitate proactive strategies such as re-training employees or hiring a contingent workforce. Conversely, when there is a resource excess, they can bring forward the project dates. Simultaneously, capacity resource planning helps minimize bench time by adjusting timelines or selling excess capacity at discounted rates and building an optimized project team that is future-ready.

Read More: What is Resource Capacity Planning? An Ultimate Guide for Every Project Manager

Bench management

With a resource planner, managers can gain early foresight into the workforce that will land on the bench due sudden ramp-down activities. For instance, when a project finishes and the next one begins, managers are prepared well in advance and can proactively allocate these resources to suitable project vacancies on time.

Resource managers can look into project vacancy reports and plan work for resources before they hit the bench. This will reduce bench time between projects for most resources and improve the organization’s bottom line. Additionally, with efficient bench management, managers can provide training or shadowing opportunities to selected employees to enhance their billability.

Reporting using real-time business intelligence

Modern resource planners provide real-time business intelligence reporting and analytics to fast-track decision-making in a rapidly changing business environment. These configurable dashboards and custom reports empower end-users to slice and dice relevant information effortlessly and present insights through visually intuitive graphs and reports.

Moreover, intelligent BI uses a combination of security rights, portal designs, and filters, allowing the end-user to view relevant data and prevent information overload. Additionally, it will enable managers to tailor reports to gain visibility into data matching their specific requirements. This streamlined accessibility empowers managers to make faster decisions and improves the overall resource health index.

What-if analysis for resource simulation

What-if analysis within a resource planner allows firms to build and simulate different resource scenarios in a multi-project environment. This helps managers to compare different scenarios and their potential outcomes. Accordingly, the manager can form different resource mixes, with the revenues earned, to find the most profitable project.

Thus, after deriving the best scenario, managers can apply it to the resource plan. Moreover, what-if analysis also helps prioritize profitable projects based on criteria like budget and timeline. As a result, it enables organizations to manage multiple projects’ demands with limited resources.

Creating an efficient resource plan is essential as it optimizes resource utilization, minimizes wastage, and ensures financial stability throughout the project. Here is a detailed step-by-step breakdown of the same.

How to create an efficient resource plan in 7 steps?

Here are seven distinct steps by which managers can create an efficient project resource plan:

Step 1: Understand client and resource requirements

At the outset, managers kickstart the resource planning process by thoroughly understanding both the project requirements and the resources available within the organization. This includes assessing the project scope, objectives, timelines, and budget.

Based on that, project managers can gauge the resource requirements in terms of skills, types, and number. This initial evaluation helps managers determine whether the existing skills and competency of the workforce align with the overall project goals and take appropriate corrective measures. Therefore, it helps avoid any last-minute firefighting, ensuring successful project delivery.

Step 2: Fulfill the project demand by identifying the gap

After a project manager determines the project requirements, the next step involves requesting the necessary resources from resource managers to fulfill the project demand. Resource managers play a pivotal role in assessing the capacity versus demand gap.

They meticulously analyze shortages or excesses of resources from multiple perspectives, i.e., role, skills, competency, etc. This proactive approach enables organizations to foresee resource challenges, allowing for strategic planning and resource allocation.

Step 3: Implement appropriate resource strategies to bridge the gap

After identifying the shortage and excess of resources, managers must take proactive measures to bridge resource gaps in the short or long term. This visibility into resource gaps allows sufficient lead time for the managers to initiate forward planning and take appropriate resourcing measures to bridge the gap.

For instance, in case of shortages, organizations may facilitate re-training/upskilling resources, juggling project priorities, or hiring a permanent/contingent workforce to avoid last-minute hiring/firing costs. Conversely, when the resources are in excess, managers can either bring forward project dates or sell excess capacity to optimize the utilization of every resource and ensure successful project delivery.

Step 4: Allocate the right resources to the right project

Effective resource allocation is a critical step in the planning process. By leveraging the centralized view and advanced filters, managers can strategically allocate resources based on availability, skills, competencies, and interests. This ensures that managers align the right skilled workforce with appropriate expertise to projects for optimal project success.

Managers can also create the right resource mix of senior/junior employees or contingent/permanent workforce, depending on the project requirements. It will help them control the project budget without compromising the quality of deliverables. This way, the company can consistently complete projects on time and within budget by allocating the most suitable resources.

Step 5: Consider factors that affect resourcing strategies

To effectively carry out the allocation of appropriately skilled resources to the project, managers need to consider the following factors:

• Long-term/short-term assignment

The foremost step to consider while recruiting resources is whether a firm is filling a position for a short-term or long-term assignment. For the short term, hiring a contingent workforce or freelancer is an ideal choice. However, for a long-term assignment, focusing on permanent hiring with lead time is essential. Therefore, considering the project length when hiring helps minimize wasteful hiring/firing cycles.

• Generic vs. niche skill

Generic skilled resources are relatively easy to plan for, as they are readily available within the organization. On the other hand, hiring resources with niche skills may require additional lead time due to their scarcity, which often results in higher costs. Additionally, once their assignment is completed, redeploying them within the organization can prove challenging.

• Cost of the resource

It is important that the resource managers hire the right resources with a defined skill set and experience for the project. They must look into the cost rate of the resource that fits the budget of projects. Furthermore, managers should also factor onsite, offshore, and near-shore options in the recruitment strategy to minimize the overall project resource costs.

• Attrition & succession planning

Managers need to ensure that the sudden resignation of critical resources does not jeopardize a project’s delivery. Therefore, they must implement robust succession plans to identify and train replacements for key positions within the organization. An intelligent resource planner provides a real-time competency matrix that helps managers select competent employees for leadership roles. Therefore, it not only addresses the resourcing needs of the organization but also helps monitor the resource health index.

Read More: Ten Effective Strategies to Reduce Employee Turnover

Step 6: Monitor and control project resources

Once resources have been allocated to project tasks, it’s important to regularly track and monitor the utilization of each professional to prevent instances of under/overutilization. In case of underutilization, managers can bring forth project timelines. On the other hand, managers can implement optimization techniques like resource leveling and smoothing to mitigate overloading.

Further, project managers must anticipate and plan ahead for resource related risks such as unplanned absenteeism, turnover, lower productivity, etc. They must create risk mitigation strategies to control these bottlenecks adequately and prevent them from derailing the project’s progress. This will ensure timely project delivery within the pre-defined budget and quality standards.

Step 7: Conduct a post-project analysis

Upon project completion, it is crucial for managers to conduct a thorough post-project analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of the resource plans and identify areas of achievement and improvement. This will help scrutinize whether resources were allocated efficiently, if project deadlines were met as planned, and if any unexpected circumstances arose.

With these insights, firms can refine and enhance future resource planning efforts by identifying areas of success and potential improvement. They can develop robust and efficient resource plans that align resources with project needs, minimize discrepancies, and ultimately bolster project success rates.

Finally, these are the essential components in a typical resource planning template, which can help effectively plan your workforce. Given below are some of the common mistakes of resource planning in project management. Read on:

Common mistakes of resource planning in project management

The project resource cost can blow out of proportion, and project delivery is significantly impacted without a proper resourcing strategy. This section describes some of the common mistakes made in this area.

Using silos of spreadsheets for resource planning

Despite its limitations, many organizations still use spreadsheets to plan their resources because they are easily accessible. While this software comes at a cost, it offers significant benefits over spreadsheets. Excel resource planner causes improper allocation, double booking, and creates additional work. This system is very limiting and a nightmare to maintain.

Marketwatch states that “88% of spreadsheets are prone to errors.”

Planning resources without overall visibility

Many managers continue to allocate resources without having complete visibility of their skills, competencies, and existing bookings. As a result, it becomes difficult to allocate the right resources to suitable projects at the right time. Restricted visibility also hinders identifying and leveraging quality resources from low-cost locations.

Read More: 7 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Use Excel for Resource Planning

Lack of resource forecasting for pipeline projects

Resource planning for future projects is often taken up at the eleventh hour. The resource managers make the mistake of only taking up the planning activities when the deal is signed. Ideally, it should start after the opportunity reaches a certain probability of closure so there is sufficient lead time to address resource requirements. This results in last-minute activities that create an unbalanced pool as the quality of the resources is compromised.

Not maintaining the right mix of permanent and contingent workforce

Businesses try to fulfill project requirements using full-time employees as it is perceived to be a more cost-effective solution. However, if a niche resource is hired for a shorter duration, it becomes challenging to redeploy him after the assignment is complete. Therefore, a resource plan should maintain a judicious blend of permanent and contingent resources. For short-term assignments, a contingent workforce will be less expensive than hiring full-time resources.

Allocating under or over-skilled resources to the projects

One of the common mistakes of resource planning in project management is assigning under or overqualified resources to tasks. When resources are under-skilled for the job, it causes project delays. On the other hand, over-skilled resources spike project costs. Not assigning tasks per skills and interests leads to decreased employee engagement and loss of productivity.

Read More: Resource Allocation: A Guide on How to Apply it to Project Management

Unplanned hiring without analyzing project demands

Resource managers often resort to last-minute hiring activities to fulfill project resource requirements. This unplanned hiring compromises quality and leads to a large bench of mismatched skill sets. So, analyzing project demands with matching skill sets is a prerequisite for informed hiring decisions.

Knowing the common mistakes of project resource planning, let’s understand the responsibilities of resource and project managers.

Responsibilities of project managers and resource managers

Project managers operate on a project level with projects of different sizes and complexities. A project manager can manage single or multiple projects and ensure they are completed within a stipulated time and budget. However, resource managers operate at the organizational level and oversee allocating resources to several projects.

The project manager initiates the resource request for an open position within his project, and the resource manager’s job is to fulfill the same. Once a resource is allocated to a project for a particular period, the resource manager’s responsibility ends. However, the project manager’s job only begins to ensure that the resource carries out the delivery responsibilities.

Role of resource manager

In summary, a resource manager is responsible for the following:

• Planning and allocation based on resource skills, previous experience, and availability.
• Conducts capacity planning to address issues of shortfall and excesses of resources.
• Support project managers with the project resource management plan and related activities.
• Address resource concerns by reallocating resources, negotiating, or assigning additional staff.
• Collate new project requirements from the business and provide them to the hiring team.
• Certain limited HR-related functions.
• Collaboration with other departments, e.g., HR, PMO, Sales, Learning & Development.
• Generating reports and analytics for senior management.

Role of a project manager

The corresponding roles of a project manager are:

• Create a project management plan and define the scope and delivery objectives of the project.
• Capture resource requirements and request for fulfillment.
• Streamline communications with stakeholders/ team members and customers.
• Carry out operational reviews as per project KPIs.
• Estimate time and cost and monitor the budget.
• Report the project’s progress, analyze potential risks, and provide a mitigation strategy.
• Document the project and set the expectations for various team members.
• Work with the empaneled vendors for contingent resources.

Read More: Project Management vs. Resource Management

These are some of the significant responsibilities of resource and project managers. Now, let’s learn about some benefits of resource planning across industries.

How resource planning benefits different industries?

Resources are fundamentally the greatest asset of any organization. It means the profitability of any company is mainly reliant on intelligent resource planning. A key aspect while planning for resources is that it helps to efficiently use workforce potential to get the best possible outcome.

Let us discuss some of the specific industries where efficient resource planning could benefit significantly:

IT industry

Due to the rapid advancement in technology, computing, and automation, IT companies face widened tech skills gaps within their workforce. Technology is changing at a fast pace, and IT professionals are under constant pressure to acquire new skills throughout their professional careers. Timely forecasting and efficient resource planning will help managers predict the demand for niche skill sets well in advance. Then, managers can employ rotation/upskilling methods to gauge these gaps and create an augmented workforce.

Audit and accounting firm

Most of the audit and accounting firms are run by their partners. These firms consider billable utilization a critical KPI to ensure profitability and sustainability. So, depending on the accounting project’s needs, an effective resource planning solution helps to forecast resource requirements (Accountants, auditors, financial analysts, tax consultants, audit interns, etc.) and utilize them for productive activities. It also enables firms to hire interns regularly, give them on-the-job training, and make them billable.

Similar to audit and accounting firms, law firms are also run by their partners. Bringing in a client when the firm has inadequate staffing can be detrimental to its reputation and profitability. An effective forecasting and resource planning strategy helps assess future demands and find the right resource (lawyers, legal secretaries, etc.) at the right cost, age demographics, etc. It also enables partners to build an on-demand workforce , create a skill database, and define the total billable hours.

Engineering industry

The increased demand in manufacturing has caused skill shortages in the core engineering industry, where competition is fierce for experienced workers (automobile engineers, machinists, designers, etc.). An engineering resource planning solution helps managers provide reskilling and on-the-job learning opportunities for the employees. Thus, it helps to replenish an aging workforce, fill critical positions, and match them to the best potential projects based on talents and interests.

Read More: What Is Engineering Resource Planning?

Construction industry

Construction and infrastructure projects possess highly volatile resource demands due to changing climatic conditions and sudden increases in maintenance activities. With resource planning solutions, managers gain visibility of all construction resources and recruit skilled labor, architects, civil engineers, etc., throughout the projects. Thus, it maximizes the workforce’s productive utilization and ensures minimal resource conflicts. Therefore, efficient resource planning is key to managing construction resources effectively and preventing hiring/firing costs.

Consulting & professional service industry

The professional service industry has a unique challenge to balance resource demands across various clients. With efficient resource planning, managers can keep track of resources and their specialized skills. Since the consultants are deployed at a premium rate, keeping them engaged in client billable activities and reducing idle time for maximum profitability is crucial. At the same time, they need to be provided enough opportunities to acquire new skills and ensure no employee burnout.

Video game industry

The game development industry requires a highly competent team of niche-skilled resources. Efficient resource planning enables managers to diversify their expertise to the maximum potential and fulfill the gaming project resource demand. It also helps to identify in-demand skills and cross-train them to build an optimized workforce of game designers, level artists, programmers, QA teams, etc. Thus, effective resource planning can become a game-changer in fast-tracking the development cycle.

Read More: How can Robust Resource Management Future Proof the Gaming Industry

Now that we have learned about the benefits, let’s discuss the best practices for effective resource planning.

Best practices for effective resource planning

Enlisted below are some best practices to consider when engaging in resource planning:

Define clear project goals and objectives

Effective resource planning begins with clearly defining project goals, objectives, and deliverables. This step is crucial as it provides a solid foundation for determining the necessary resources and their allocation across multiple projects.

When the project scope is well-defined, it becomes easier to identify the skills, expertise, and types of resources required to achieve those objectives. In addition, clarity in project goals enables efficient resource planning from the outset, ensuring that resources are aligned with the project’s strategic direction.

Conduct a comprehensive resource assessment

Before scheduling and allocating resources, conducting a thorough assessment is important to determine the specific resource requirements. It involves identifying the types and quantity of resources needed, considering factors such as skills, expertise, availability, and capacity.

After assessing, managers can accurately gauge the resource demand for each project phase. This helps avoid scheduling conflicts such as staff shortages or double bookings, enabling optimal resource allocation and utilization throughout the project lifecycle.

Collaborate with stakeholders

Involving key stakeholders, such as project managers, team members, and department heads, in the resource planning process is crucial. That’s because collaborative discussions with stakeholders help understand project priorities, identify potential resource conflicts, and obtain valuable input.

Additionally, stakeholder involvement ensures that resource planning aligns with project goals and organizational objectives. Organizations can leverage stakeholders’ collective expertise and insights by fostering a collaborative approach, resulting in more informed resource-planning decisions.

Monitor and track resource utilization

Continuous monitoring and tracking of resource utilization throughout the project lifecycle are essential to facilitate effective resource planning. By regularly assessing resource allocation against actual utilization, project managers can identify potential bottlenecks, such as workload imbalances or under/overutilization of resources.

This monitoring process provides valuable insights into resource efficiency and enables timely adjustments. By having real-time visibility into resource utilization, supervisors can optimize resource assignment, ensure even work distribution, and mitigate risks associated with resource constraints.

Foster flexibility and adaptability

Resource planning should incorporate flexibility to accommodate changes that may arise during the different stages of the project. It’s essential to anticipate the need for resource adjustments and establish a process for reshuffling staff when necessary. This flexibility allows for agile resource planning, ensuring that resources can be allocated or reassigned based on evolving project requirements.

By fostering flexibility and adaptability, organizations can respond more effectively to unexpected changes or shifts in project priorities, resulting in improved project execution and better client satisfaction.

Organizations can optimize resource planning efforts and ensure successful project delivery by following these best practices. Now, let’s understand operational and strategic resource planning in project management.

Operational and strategic resource planning in project management

Planning implies thinking in advance about what we need to do to realize the business objectives. Strategic planning aims to attain long-term goals , while operational planning helps achieve the short-term objectives of an organization. Let’s understand in detail:

What is strategic resource planning?

Strategic planning is usually undertaken by top-level management to decide the future direction. It is not limited to projects within a particular department or unit but covers the entire organization. Strategic resource planning looks into the overall long-term resourcing strategy.

It can change drastically based on individual priorities. For example, If an IT firm plans to outsource a temporary requirement, i.e., the resourcing strategy will shift from FTE to contingent staff for IT infrastructure improvements. Similarly, a niche skilled resource’s out-rotation from an existing project to start a new initiative will come under strategic resource planning.

What is operational resource planning?

Operational planning addresses the day-to-day activities of a business. It also supports strategic planning to accomplish the overall organizational goals. First, we decide on the short-term objectives and then determine how to achieve them.

Operational resource planning includes regular business activities and operations as per organizational guidelines. For example, it covers pipeline project management , management of FTE and contingency resources, forecasting billable and total utilization, and more.

Read More: What Is Operational Workforce Planning and Its Importance?

Factors that can influence operational and strategic resource planning

Strategic and operational resource planning parameters are linked with an organization’s mission, vision, strategies, goals, and objectives. In addition, the following can influence strategic and operational resource planning decisions.

It defines an organization’s hiring policy for full-time resources and directly influences decisions made on a resource plan. It also covers compensation and benefits, an essential consideration for regular employees.

Hybrid delivery

The project team is created using a combination of in-house and vendor resources. An in-house workforce performs the critical positions requiring specific domain knowledge. One-time activities such as software development are accomplished using vendor resources.

Outsourcing vs. in-sourcing

Due to globalization, many businesses outsource certain functions to other organizations. Some organizations also have stricter policies that their confidential data cannot leave the company’s boundary.

Multi-locational policy

Due to the cost pressure, many projects are being executed from different locations. Therefore, project costs can be minimized using generic resources from a low-cost area. In addition, the high-skilled resources can be located based on their availability, who can take up leadership roles related to delivery.

Training and development

Full-time resources must learn new skills for their self-development and compete in a dynamically changing environment. Therefore, it may not always be practical to hire new resources. However, a new skill can be acquired by cross-training an existing employee.

Resource leveling and smoothing

The essential function of resource leveling is to optimize workforce allocation by adjusting the project schedule to resolve conflicts caused by resources’ over-allocation. On the other hand, resource smoothing optimizes distribution by adding new resources without affecting the critical path and timeline. Both of these techniques influence decisions toward a resource plan.

How to address market volatility using operational and strategic resource planning?

Effective resource planning is a critical success factor for an organization’s growth and sustainability. Unfortunately, the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus upset the world’s business model at the beginning of 2020.

Many organizations try to stay afloat in these volatile market conditions with a shrinking budget. Acute cost pressure and skill shortages have also become routine activities. Following strategies can help an organization sustain its profitability while planning for project resources.

Short-term strategy

• Effective capacity planning and identifying the gaps between capacity and demand
• Address the shortage of resources using a combination of FTE and contingent resources
• Either re-train existing employees or go for new hires depending on the requirements
• Identify new projects, adjust the project timelines, and sell services for excess capacity
• Mobilize employees from non-billable or low-priority work to billable or high-priority projects as a routine activity.
• Revisit our rotation/backfill policy for starting new projects with niche skills

Long-term strategy

• Decide non-critical functions that can be outsourced
• Identify at least two to three vendors who can work as strategic partners for outsourcing
• Decide on a multi-locational policy to take advantage of resources from low-cost location
• Adapt a hybrid delivery model for cost efficiency

Read More: What Is Strategic Workforce Planning and Why It Is Important?

This is how operational and strategic resource plan helps firms achieve their business goals. Listed below are some of the critical trends of resource planning in project management.

Emerging trends of resource planning in project management

Over the years, the project management landscape has undergone several changes due to technological advancements, management paradigms, etc. Therefore, organizations must embrace newer ways to manage projects successfully to keep pace with these changes. Listed below are some of the emerging trends of resource planning in project management:

Replace silos of spreadsheets with an enterprise resource plan

Silos of spreadsheets and home-grown tools are inadequate for efficient resource planning, adversely impacting business performance. Hence, companies are shifting towards enterprise-level software that centralizes resource-related information and maintains a single source of truth.

Taking resource scheduling to the next level

Today, resource scheduling is not just a simple process of allocating resources against projects. It has evolved into a full-fledged enterprise-level process that ensures maximum efficiency and utilization of resources.

Resource capacity planning for business efficiency

Resource capacity planning is not a luxury for businesses any more. It has become an essential part of the resource planner. It future-proofs your workforce against market volatility by analyzing the demand capacity gap and bridging it proactively.

Resource forecasting to maximize effective utilization

Billable and strategic utilization of the workforce is a crucial indicator of business profitability. Therefore, getting a real-time view of future utilization has become critical while planning for resources. Resource forecasting helps in taking proactive measures to improve future allocations.

Integrating resource management processes with other applications

Traditional resource plans include inefficient and time-consuming processes. Enterprise-level resource planner streamlines them using efficient workflows, alerts, and analytics. It also integrates effortlessly with multiple business applications to maintain a single source of truth across the enterprise.

Monitoring and controlling project resource cost

Enterprise-level resource planner offers various capabilities to monitor and effectively reduce project costs . Some of them are forecasting, capacity planning, resource modeling, pipeline management, bench management, etc.

These are some of the evolving trends of resource planning in project management.

An efficient resource plan fosters you to accomplish more in the same amount of time from the most valuable resources- the people.

Therefore, it is imperative to implement effective resource planning to utilize the workforce to its maximum potential. When resources are planned efficiently, it helps a business to manage risks, reduce delays, optimize resource utilization, etc.

Moreover, implementing the above-mentioned processes with the right resource management software will help you manage your resources intelligently and enhance profitability while maintaining a competitive edge.

Unlock Your Business’s Full Potential Through Strategic Resource Planning Today!

Read More: Glossary of Resource Workforce Planning, Scheduling and Management

SAVIOM Solution

SAVIOM is the market leader in offering the most powerful and configurable solution for managing your enterprise resources effectively and efficiently. With over 20 years of experience, this Australian-based MNC has created its global presence across 50 countries and helped more than 100 customers achieve their business goals. SAVIOM also has products for project portfolio management and professional service automation, and that is customizable as per business requirements.t is customizable as per business requirements.

The Ultimate Guide to an Efficient Resource Management

No Comments »

For more insights into resource management, join our weekly newsletter.

Get resources to your inbox directly, our insightful ebooks just for you.

Recommended Articles

19 mins read

The Holygrail of Resource Planning in Project Management

10 mins read

7 Steps to Implement Effective Resource Planning in an Audit and Accounting Firms

9 mins read

7 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Use Excel for Resource Planning

7 mins read

Work From Home: How a Business Can Overcome Productivity & Utilization Challenges

Book your free customized trial today.

See how intuitive and effective our Resource Management Solution is by booking a free, custom-configured trial.

We use cookies to optimise your visit. By continuing to browse our site you are accepting our cookie policy. For more information visit our cookies policy page

How To Create A Resource Plan In 7 Steps

As an agency project manager, you’ve probably experienced the agony of a project going over budget or missing deadlines because of poor project resource planning.

But let’s face it—creating a resource management plan while balancing a project’s requirements, budget, and schedule can be a real pain. Even the thought of identifying all the required resources, assigning them, and creating a detailed schedule is enough to give you a headache.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

This article will show you how to create a resource plan that addresses these pain points and sets your project team up for success. You’ll learn about the steps involved, the tools needed, and the best practices to document a resource management plan.

Ready to get started?

Let’s start by understanding what a resource plan is.

What is a resource plan?

A resource plan is a document that outlines the resources (people, tools, and materials) needed to complete a project. For an agency project, this document focuses primarily on human resources and their capacity, availability, and workload.

This plan helps a project manager manage resources and adjust the schedule.

Project managers create it in the early planning stages of project management. It’s a deliverable of an effective resource planning process.

Elements of a project resource plan

A comprehensive resource plan includes:

• Resource requirements: A list of all the resources needed to complete the project, including their number, roles, and responsibilities
• Project schedule: A detailed schedule including task start and end dates as well as critical milestones
• Resource gaps and risks: An analysis of the resource needs that cannot be met internally and a plan to deal with resource risks
• Resource management: A plan about how to monitor resource utilization and workload
• Monitoring and control plan: A plan to share resource planning and management updates with stakeholders, team members, and management.

How to create a resource plan?

Project managers plan resource management during the project’s planning phase. This upfront project management work ensures that you have the right resources available at the right time in your project.

Let’s look at the steps involved in creating one.

Grab a copy of our free project resource plan template to follow along.

#1. Document project scope

The first step in project management is to define the project’s scope.

The scope document not only helps you plan a project’s schedule, but it’s also critical for understanding the resource requirements of a project.

You don’t need to redo the entire scope document. However, it helps to include the following:

• Key project deliverables
• Major activities needed to deliver them
• And things that are out of scope

Creating a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) based on project requirements helps you identify the deliverables and tasks.

Include a brief project scope outlining the deliverables and activities needed to complete the project.

#2. Identify resource requirements

At this stage, you know the activities needed to deliver a project. Next, you can quickly identify the resources required to complete each activity.

For example, here’s how you can document the resource requirements for a content marketing project.

For every resource type, note down the following:

• Responsibilities (you’ll need these later to identify resource gaps)
• And the number of resources required

#3. Include the project timeline

At the end of step #2, you’ve identified the “who,” i.e., the project resources.

Next, you need the “when.”

You only need some of the resources at all times in your project’s lifecycle. It makes sense to allocate and release a valuable resource as required so they can work on multiple projects.

That’s where a project timeline helps.

At this stage, the timeline represents the baseline schedule of the project’s activities. This could change resource assignments depending on resource availability.

Toggl Plan’s drag-and-drop Project timelines make it easy to create project schedules and adjust them just as quickly when things change.

Include a link to your project timeline in this section.

#4. Allocate resources to project tasks

Resource allocation is the process of assigning and managing the available resources.

It is an essential step of the resource management process as it helps balance a project’s resource needs with an organization’s total resource capacity.

Managers need to compete for resources when an agency works on multiple projects. As a result, a manager often needs to work with other project managers to book resources for a project.

Toggl Plan’s Team timelines make it easy to see your entire team’s schedule. See who’s on vacation and who’s busy with other projects in one place. Thus making it simple to schedule resources based on their availability and capacity.

Once you’re happy with the allocation plan, add the project resource schedule to the plan document. This involves adding the name of the person, their role, allocation start and end dates, and their estimated workload in hours.

Once you’ve allocated resources, you may find some project activities without any assignees. These are called resource gaps.

You may find other project activities without room to add a buffer resulting in the risk of a project lag. This risk can occur within a project or across projects in your agency.

Once you’ve identified the gaps and risks, include them in the plan.

#5. Make a risk management plan

Agency project managers mostly need to manage human resources. As a result, the project resource planning process is full of uncertainties. All an agency manager can do is prepare for roadblocks to complete projects on time and within budget.

You’ve already identified the resource gaps and risks in the last step.

Next, make a plan to manage these risks.

Here are some common project resource risks and their solutions:

The solutions you choose depend on the client and other project priorities.

Once you’ve identified the potential solutions, include them in your plan.

#6. Monitor and control project resources

There’s one final step before you can send the plan for approval.

You need a plan for when and how you’ll track resource availability and utilization.

A regular review meeting schedule helps you:

• Stay on top of your project’s resource requirements.
• Revisit specific resource assignment decisions.
• Manage resource risks better.

Include the resource review meeting date, topic, and attendee information in the resource management plan.

Tracking utilization

Utilization indicates how effectively resources are utilized in a project compared to their estimated allocation. It clearly shows you if your project is suffering from under or over-utilization of resources.

Allocation can be estimated from previous successful lookalike projects. Using a time-tracking tool to track time is the best way to measure your project team’s utilization accurately.

You can also use a simple spreadsheet or use Toggl Track’s reports to track your team utilization rate.

#7. Get the plan approved

You are now all set to send the plan for approval.

You must get the plan approved by all the stakeholders involved in the project. This way, they understand the plan and risks in managing resources.

Critical stakeholders in an agency project include:

• Client (or the project owner)
• Account manager
• People ops team (if you plan to hire additional resources or train existing resources)
• Finance/budget team

In large agencies, these are separate teams. On the other hand, in small agencies, the agency owner is often the only one you’ll need approval from.

Do you really need a documented plan?

Some of the steps outlined above seem apparent. In fact, so evident that agencies rarely make resource plans—less than 40% of project teams invest in resource planning and management ( Wellingtone , 2021).

Is it worth then investing in planning your project’s resources?

Absolutely. Here’s why:

• Reduce project failure rate : According to the same Wellingtone report, poor resource planning is the third-most common cause of project failure.
• Better manage resource constraints: With a clear picture of resource availability and allocation, you can make better decisions to utilize resources efficiently.
• Effective project portfolio management : Juggling multiple client projects is never easy. A documented plan gives you a clear picture of who’s doing what and when. Thus ensuring that all projects get a fair shot at available resources.
• Clear project communication: A documented plan means all stakeholders (including clients) know the resource needs, risks, review schedule, and mitigation plans.
• Resource commitments: Getting signed approvals to ensure everyone has budgeted for the resource requirements—including other PMs, HR, and finance teams.

Tools for effective resource planning

Creating and documenting a plan to manage resources may feel daunting. However, templates and resource management software make it easy.

Free resource planning templates

Make a copy of this free Google Docs (or MS Word) template to document your resource plan.

Also, grab our free resource planning and management templates (Google sheets and Excel versions)

Resource planning software

The free templates can help you get started quickly. But if you’re serious about resource management, it pays to invest in resource management tools.

Read our detailed comparison of the top resource planning tools . Or check out our top picks below.

Create an effective resource management plan with Toggl Plan

For agency projects, you need a simple tool to plan your projects and resources.

Project managers are hands-on and often have little time to learn and tinker with a complex project management tool.

That’s where Toggl Plan can help. It’s a simple, visual, drag-and-drop project planning tool.

Its colorful timelines make it easy to see who’s doing what and when. As a result, you can quickly make and adjust project and resource plans.

The time-off planning feature is handy for staying on top of your team’s vacation plans and avoiding scheduling conflicts with off time and other projects.

It also has a two-way integration with Toggl Track, a time-tracking tool. Using both tools, you and your team can stay on top of your team’s allocation, utilization, and workload.

Start your free Toggl Plan trial now .

Jitesh is an SEO and content specialist. He manages content projects at Toggl and loves sharing actionable tips to deliver projects profitably.

Join 30,000+ subscribers getting the best tips on productivity, work management, hiring and more!

We promise we won't spam you and you can unsubscribe anytime.

You might also like...

Related to Project Management

11 Best Wrike Alternatives in 2023 [Full Comparison]

The Ultimate Guide To Project Management For Marketing & Ad Agencies

Take a peek at our most popular categories:

What Is Resource Allocation in Project Management?

• 1.  Project Management Basics
• 2.  Project Management Methodologies
• 3.  Project Management Life Cycle
• 4.  Best Project Management Software
• 5.  Team Collaboration Tips
• 6.  Agile Methodology Basics
• 7.  Agile Project Management Tools & Techniques
• 8.  Project Management Frameworks
• 9.  Resources
• 10.  Glossary
• Advanced Terminology
• Methodologies
• PM Software Features
• Basic Terminology
• Professional Development
• Agile Project Management

Resource allocation is the process of assigning and scheduling available resources in the most effective and economical way possible. Projects will always need resources but they can often be scarce. The task, therefore, lies with the project manager to determine the proper timing and allocation of those resources within the project schedule. 

In project management, resources are often in high demand but low in availability. This reality puts project managers in a position where they must strategize the best ways to use what they have. They need to determine who does what, when, and with what tools or support. It’s a balancing act that requires keen insight into the project's needs and the capabilities of the resources at hand.

This guide will discuss the positive impacts of good resource allocation, such as enhanced team performance and better project outcomes. We’ll address potential challenges, including resource scarcity and the complexities of people management. We’ll also cover the best practices for resource assignment and provide insights on how to effectively manage and deploy resources throughout a project’s life cycle. 

Finally, we’ll show you why Wrike is the best software to help with resource allocation, including the specific features that will make your life as a project manager easier.

Most common types of resources to allocate

Resource allocation is an integral part of project management and it often revolves around four primary types of resources. These resources are essential to consider, irrespective of the industry or project scope.

This includes the project’s budget and funding. Financial resources help acquire other resources and ensure sufficient funds to cover all project aspects, from initial planning to execution and completion.

This involves tangible assets used in the project, such as equipment, materials, and workspaces. Physical resources are necessary for the project’s actual construction or development phase.

This category includes the people involved in the project, such as team members, contractors, and consultants. Human resources carry out the tasks and responsibilities outlined in the project plan.

Technological

This includes software tools for planning and monitoring, communication systems, and other technological aids that make project processes run more smoothly.

What impacts resource allocation in project management?

Resource allocation in project management is an ongoing process, not just a one-off task at the outset. It involves strategically assigning and managing various resources throughout the entire project life cycle.

Proper resource allocation leads to numerous positive outcomes. It enhances efficiency, keeps the project within budget, and ensures that every team member has clarity about their roles and responsibilities. Effective resource allocation also means making the most of what you have and avoiding wasting time and resources.

However, resource allocation isn’t without its challenges. For one, it requires continuous monitoring and adjustment. The dynamic nature of projects means that resource needs can change, sometimes unpredictably. The responsibility of resource allocation typically falls on the project manager, who must keep a vigilant eye on the project’s resource needs, adjusting and reallocating as necessary to steer the project toward its goals.

Positive impacts of resource allocation

When done right, resource management can offer a variety of positive impacts:

Properly allocated resources lead to enhanced productivity, meaning goals and milestones are achieved on time.

When resources are managed well, team members feel adequately supported and valued as they have clear guidelines and sufficient tools to execute their tasks.

Strategic resource allocation helps avoid wastage and ensures that the project stays within budget, making it financially efficient.

With a clear overview of resource distribution, team members can make quicker and more informed decisions, leading to better project outcomes.

A well-structured resource plan reduces the likelihood of errors and lowers stress levels among team members.

Difficulties in project resource allocation

While resource allocation is important to the success of any project, it’s not without its challenges. Understanding these obstacles can help you brainstorm ways to overcome them. Here are some common difficulties encountered in resource allocation:

Projects often evolve, leading to changes in scope. This can affect the original resource plan, requiring adjustments and re-evaluations to align with the new direction.

Finding the right match between the project’s needs and the skills of team members can be challenging. Ensure that the right people are working on tasks that suit their expertise.

Miscommunication can lead to resource mismanagement, affecting the project’s progress. Wrike enhances communication with real-time updates and automated notifications, ensuring all team members are on the same page. 

Tracking multiple tasks and prioritizing them according to the project’s needs can be difficult. It requires a clear understanding of the project’s objectives and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances. With Wrike’s intuitive dashboards , however, project managers can easily monitor tasks and prioritize them based on urgency and importance.

Assigning tasks based on cost, skills, and availability is complex. It involves balancing various factors to maximize resource use while managing team members. Wrike’s advanced analytics allow for a more informed task assignment process, considering cost, availability, and skill level.

Who is responsible for resource allocation during a project?

The responsibility of resource allocation typically falls on the shoulders of the project manager. They are the central figure who understands the intricacies of the project, making them best positioned to oversee the distribution and management of resources. From the initial planning stages to the final execution, the project manager must ensure that resources are utilized effectively and efficiently.

A project manager's responsibilities include identifying resource needs, aligning skills with project requirements, and adjusting resources in response to project dynamics. They are also tasked with maintaining communication with team members and stakeholders, ensuring everyone is informed about resource availability and project progress. 

5 steps to allocate resources for any project

Allocating resources effectively involves a careful balance of planning, analysis, and adaptation. Here’s a roadmap outlining five foundational steps that can guide you through the process of allocating resources for your project:

1. Assess resource needs

The first step in resource allocation is to understand the project’s objectives and needs. Ask yourself questions like: What are the main goals of the project? What tasks need to be done? Then, move on to identifying the types of resources your project requires. This varies depending on your industry and the project’s nature. Are we talking about the skills and expertise your people bring to the table? Or about the equipment or budget needed for different project aspects?

Determine the necessary resources for each task outlined in your project scope. Consider the number of team members needed, their specific skills, any special equipment required, and the budget for each task. By thoroughly assessing your resource needs, you’re setting your project up for success, avoiding last-minute chaos, and ensuring you have everything you need right from the start. 

2. Prioritize resource requirements 

With a clear picture of your project’s resource needs, the next step is prioritization . This is where you weigh the importance of each resource and determine which ones are non-negotiable and which ones you can be flexible with.

You can think of this as a hierarchy of needs for your project. At the top are the resources essential to the project’s success. These could be specialized team members whose skills are important for certain tasks or specific equipment without which the project can’t progress. These are your deal-breakers — the ones you can’t do without.

Then, consider the resources that, while important, offer some wiggle room. Maybe there’s software that would be nice to have but isn’t essential, or maybe you could manage with fewer people on specific tasks. These are your negotiable resources, where you can explore alternatives or adjustments without derailing your project. By prioritizing your resources, you create a roadmap for decision making throughout the project.  

3. Strategically allocate resources for the project

Good strategy means matching your resources smartly to your identified needs. This step requires careful consideration of availability, skills, and budget constraints to ensure a perfect fit for each aspect of your project. For instance, you should assign the most skilled team members to the most demanding tasks or ensure that essential equipment is available when needed.

It’s important to strike a balance here. Allocating too many resources to one area might cause bottlenecks elsewhere, while too few resources can lead to delays and quality issues. The goal here is to distribute your resources evenly and logically, ensuring each project phase has what it needs to succeed without overextending your available resources.

4. Monitor and adjust resources throughout the project

Allocating resources is just the beginning. The real challenge lies in continuously monitoring and adjusting these resources throughout the life of your project. Just as your project grows and changes, so too will its needs. What seemed like a perfect initial allocation might need tweaking as the project evolves. 

Regular monitoring ensures resources aren’t being overused or underused. You might find that some team members are swamped with tasks while others have plenty of capacity, or maybe certain equipment is lying idle. These imbalances can lead to budget overruns, delays, and even burnout among your team.

5. Evaluate and optimize your resource allocation process

After the curtain falls on your project, it’s time for introspection. Evaluating and optimizing your resource allocation process dissects what happened during the project, understanding what worked well and pinpointing areas for improvement.

Did you allocate too many resources to one area while neglecting another? Were there bottlenecks that could’ve been avoided with better planning? This reflective practice is not about finger-pointing or dwelling on mistakes. Instead, it’s an opportunity to learn and grow. 

At the same time, your team members may have excelled in instances where they nailed resource allocation. Recognizing these successes is just as important as identifying the missteps. Examining both the highs and lows of your project gives you invaluable insights to guide your approach in future ones.

Now, imagine having a platform like Wrike by your side throughout this process. Wrike makes the evaluation phase a breeze. With its comprehensive tracking and reporting features, Wrike can provide clear insights into how resources were used throughout your project. This data is gold when optimizing your approach for future projects.

Resource allocation examples

Whether you’re managing human resources, monitoring the budget, or ensuring the best use of technology, Wrike streamlines these processes into a cohesive, manageable workflow. For instance, you could leverage Wrike’s dashboards to track budget usage in real time or use our analytics features to forecast resource needs for upcoming phases of your project.

Let’s take a closer look with an example. Imagine you’re managing a marketing campaign . With Wrike, you can:

• Allocate human resources using a workload chart and assign tasks based on individual team members’ expertise, be that in design or copywriting.

• Monitor your campaign budget through Wrike’s advanced analytics . Adjust your spending as needed to ensure you make the most of your financial resources without going over budget

• Use time tracking features to monitor individual timesheets and track billable hours if using an external creative agency.

• View key milestones in your campaign, such as scheduled social posts and product launch dates, with Wrike’s shared calendars .

The psychological factors involved in resource allocation planning

Here are the psychological factors at play when planning resource allocation in project management:  

• Cognitive bias: As project managers, we’re not immune to biases that can skew our perception. Confirmation bias, for instance, might lead us to favor resources that align with our preconceptions, potentially overlooking better alternatives. 
• Risk perception: Different stakeholders may perceive the risks associated with resource allocation differently. Some might be risk-averse, preferring a conservative approach, while others may be more risk-tolerant. 
• Motivation and incentives: Understanding what motivates your team is essential. Are they driven by deadlines, the promise of rewards, or the satisfaction of overcoming challenges? 
• Conflict resolution: Resource allocation often involves making tough choices that not everyone will agree with. Conflict is natural, but managing it can make or break a project. 
• Communication: Clear communication is the cornerstone of effective resource allocation. Misunderstandings can lead to misallocated resources, missed deadlines, and increased project costs. 

Let’s take a deeper dive into the team dynamics involved in project management.

Team dynamics and resource allocation

The driving forces behind each team member’s work ethic can significantly impact resource utilization. Recognizing and aligning resources with individual motivations and incentives ensures each team member has a personal stake in the project. Assigning tasks that match a team member’s interests or career goals can maximize their output and satisfaction.

Efficient resource allocation also hinges on the team’s ability to communicate effectively and resolve conflicts. Open lines of communication are essential to understanding resource needs, identifying potential bottlenecks, and addressing any issues promptly. When conflicts arise, resolving them quickly and constructively is key to maintaining project momentum.

Strategies for overcoming risks and biases

The first step in overcoming biases is to acknowledge their existence. Cognitive biases like favoritism, overconfidence, or resistance to change can lead to suboptimal resource allocation decisions. Creating an environment where team members can openly discuss and challenge these biases helps make more balanced and objective decisions.

Educating team members about common biases and risk management strategies can also be highly beneficial. This could involve workshops, training sessions, or even integrating learning modules into project management tools like Wrike. By raising awareness and equipping the team with the necessary knowledge, they become more adept at identifying and managing biases and risks.

Meanwhile, risks in resource allocation can stem from various sources, including technological changes, market fluctuations, or team dynamics. Implementing a systematic approach to risk assessment helps in identifying potential pitfalls early. This could include regular risk evaluation meetings or tools like SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis to evaluate different aspects of the project.

Wrike can play a pivotal role in minimizing project risks. Features like AI project risk prediction and workload charts can highlight issues such as cost overruns and burnout before they escalate.

Resource assignment best practices

Project management is a diverse field in which different projects demand unique strategies for resource allocation. As a versatile project management platform, Wrike can significantly enhance the effectiveness of the following methods:

Critical path method (CPM)

This method identifies the longest stretch of dependent activities and measures the time required to complete them. In Wrike, project managers can use the Gantt Chart view to map out these dependencies and determine the critical path visually. This helps in prioritizing tasks that directly impact the project timeline.

Earned value method (EVM)

EVM is an objective technique for assessing project performance and progress by comparing planned vs. actual earned value. Wrike’s analytics tools can be instrumental in tracking these metrics, providing real-time insights into the project’s health and progress.

Resource leveling 

This method is used to address resource overallocation. It often involves delaying tasks to balance resource demand with supply. Wrike’s workload charts enable project managers to visualize over-allocations and adjust task timelines accordingly.

Resource smoothing 

Similar to leveling, but with a focus on keeping resource usage below certain predefined limits. Wrike allows project managers to set up custom fields and reports to monitor resource utilization and ensure it stays within desired thresholds.

Program evaluation and review technique (PERT)

PERT is a statistical tool used to analyze and represent the tasks involved in completing a project. It helps in identifying the minimum time needed to complete a project. Wrike’s robust project planning and tracking functionalities offer a platform where PERT analysis can be integrated to estimate task durations more accurately.

Time purchased 

This method is pragmatic and particularly relevant when resources are outsourced or rented. Given that time-purchased resources often have direct cost implications, Wrike’s budget tracking features allow for close monitoring of expenses related to these resources. This level of financial oversight ensures that the project remains within budget.

More ways Wrike can help allocate resources in project management

As we’ve discussed, Wrike has a variety of work management features to boost resource allocation, from real-time communication to advanced analytics tools. Let’s take a look at two of the most relevant ones in closer detail.

Gantt charts

Gantt charts provide a visual timeline for the project, clearly displaying task durations, dependencies, and milestones. This visualization makes it easy to identify which resources are needed and when. Using Gantt charts, project managers can efficiently plan and allocate resources, ensuring tasks are appropriately staffed and timelines are met. This organized approach minimizes resource conflicts and optimizes the use of available assets throughout the project life cycle.

Workload charts

Workload charts in Wrike offer a powerful way to manage resource allocation in project management. Project managers can create specific views that track and display key information for each individual on their team, such as weekly hours and capacity percentage. That way, they can quickly spot potential signs of burnout and reallocate resources as needed.

To sum up, Wrike provides all the features you need to address the complexities of managing resources. Whether dealing with team dynamics, managing risks and biases, or applying best practices like critical path method or resource leveling, a robust project management platform can make a significant difference. 

Start a free trial of Wrike today to find out how it can help you transform your resource allocation.

Further reading:

• Smart Ways to Manage Your Team’s Resources with Wrike
• Introducing Workload Management in Wrike
• Managing Tasks, Projects, Issues, and Documents... How About Books?

Basic Project Management

• Project Charter
• Project Management Stakeholders
• What is a Project?
• Work Breakdown Structure
• Project Objectives
• Project Baseline
• Project Management Scheduling
• Project Management Work Packages
• Project Management Scope
• Scope Creep

Advanced Project Management

• What is PERT?
• Network Diagram
• Risk Management
• Cost Estimation
• Feasibility Study
• Monte Carlo Analysis
• Project Integration
• Cost Management
• PMI Project Management
• What To Do With Certification
• Certification
• Become Certified
• PMP Certification
• Best Certification

Software Features

• Critical Success Factors
• Capacity Planning
• User Role Access Permissions
• Time Tracking
• Budget Tracking
• Request Forms
• Work Assignments
• Version Control
• Dependency Managements
• Project management Milestones
• Project Management Software
• Project Management Tools
• Project Management System
• Gantt Charts

• Roles and Responsibilities Template
• Stakeholder Mapping
• Team Charter
• What is Project Baseline
• Work Log Templates
• Workback Schedule
• Workload Management
• Work Breakdown Structures
• Agile Team Structure
• Cross-Functional Flowcharts
• Creating Project Charters
• Guide to Team Communication
• How to Prioritize Tasks
• Mastering RAID Logs
• Overcoming Analysis Paralysis
• Understanding RACI Model
• Eisenhower Matrix Guide
• Guide to Multi Project Management
• Procure-to-Pay Best Practices
• Procurement Management Plan Template to Boost Project Success
• Project Execution and Change Management
• Project Plan and Schedule Templates
• Resource Planning Templates for Smooth Project Execution
• Risk Management and Quality Management Plan Templates
• Risk Management in Software Engineering
• Stage Gate Process
• Stakeholder Management Planning
• Understanding the S-Curve
• Visualizing Your To-Do List
• 30-60-90 Day Plan
• Work Plan Template
• Weekly Planner Template
• Task Analysis Examples
• Cross-Functional Flowcharts for Planning
• Inventory Management Tecniques
• Inventory Templates
• Six Sigma DMAIC Method
• Visual Process Improvement
• Value Stream Mapping
• Creating a Workflow
• Fibonacci Scale Template
• Supply Chain Diagram
• Kaizen Method
• Procurement Process Flow Chart
• UML Activity Diagrams
• Class Diagrams & their Relationships
• Visualize flowcharts for software
• Wire-Frame Benefits
• Applications of UML
• Selecting UML Diagrams
• Create Sequence Diagrams Online
• Activity Diagram Tool
• Archimate Tool
• Class Diagram Tool
• Graphic Organizers
• Social Work Assessment Tools
• Using KWL Charts to Boost Learning
• Editable Timeline Templates
• Guides & Best Practices
• Kinship Diagram Guide
• Graphic Organizers for Teachers & Students
• Visual Documentation Techniques
• Visual Tool for Visual Documentation
• Visualizing a Dichotomous Key
• 5 W's Chart
• Circular Flow Diagram Maker
• Cladogram Maker
• Comic Strip Maker
• Course Design Template
• AI Buyer Persona
• AI Data Visualization
• AI Diagrams
• AI Project Management
• AI SWOT Analysis
• Best AI Templates
• Brainstorming AI
• Pros & Cons of AI
• AI for Business Strategy
• Using AI for Business Plan
• AI for HR Teams
• BPMN Symbols
• BPMN vs UML
• Business Process Analysis
• Business Process Modeling
• Capacity Planning Guide
• Case Management Process
• How to Avoid Bottlenecks in Processes
• Innovation Management Process
• Project vs Process
• Solve Customer Problems
• Startup Templates
• Streamline Purchase Order Process
• What is BPMN
• Approval Process
• Employee Exit Process
• Iterative Process
• Process Documentation
• Process Improvement Ideas
• Risk Assessment Process
• Tiger Teams
• Work Instruction Templates
• Workflow Vs. Process
• Process Mapping
• Business Process Reengineering
• Meddic Sales Process
• SIPOC Diagram
• What is Business Process Management
• Process Mapping Software
• Business Analysis Tool
• Business Capability Map
• Decision Making Tools and Techniques
• Operating Model Canvas
• Mobile App Planning
• Product Development Guide
• Product Roadmap
• Timeline Diagrams
• Visualize User Flow
• Sequence Diagrams
• Flowchart Maker
• Online Class Diagram Tool
• Organizational Chart Maker
• Mind Map Maker
• Retro Software
• Agile Project Charter
• Critical Path Software
• Brainstorming Guide
• Brainstorming Tools
• Visual Tools for Brainstorming
• Brainstorming Content Ideas
• Brainstorming in Business
• Brainstorming Questions
• Brainstorming Rules
• Brainstorming Techniques
• Brainstorming Workshop
• Design Thinking and Brainstorming
• Divergent vs Convergent Thinking
• Group Brainstorming Strategies
• Group Creativity
• How to Make Virtual Brainstorming Fun and Effective
• Ideation Techniques
• Improving Brainstorming
• Marketing Brainstorming
• Rapid Brainstorming
• Reverse Brainstorming Challenges
• Reverse vs. Traditional Brainstorming
• What Comes After Brainstorming
• Flowchart Guide
• Spider Diagram Guide
• 5 Whys Template
• Assumption Grid Template
• Brainstorming Templates
• Brainwriting Template
• Innovation Techniques
• 50 Business Diagrams
• Business Model Canvas
• Change Control Process
• Change Management Process
• NOISE Analysis
• Profit & Loss Templates
• Scenario Planning
• Winning Brand Strategy
• Work Management Systems
• Developing Action Plans
• How to Write a Memo
• Improve Productivity & Efficiency
• Mastering Task Batching
• Monthly Budget Templates
• Top Down Vs. Bottom Up
• Weekly Schedule Templates
• Kaizen Principles
• Opportunity Mapping
• Strategic-Goals
• Strategy Mapping
• T Chart Guide
• Business Continuity Plan
• Developing Your MVP
• Incident Management
• Needs Assessment Process
• Product Development From Ideation to Launch
• Visualizing Competitive Landscape
• Communication Plan
• Graphic Organizer Creator
• Fault Tree Software
• Bowman's Strategy Clock Template
• Decision Matrix Template
• Communities of Practice
• Goal Setting for 2024
• Meeting Templates
• Meetings Participation
• Microsoft Teams Brainstorming
• Retrospective Guide
• Skip Level Meetings
• Visual Documentation Guide
• Weekly Meetings
• Affinity Diagrams
• Business Plan Presentation
• Post-Mortem Meetings
• Team Building Activities
• WBS Templates
• Online Whiteboard Tool
• Communications Plan Template
• Idea Board Online
• Meeting Minutes Template
• Genograms in Social Work Practice
• How to Conduct a Genogram Interview
• How to Make a Genogram
• Genogram Questions
• Genograms in Client Counseling
• Understanding Ecomaps
• Visual Research Data Analysis Methods
• House of Quality Template
• Customer Problem Statement Template
• Competitive Analysis Template
• Creating Operations Manual
• Knowledge Base
• Folder Structure Diagram
• Online Checklist Maker
• Lean Canvas Template
• Instructional Design Examples
• Genogram Maker
• Work From Home Guide
• Strategic Planning
• Employee Engagement Action Plan
• Huddle Board
• One-on-One Meeting Template
• Story Map Graphic Organizers
• Introduction to Your Workspace
• Managing Workspaces and Folders
• Adding Text
• Collaborative Content Management
• Creating and Editing Tables
• Adding Notes
• Introduction to Diagramming
• Using Shapes
• Using Freehand Tool
• Adding Images to the Canvas
• Accessing the Contextual Toolbar
• Using Connectors
• Working with Tables
• Working with Templates
• Working with Frames
• Using Notes
• Access Controls
• Exporting a Workspace
• Real-Time Collaboration
• Notifications
• Meet Creately VIZ
• Unleashing the Power of Collaborative Brainstorming
• Uncovering the potential of Retros for all teams
• Collaborative Apps in Microsoft Teams
• Hiring a Great Fit for Your Team
• Project Management Made Easy
• Cross-Corporate Information Radiators
• Creately 4.0 - Product Walkthrough
• What's New

A Practical Guide to Resource Scheduling in Project Management

Resource scheduling is the cornerstone of every successful project. This process of resource scheduling isn’t just about assigning tasks; it’s about aligning project management with resource management so every asset is optimized. In this comprehensive guide, we will look at what is resource scheduling and how to effectively apply it in project management.

What is Resource Scheduling

While general scheduling outlines the timeline for project tasks, resource scheduling goes deeper, aligning the right mix of personnel, equipment, and materials with the project’s timeline and goals. It’s a strategic approach that makes sure every task is matched with the appropriate team member, considering their availability and skill sets.

Resource scheduling is not just about who does what and when; it’s about optimizing the use of resources to maintain project quality and meet deadlines efficiently. There are a few steps to this:

• Identifying the resources needed for each task
• Estimating the duration and effort required
• Allocating resources based on their availability and competencies
• Adjusting schedules to accommodate changes and constraints

By integrating these elements, resource scheduling becomes a dynamic tool that adapts to project needs, rather than a static list of dates.

Resource Scheduling Methods

There are two types of resource scheduling methods and both have their place in project management. The choice between them often depends on the availability of resources:.

Time-constrained resource scheduling

This method prioritizes project deadlines above all else. The focus is on completing tasks within a set timeframe, which often requires flexible resource allocation. For instance, if a project deadline is looming, additional resources may be temporarily shifted to ensure timely completion.

Resource-constrained resource scheduling

In contrast, this approach puts the availability of resources at the forefront. Projects are scheduled based on the resources at hand, which means timelines may be adjusted to fit the resource capacity. This method is particularly useful when working with limited resources or fixed budgets.

Resource Scheduling Template

Creating a resource schedule involves detailing the allocation of resources to tasks over the course of a project. Below is a simplified resource schedule template, which you can customize based on your project’s needs.

• Customize the template based on the number of tasks and resources involved in your project.
• Adjust the allocation percentages and total hours based on the specific requirements of your project.
• Regularly update the schedule as the project progresses and as resource availability changes.
• Ready to use
• Fully customizable template
• Get Started in seconds

Explore more resource planning templates with our resource on Resource Planning Templates .

What to Consider Before Creating a Resource Schedule

Before creating a resource schedule, it’s important to lay the groundwork for effective resource management. Here’s how to make sure your schedule aligns with the project needs:

• Assessing resource availability and skills : Start by taking stock of your team’s availability, considering vacations, other projects, and personal time off. Equally important is evaluating the skills and expertise of your team to match them with the right tasks.
• Understanding project scope and deliverables : Define the project’s boundaries and expected outcomes. This clarity will help you allocate resources efficiently and avoid scope creep, which can derail your schedule.

Use a work breakdown structure to define and document the project scope. It ensures a comprehensive understanding of what needs to be accomplished, preventing scope creep and providing a basis for project agreements.

• Prioritizing tasks and milestones : Identify which tasks are critical to the project’s success and which can be flexible. This will help you create a schedule that focuses on delivering key milestones on time, while also allowing for adjustments as the project progresses.

Identify and prioritize tasks based on criteria such as urgency, importance, and dependencies, ensuring that team efforts are focused on high-priority items.

Consider potential constraints and risks : Be proactive in identifying possible project constraints, such as limited resource availability or budget restrictions. Also, assess potential risks that could impact your resource scheduling, and plan contingencies accordingly.

Align resource scheduling with organizational goals :Ensure that your resource scheduling strategy supports the broader goals of your organization. This alignment helps in optimizing resource utilization and achieving strategic objectives.

How to Create a Resource Schedule

Here’s how to create a resource schedule that is both efficient and adaptable, setting your project up for success.

• Identify resources : Start by listing all the resources needed for your project, including personnel, equipment, and materials. Understand the skills and capabilities of your team members to match them with appropriate tasks.
• Define tasks and milestones : Break down the project into tasks and assign milestones. This will help you visualize the project timeline and the resources needed at each stage.

Assign resources : Allocate your identified resources to specific tasks. Consider the availability and workload of each resource to avoid overallocation.

Create a visual schedule : Use Creately, a visual collaboration tool with built-in project management tools, to create a visual representation of the resource schedule. This can be in the form of a Gantt chart, calendar view, or other suitable formats.

Monitor and adjust : Resource scheduling is not a one-time task. Regularly review your resource allocation and make adjustments as needed to accommodate changes in project scope or resource availability.

Tips for Effective Resource Scheduling

Resource scheduling can be a complex task, but with the right strategies, it can be streamlined for efficiency and effectiveness. Here are some useful tips to help you optimize your resource scheduling process:

Encourage team input : Involve your team in the scheduling process. Their insights can help identify potential bottlenecks and optimize the allocation of resources, leading to a more efficient schedule.

Prioritize transparency : Keep all stakeholders in the loop by maintaining a clear and accessible schedule. It fosters trust and helps team members prepare for upcoming tasks.

Regularly review resources : Set aside time to regularly review and adjust your resource allocations. This proactive approach can help you identify potential bottlenecks or over-allocations before they become issues.

Embrace flexibility : While it’s important to have a structured schedule, be prepared to adapt to changes. You need flexibility to handle unexpected demands or timeline shifts. Look for scheduling tools with drag and drop tasks to canvas, which can simplify rescheduling.

Why is Resource Scheduling Important in Project Management?

Resource scheduling is crucial in project management for several reasons:

Efficient resource utilization : By effectively scheduling resources, you can maximize the use of your team’s skills and time. In this way, you don’t over-allocate or underutilize your team members' abilities.

Resource scheduling for risk mitigation : Planning for potential risks is a key aspect of project management. Using resource scheduling, you can allocate backup resources and adjust timelines proactively, reducing project delays and budget overruns.

Boosting team productivity and morale : A well-organized resource schedule provides clarity and direction, which can significantly boost team productivity. Knowing their roles and responsibilities helps team members focus on their tasks without the stress of uncertainty, thereby improving morale.

Timeline management : Keeping projects on track is easier when resources are scheduled efficiently. In this way, milestones are met and deliverables are completed on time, which is important to keeping clients happy.

Cost control : Resource scheduling helps predict resource allocation costs. By planning ahead, you can avoid last-minute scrambles for resources, which often come with a premium price tag.

Optimized workloads : Balancing workloads prevents burnout and keeps your team engaged. When you schedule resources, you can distribute tasks evenly, taking into account each team member’s strengths and current workload.

How to Simplify Scheduling Your Resources with Creately

Creately offers a wide range of features to simplify resource scheduling and improve team collaboration.

Real-time collaboration

Creately provides a real-time collaboration environment, allowing team members to work together on the same board simultaneously. It comes with features such as multi-user editing, synced previews, comments and discussion threads and spotlighting option for presentation along with a plugin for Microsoft Teams to connect during meetings.

Customizable templates

Creately provides a library of customizable templates with extensive shape libraries, including those for project planning and resource scheduling. Users can leverage these templates or create their own to suit the specific needs of their projects.

Drag-and-drop interface

Its intuitive interface allows users to easily drag and drop elements on the board. This feature simplifies the process of adjusting task durations, moving tasks between resources, and making real-time updates to the schedule.

Infinite canvas, notes and embeds

Create a central repository for all your resources related information with Creately’s infinite canvas. Create visual frameworks for resource scheduling and use notes and embeds to add attachments for each element.

Creately VIZ - AI powered visual intelligence

Automatically generate diagrams related to your resource schedules or convert your ideas into multiple types of diagrams and visual frameworks with Creately VIZ. Extend your diagrams automatically or organize and group items on the canvas instantly based on themes or concepts to generate insights faster.

In summary, resource scheduling is key to successful project management because it ensures that the right resources are allocated to the right tasks at the right time. This systematic process is essential for optimizing efficiency, meeting project timelines, and controlling costs. From the initial creation of a well-defined Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) to the dynamic adjustments made throughout the project life cycle, resource scheduling acts as the backbone of project planning and execution.

Join over thousands of organizations that use Creately to brainstorm, plan, analyze, and execute their projects successfully.

More Related Articles

Amanda Athuraliya is the communication specialist/content writer at Creately, online diagramming and collaboration tool. She is an avid reader, a budding writer and a passionate researcher who loves to write about all kinds of topics.

.css-s5s6ko{margin-right:42px;color:#F5F4F3;}@media (max-width: 1120px){.css-s5s6ko{margin-right:12px;}} Discover how today’s most successful IT leaders stand out from the rest. .css-1ixh9fn{display:inline-block;}@media (max-width: 480px){.css-1ixh9fn{display:block;margin-top:12px;}} .css-1uaoevr-heading-6{font-size:14px;line-height:24px;font-weight:500;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;color:#F5F4F3;}.css-1uaoevr-heading-6:hover{color:#F5F4F3;} .css-ora5nu-heading-6{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:flex-start;justify-content:flex-start;color:#0D0E10;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s;transition:all 0.3s;position:relative;font-size:16px;line-height:28px;padding:0;font-size:14px;line-height:24px;font-weight:500;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;color:#F5F4F3;}.css-ora5nu-heading-6:hover{border-bottom:0;color:#CD4848;}.css-ora5nu-heading-6:hover path{fill:#CD4848;}.css-ora5nu-heading-6:hover div{border-color:#CD4848;}.css-ora5nu-heading-6:hover div:before{border-left-color:#CD4848;}.css-ora5nu-heading-6:active{border-bottom:0;background-color:#EBE8E8;color:#0D0E10;}.css-ora5nu-heading-6:active path{fill:#0D0E10;}.css-ora5nu-heading-6:active div{border-color:#0D0E10;}.css-ora5nu-heading-6:active div:before{border-left-color:#0D0E10;}.css-ora5nu-heading-6:hover{color:#F5F4F3;} Read the report .css-1k6cidy{width:11px;height:11px;margin-left:8px;}.css-1k6cidy path{fill:currentColor;}

• Project planning |
• What is resource leveling? (Techniques ...

What is resource leveling? (Techniques and examples)

Resource leveling requires solid resource management skills and a thorough understanding of what each project needs. To help you get a better handle on this technique, we break down the resource leveling process with examples and best practices for you to follow. 

What is resource leveling?

Resource leveling is a project management technique that involves resolving overallocation or scheduling conflicts to ensure a project can be completed with the available resources. Resources include the time, materials, or tools needed to complete a project. 

The purpose of resource leveling is to get the most out of available resources while working within the project’s time, cost, and scope constraints. 

Resource leveling can be challenging for project managers as it requires balancing the demand for the same resources across multiple projects . 

Depending on your team needs, here are possible outcomes:

If the goal is to keep the current project deadline, more resources may need to be made available. 

If the goal is to run the project with currently available resources, the deadline of the project may be extended. 

Resource leveling adjusts resource allocation or project schedules to keep resources from being overextended. This can help maintain the quality of project outputs.

When to use resource leveling

Resource leveling prevents resources from being spread too thin while ensuring projects still have what they need to succeed. This technique contributes to not only project management, but also helps maintain work-life balance for the team. Here are some reasons why your team can benefit from resource leveling. 

To optimize your resources

Resource leveling lets you get the most out of the resources you have on hand. It helps you assess which projects should receive additional resources and which ones are flexible in terms of deadlines. 

To minimize deficits

Resource leveling prevents significant project delays, thereby minimizing the losses in costs and labor. This technique allows you to manage the resource demand without exceeding the company’s current capacity and financial resources. 

To prevent task overloading

Overallocation of resources leads to overwork , which can be overwhelming for team members. Resource leveling prevents this by resolving overallocation issues and adjusting deadlines to ensure team members don’t have too much on their plates.

To ensure the quality of a project output

Leveling allows you to manage both resources and client expectations by maintaining the same level of quality for project deliverables. In general, resource leveling can be a useful technique for resolving budget issues, resource overallocation, and project delays.

Resource leveling examples

To help you get a better understanding of how resource leveling can be applied across your team, here are some examples: 

Example one: Delaying a project start date

A project requires a designer to create mock-ups for the client, but the designer was double-booked, and the rest of the design team is occupied as well. They decide to start the project two days later when the designer is available. Since the designer works fast, the project end date remains the same. 

Example two: Obtaining additional resources 

The IT team has been responding to a large number of IT requests to deal with a virus that infected company computers. Since the company’s current antivirus software isn’t robust enough to handle the virus, the team decides to invest in new antivirus software so they’re able to fix the computers.

Example three: Postponing a project end date 

The marketing team is launching a new social media campaign and they’re waiting for approval from the social media manager, who is currently out of the office due to illness. Since the campaign isn’t time-sensitive, they decide to push the launch date back by a few days so the manager has time to review. 

Whether you lead a marketing, sales, or IT team, resource leveling can come in handy for resolving resource conflicts. Once you decide on a solution, let the rest of your team know your plan. You can use a meeting template to plan the agenda. 

Project resource leveling

Adding project resource leveling to your arsenal of skills will help you become a more effective leader. Here are some resource leveling strategies you can apply to your team.

Critical Path Method (CPM)

The critical path method is a common resource leveling technique that’s used to calculate project duration without taking resource limitations into account.

This technique involves linking dependent project activities in a logical sequence in order to calculate the earliest and latest possible dates that each activity can start and finish by. The “critical path” refers to the sequence of tasks with the longest duration that needs to be completed in order to successfully close out a project. 

Once you figure out the activities on the critical path, you can determine their “float,” or scheduling flexibility:

Total float refers to how long tasks can be delayed from the earliest start date without impacting the project completion date

Calculation: (Late finish date) – (early finish date) or (Late start date) - (early start date)

Free float refers to the number of days that tasks can be delayed without impacting the start date of subsequent activities

Calculation: (Early start date of next task) – (early finish date of current task)

Tasks on the critical path have a float of zero, meaning that if one task is delayed, the rest of the project is delayed as well. 

For example, let’s say the IT team is working on replacing the current security system, and they identify two critical and two noncritical tasks:

Discontinue the use of current security software across the company within two days

Install and test the new software on all company devices within four days

Noncritical :

Finalize purchase details with the software vendor within a day

Create how-to guide for using new software within two days

Based on this example, the shortest project duration is six days, since the critical path activities are crucial to complete the project, whereas noncritical tasks may be optional.

Fast tracking

There are times when projects must be delivered on or before the deadline to satisfy client requirements. In those cases, you can use fast tracking to run multiple parallel tasks to speed up the project. This schedule compression technique can only work if the activities can be overlapped with one another to a certain extent. 

For instance, activities with dependencies can be staggered and activities without dependencies can occur in parallel. 

An example of fast tracking is when the software development team starts building the back end of a website while the design team is finishing up the website mock-up. With the fast tracking technique, the work gets done on time and on budget, but there’s also a higher possibility of reworks. 

When fast tracking can’t be applied or it’s not effective enough, you can implement the crashing technique. This is where additional resources are allocated to a project to shorten the timeline. In this case, you have to assess the needs of high-priority tasks and look for resource options that provide the most value at the least cost. 

For example, the marketing team needs two more writers since their deadline was moved up by two days. With no spare team members, the project manager decides to hire two freelancers they’ve worked with before rather than spend time looking for new writers. 

Before you decide to use crashing to compress project schedules, be sure to get approval from your manager or client about obtaining additional resources. 

Critical chain method

The critical chain method is an updated version of the critical path method. Unlike the critical path method, the critical chain method takes resource limitations into account. In this case, the critical chain refers to the longest path of tasks, taking into account both task and resource dependencies. A resource can only be allocated to one task at a time. 

Project scheduling using this method involves listing required resources for tasks and reassessing their availability when needed. 

The critical chain method includes a buffer period, which is placed between the last task and the project finish date, acting as a contingency for the critical chain activities. Tasks that finish early increase the buffer. Conversely, delays in critical chain activities use up this buffer but won’t affect the project completion date.

For example, to publish a piece of content on time, the manager determines the resources needed: a writer, editor, designer, and developer. They set a buffer of five days in case there are delays between content or design reviews. 

The critical chain method aims for realistic estimates of project duration and resources so that projects finish on time without overextending resources.

Resource leveling tools

Resource leveling will become easier with more experience. As you practice this technique, here are some tips and tools you can use to your advantage. 

Use Gantt charts: A Gantt chart is a bar chart that visualizes a project schedule and can be ideal for identifying and planning the critical path. You can easily get a high-level overview of the task dependencies, start and finish dates, and project duration. As the project progresses, you’ll be able to rearrange the chart and adjust dates as needed. 

Leverage project management software: Some project management software comes with resource leveling algorithms that can help resolve overallocation conflicts. Project management software also gives greater visibility into team members’ schedules, which will assist in preventing scheduling conflicts and double-booking ahead of time. 

Draw network diagrams: A network diagram is another type of visual representation of a project’s schedule. It’s shown as a chart with sequences of boxes and arrows to depict the chronology of tasks. It can be used to plan the schedule as well as track project progress. When you connect the series of boxes, each representing a task with its duration, you’ll be able to identify the noncritical and critical paths. 

Use previous projects as a reference: Keep an archive of past project plans and schedules so that you can reference them when doing a similar project to come up with a more accurate project plan . Looking at past successful or unsuccessful projects will give you a better idea of how much leeway to give each task and approximate which resources are required so you can gauge resource availability before the project starts.   

Make realistic estimations of resource needs: Resource leveling efforts have a better chance of succeeding if you clearly define the project scope up front and make realistic estimates of resource needs. 

Here are some tips for making more precise estimates:

Make estimations in a team to reduce personal biases 

Include potential project risks in the estimation process

Estimate in ranges rather than specific values to cover a wider set of possibilities

Use the same estimation technique each time to yield more consistent estimates

The better the initial resource estimates, the less drastic the resource leveling will be if issues occur later on. 

Resource leveling vs. smoothing

Both resource leveling and resource smoothing can be considered resource management techniques .

The primary difference between the two is the project constraint that’s prioritized: Resource smoothing prioritizes time constraints whereas resource leveling focuses on the availability of resources. 

Here’s an example: Say you’re booked to work on a task for eight hours for five days, but you only need 30 hours to finish the task, so you redistribute the schedule to six hours a day. By doing so, you have more leeway to work on other tasks without affecting the project deadline.

Resource leveling is used when there’s resource overallocation, whereas resource smoothing is used when there’s an uneven allocation of resources. Resource leveling comes with the flexibility of moving project dates around, but project dates are set when you use resource smoothing. 

After using resource leveling to resolve overallocation conflicts, you can use resource smoothing to even out the project schedule. 

Level up your resource leveling skills

To make the most out of limited resources, you can use the resource leveling technique to distribute available resources to help projects finish on time. 

Use this strategy in tandem with customized templates for your team, such as IT templates or marketing templates , to plan and schedule your projects.  

Resource leveling relies on having solid resource management skills, but work management software can help you take your project coordination to the next level.  

Related resources

What is stakeholder analysis and why is it important?

How Asana uses work management to optimize resource planning

Understanding dependencies in project management

Unmanaged business goals don’t work. Here’s what does.

Managing Project Resources and Assignments

• First Online: 30 April 2020

Cite this chapter

• Gus Cicala 2  

1345 Accesses

At the end of the chapter, the reader should be able to

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

• Available as PDF
• Read on any device
• Instant download
• Own it forever
• Available as EPUB and PDF
• Compact, lightweight edition
• Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
• Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Wilmington, DE, USA

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Augustus Cicala Jr

About this chapter

Cicala, G. (2020). Managing Project Resources and Assignments. In: The Project Managers Guide to Microsoft Project 2019 . Apress, Berkeley, CA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4842-5635-0_8

Download citation

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4842-5635-0_8

Published : 30 April 2020

Publisher Name : Apress, Berkeley, CA

Print ISBN : 978-1-4842-5637-4

Online ISBN : 978-1-4842-5635-0

eBook Packages : Professional and Applied Computing Apress Access Books Professional and Applied Computing (R0)

Share this chapter

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Publish with us

Policies and ethics

• Find a journal
• Track your research

Assign Resource

Online Help  > Assign Resource

What does the “Assign Resource” functionality do?

The “Assign Resource” functionality allows you to assign people to work on tasks entered in your schedule.

What is a Team Member?

A team member is a person that belongs to an organization - team members are assigned at the organization level and can be shared across multiple projects.

What is a Resource?

A resource is a person, equipment or materials that belongs to a project. Resources are defined and maintained at the project level.

When and why use Team Members or Resources in your project?

You want to use Team Members any time you have shared people resources working in more than one project at the time so you can track their availability and avoid over allocations or under utilization.

You want to use local project Resources that are not Team Members only for material or equipment type resources.

When/How a Team Member become a Resource and viceversa?

When Team Member ‘John Smith’ is assigned to Task ABC in Project123 it becomes a local Resource to the project.

When local project Resource Mary Doe is added to the Organization XYZ it will become a Team Member and will be available to all projects in the organization.

How do I assign a resource to a task?

There are 3 ways to assign resources to a task:

1. Using the Resource Name column - just write or select the resource/resources you want to add. Set the units or the number of items.

2. Using Task Information - Resource tab - select resources and write or select the resource/resources you want to add. Set the units or the number of items.

3. Using menu Team - Assign. Right click on a task in the grid and select Assign then select your resource and click on the Assign button.

How many resource types are there?

The available resource types are work, material and cost.

Why the costs in resources does not update in real time when I type in percentage in units?

We do recalculation when OK button is pressed on Task Information dialog. If you need to see how changes of the units impact the cost, please insert Cost column near Resource Name column in grid. When resource units is changed also the cost value is recalculated.​

How to add resources for tasks in the Gantt Chart view?

To assign resources to tasks in  Gantt Chart  view, you can import the existing  team members  from your organization or to add other  resources .

To assign an  existing team member  from your organization to a task, in  Gantt Chart  view, click on the down arrow in  Resource Names  field and select from the list the resources marked with an icon.

To add another resource that is not a team member yet, simply insert his name in  Resource Names  field. Later on, you can invite that specific  resource  into your  organization  by going to menu  Team – Import Team .

How to add resources from the Task Information menu?

You can add resources from the Task Information menu. Select resources and write or select the resource/resources you want to add with the % you want the resources or with the number of items.

What is the best way to add a lot of resources for a task?

When you need to add multiple resources for a task the best way to do it is by entering the Task Information dialog box for that specific task.

How can I plan and control equipment orders and deliveries (logistics activities) in the project?

For material resources, in Resource Sheet you can add a resource of type material. Insert the material label and the Std. Rate . In Gantt Chart view or in Task information dialog you can specify the units for that specific material.

How to plan expenses related to the purchase of equipment and materials needed to implement projects?

For expenses related to the purchase of equipment (fixed cost), in Resource Sheet view you can add a resource of type cost. Then, you can assign that resource to a specific task in Task Information dialog under Team tab.

How do resource assignments drive the schedule?

If you don't assign resources to tasks in your project, application calculates the schedule using durations, task dependencies, constraints, and project and task calendar information. If you do assign resources, the tasks are also scheduled according to resource calendars and assignment units, providing for more accurate scheduling.

An assignment is the association of a specific task with a specific resource that is responsible for completing the task. More than one resource can be assigned to a task. Work resources, material resources, can be assigned to tasks. Unlike work resources, assigning material resources to a task does not affect task scheduling.

For example, in your project you have a task named  Develop specifications . You also have an engineering resource, Sean. If you assign Sean to the  Develop specifications  task, the scheduling of this task depends on Sean's resource calendar and assignment units, in addition to task information such as duration, task dependencies, constraints, and calendars.

In addition to scheduling according to task information, after you assign resources to the tasks in your project, application has additional resource and assignment information to use in calculating schedule information, including:

How can I remove an assigned resource from a task?

You can remove a resource from a task by going to the “Team” menu and pressing on the “Assign - Resource” option. A dialog will appear in which you have to uncheck the resource you want to remove then click the “Assign” button.

How to assign the specific user as a local resource?

You can add in your plan the name and email address for that specific resource, but you cannot import the resource in your Team. To share a file with that resource, you can go to menu Share – Share and insert the email address for that specific resource.

How do I import my outlook contact into my Resource Sheet?

We are sorry but at this point we don't support importing resources from Outlook.

What is a Resource Assignment?

It represents an association between specific tasks and the resources needed to complete them. Assigning resources to tasks will indicate who or what is needed to complete the tasks in your project. More than one resource can be assigned to a task. Both work resources (e.g. people) and material resources can be assigned to tasks.

Why I can’t see the “Assign” button in ribbon on the Mac platform?

If the “ Assign ” button is not visible in ribbon, please click the "More" button. You should be able to find in the dropdown the button that doesn't fit inside the ribbon because of the small window size.

Why is the resource allocation important?

Resource allocation is an important aspect that shouldn't be neglected and it reflects the health of your project. You should avoid overallocation pitfalls by addressing the resource overallocation aspect before it affects your project's health. Resource overallocation is most likely to occur when there are multiple projects in a company and might present a risk, especially if your resources are small and involved in multiple tasks. How you plan your resource allocation is a key aspect in keeping your project on track and on budget with the outcomes you expect.

What does the “Help” button inside the "Assign Resource" dialog do?

The “ Help ” button in the Assign Resource dialog redirects you to the “ Assign Resource ” article in our Online Help page.

What does the “Help” button inside the “Resources tab – Task Information dialog” do?

The “ Help ” button inside the “ Resources tab – Task Information dialog” redirects us to the “ Assign Resource ” article in our Online Help page.

I added a team member from Portal but it does not appear in the app.

If the team member added from Portal does not appear in the app, please click the “ Refresh team members” button inside “ Resource names ” control from grid in “ Gantt Chart ” / “ Resources Sheet ” view or from “ Resources ” table in “ Task Information ” dialog. Note that the “ Refresh team members ” option is available only in Project Plan 365 for Mac application.

Step by step on how to assign resources:

1. Assign resource using Resource Name column.

If  Resource Name  column is not present in your table, right click on grid columns and click on insert column then select "Resource Names".

1. You can import Team Members using the Assign Team Members dialog (menu Team - Assign - Team Member) or by adding them from Gantt Chart.

Or you can add them from Gantt Chart.

2. When you open the  Resource Names  drop-down menu, you will get a list of all resources in your project and the Team Members (marked with an icon). Note that all the Team Members are visible in this list (imported or not). Selecting any Team Member in this list will import it to the current project (only once). If you want to add a new Team Member, click Add Team Member button and the following dialog will be opened.

After clicking on the  Add Team Member  button, John will be added as a  Team Member .

Note that if a team member already exists in another existing team, you will not be able to add it to the Team , unless you send him an invitation and he accepts it.

To add a team member that already exists in another existing team, please follow these steps:

• Fill out the Email address field in the “Add Team Member” dialog with the one of the team member that is already in another existing team.

• Right after the Email address input loses focus, the following dialog will appear:

• After clicking the Invite button, the following dialog will appear:

• An invitation email will pe sent to the team member.

• After the team member accepts the invitation (i.e. clicks the Join Team button), he will be redirected to the sign in page.

• Then, he will be added to the Team with the Read Only role and Admin field set to false .

Also, note that  Imported Team Members that are assigned to tasks are shown in the Resource Names with a distinct icon in front of their name.

2.  Assign Resource using Task Information dialog   

Open  Task Information  dialog and in Resource tab write or select the resource/resources you want to add. Set the resource units or the number of items.

3.   Assign Resource using Assign resources dialog.

Select the desired  task in  the  grid  then   go to menu Team  - Assign - Resource .  In Assign Resource dialog,  select the  desired  resource and click on Assign  button. Set the resource units or the number of items.

  Note:   If a task is not selected and we click on the  Assign – Team Member   or  Resource   buttons from the  Team  menu, a message will warn you that you must select a task  in order to use this option.  

4.  Assign resource type Material .

First add  resources like equipment and materials  using  Resource  Sheet  view.

Define resource type using  Type column  -  select Material type.  

Then, go to Gantt Chart view, locate  in Resource  Names  column the desired material resource.    

Note:   If you have a single task with a lot of people assigned, making changes in the  Resource Names  column may not work.  

For tasks where you need a lot of resources assigned, it's best to make your assignments, and make changes to those assignments, in the  Task Information dialog  box.   On the  Resources  tab, you can assign a longer list of resources to the task.  

This browser is no longer supported.

Upgrade to Microsoft Edge to take advantage of the latest features, security updates, and technical support.

Create resource assignments

• 8 contributors

Applies To: Project Operations for resource/non-stocked based scenarios, Lite deployment - deal to proforma invoicing.

A resource assignment is the direct association of a project team member to a leaf node task. This article provides information about the different ways to assign resources.

Create a generic team member through task assignment

When you create a generic team member through task assignment, you create a placeholder or generic resource. This generic resource describes the characteristics of the named resource that you ultimately want to work on the tasks. You then generate a requirement, or you submit a request by using the requirement that is used to search for and book the named resource.

• On the Schedule grid for a task, select the Resource icon in the Resource cell.
• Type a name to serve as the placeholder resource's name. For example, Program Manager.
• Select Create , and in the Quick Create Project Team Member field, set the role for the generic resource.
• Assign tasks as needed to this placeholder resource by selecting the resource on the Resource Selector for the task. The resources listed under Team Members .
• When you're finished assigning the generic resource, on the Team tab, select the generic resource, and then select Generate Requirement to create a resource requirement for the generic resource.
• Select Book for the generic resource and then use the Schedule board to find and book a real resource. You can also submit the requirement for fulfillment by a Resource Manager.
• When the generic resource is fully fulfilled with a named resource, the generic resource is removed from the team. (Partial resource requirement fulfillment doesn't result in a resource assignment.) The task assignments for the generic resource are assigned to the named resource that fulfilled the generic resource's resource requirement.

Assign a named resource from the list of all bookable resources

You can use the search box in the Resource Picker to search all active bookable resources and assign them to any leaf node task. Resources assigned this way are added to the team without any bookings. This is similar to adding a team member and selecting None as the allocation method. The resource is displayed on the Team , Resource Assignment , and Reconciliation tabs as resources with only assignments and a booking deficit. Book them if you want to use their availability.

• From the task grid, board, or timeline, navigate to the Assigned To cell.
• In the search box, start typing a name. The search results for the name are displayed in the Resource Selector under Other Resources .
• Select the resource that you want to assign to the task or select the name of the resource under Other Team Resources .

Editing resource assignment contours

By default, when resources are assigned to a task in the schedule, their effort is linearly distributed to each resource, based upon that resource's working hours and the project's schedule mode. A project manager can use the resource assignment grid to refine the effort estimates of each resource assigned to one or many tasks across the different time scales. This feature helps project managers produce more accurate cost and sales estimates driven by the resource assignment contours that are generated when a resource is assigned to a task. Additionally, project managers can more easily reflect the resource demand required to build the demand in a resource requirement.

To access the contour editing grid, the project manager first selects the Tasks tab on the project main page and then selects the Assignments tab.

The grid supports two methods for grouping: group by resource and group by task . Unlike in the grid view, columns aren't configurable. The only visible columns are Assigned To , Task Name , Assignment Start , Assignment Finish , and Assignment Effort .

The contour editing grid has been enhanced to include the ability to group contours by week, month, and year. It was also added previous and next controls to support quickly changing periods in the current view. Lastly, a grand total row was added.

When the grid is initially rendered, it starts at the earliest assignment contour. If your schedule doesn't contain any assignments that have effort, the grid is blank and won't render anything. The minimum value of a resource contour is zero, and the maximum value permitted is 9,999,999.

If you want to view your contours and different time scales, the read-only resource assignment grid and resource reconciliation grid are also available.

Resource calendars

The ability to edit a contour for a specific day is governed by the resource's working days, as reflected in their calendar. If a cell is disabled for a given resource, that resource doesn't have working days during that period.

A resource's contours can extend beyond the assigned task's current start and end dates. If a contour is updated so that it's after the latest end date of a task or the earliest start date of a task, the task's end date or start date is changed as appropriate. However, if a contour is updated so that it's earlier than the start date of a task linked to a predecessor, the update fails because the assignment triggers the task to start before its predecessor is completed, and that behavior isn't currently supported.

Coauthoring

Changes to the resource assignment grid are automatically reflected in any associated views, including the chart, timeline, board, and grid views. If multiple users are reviewing the project at the same time, any changes that one user makes are reflected in the grid. Conversely, any changes that are made in the resource assignment grid are shown to all other users who are viewing the project in the same session.

Unassigned assignment

In Project Operations, an unassigned assignment is an assignment that is assigned to a NULL team member and a NULL resource. Unassigned assignments can occur in a couple of scenarios:

• If a task is created but not assigned to any team member, an unassigned assignment is always created.
• If all assignees on a task are removed, an unassigned assignment is re-created for that task.

The contour expresses hours of unassigned effort based on the project's calendar.

Coming soon: Throughout 2024 we will be phasing out GitHub Issues as the feedback mechanism for content and replacing it with a new feedback system. For more information see: https://aka.ms/ContentUserFeedback .

Submit and view feedback for

Additional resources

Project Resource Management According to the PMBOK

August 30, 2018 by Bernie Roseke, P.Eng., PMP Leave a Comment

Managing the project resources is how the project manager spends most of their time.  From ordering supplies, to training team members, to paying bills, the project resources are a seemingly bottomless pit of active management.  Meanwhile, the project team is one of the most important components of project success – Having confidence that your team is going to get the job done right, on time, and under budget, is virtually priceless.  This is included in the Project Management Body of Knowledge ( PMBOK ) Project Resource Management knowledge area.

The 6 processes in this knowledge area are:

Plan Resource Management

Estimate activity resources.

Develop Team

Manage team, control resources.

Before any project can proceed, the project resource requirements need to be defined.  The main part of this initial planning step involves identifying the type and quantity of resources that are required, including people.  Some resources have a grade or skill level associated with them, such as experience level of people, or size of crane.  Job descriptions are created for the project team members. The Project Resource Management Plan, a component of the overall Project Management Plan , summarizes this resource planning step.

• Quality management plan
• Scope baseline
• Project schedule
• Requirements documentation
• Risk register
• Stakeholder register
• Enterprise environmental factors
• Organizational process assets

Tools & Techniques

• Expert judgment
• Hierarchical charts
• Responsibility assignment matrix
• Text-oriented formats
• Organizational theory
• Resource management plan
• Team charter
• Assumption log

The resources required to carry out the project must almost always be estimated during the planning stage.  Resources are classified into type and quantity, as well as other factors that might affect the cost or schedule, such as grade, quality, availability, and so on.  The three primary methods of estimating, Analogous, Parametric, and Three point, are used in conjunction with bottom up or top down estimating to determine the resource requirements.

• Activity attributes
• Activity list
• Cost estimates
• Resource calendars
• Bottom-up estimating
• Analogous estimating
• Parametric estimating
• Alternatives analysis
• Project management information system
• Resource requirements
• Basis of estimates
• Resource breakdown structure
• Lessons learned register

Acquire Resources

Once the project execution phase is underway, the resources identified in the Resource Management Plan must be acquired.  The project schedule is consulted to determine when the resources are needed.  The Procurement Management Plan, a separate component of the Project Management Plan, guides the purchasing process for tools and equipment that must be purchased.  Project team positions are advertised and the workers are hired.

• Procurement management plan
• Cost baseline
• Multi-criteria decision analysis
• Negotiation
• Pre-assignment
• Virtual teams
• Physical resource assignments
• Project team assignments
• Change requests
• Enterprise environmental factors updates
• Organizational process assets updates

Most projects require additional knowledge to complete their deliverables.  The project team must obtain this knowledge at the appropriate point in the project timeline.  Unlike tools and equipment, project team members require rewarding work, future opportunities, and career development, or they will leave.

• Communication technology
• Conflict management
• Influencing
• Team building
• Recognition and rewards
• Individual and team assessments
• Team performance assessments

The project team is one of the most important components of project success (actually, any organization’s success).  Project team assignments tend to change as team members learn different project tasks and project managers assess their strengths and weaknesses.  Project issues need to be dealt with by the appropriate project team members, and project work needs to be actively managed.

• Work performance reports
• Decision making
• Emotional intelligence
• Schedule baseline

The project resources require regular, ongoing control procedures to ensure they are being used most efficiently, that they are performing the required tasks, and so on.  The Resource Management Plan must be consulted regularly to ensure that project resource usage is according to plan.  Cost-benefit analysis and alternatives analysis are utilized to optimize the use of resources.

• Work performance information
• Cost-benefit analysis
• Performance reviews
• Trend analysis
• Problem solving

Related posts:

About Bernie Roseke, P.Eng., PMP

Bernie Roseke, P.Eng., PMP, is the president of Roseke Engineering . As a bridge engineer and project manager, he manages projects ranging from small, local bridges to multi-million dollar projects. He is also the technical brains behind ProjectEngineer , the online project management system for engineers. He is a licensed professional engineer, certified project manager, and six sigma black belt. He lives in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, with his wife and two kids.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

• Project Initiation
• Project Planning
• Project Execution
• Monitoring and Controlling
• Project Closure
• Project Management Tutorial
• Project Scheduling Tutorial
• Earned Value Tutorial
• PMP Exam Tutorial
• Find Talent         
• PRINCE2 Foundation
• PRINCE2 Practitioner
• PRINCE2 Professional
• IPMA Level A
• IPMA Level B
• IPMA Level C
• IPMA Level D
• Learning Videos

Certification

Recent posts.

• PMI Project Knowledge Areas, Intro
• PMI Project Knowledge Areas, Video 1: Project Integration
• Project Risk Checklist
• Creating a Risk Register
• 50 SMART Goals
• Reporting Earned Value
• Analogous Estimating
• Variance at Completion (Earned Value Analysis)
• TCPI (Earned Value Analysis)

FIND IT HERE

Subscibe to ProjectEngineer.NET channel – YouTube

• WordPress.org
• Documentation
• Support Forums

• Contact sales

Start free trial

How to Make a Resource Breakdown Structure (RBS)

There are many aspects to planning a project. They tend to revolve around the triple constraint of time, cost and scope. One such orbit is resources. Resources can be impacted by all three of those constraints and therefore require a method to control them—sometimes even a resource management software.

“Resources” is a broad term, of course, and speaks to not only materials and equipment used in a project, but the human resources. In fact, those people who make up your project team are in many ways the most important resource. They are, after all, the ones who will execute the project and chaperon it from start to finish.

In project management, the resource breakdown structure (RBS) is a tool to help with planning and controlling project work. Think of it as a work breakdown structure (WBS) for your resources, because that’s what it is, and it’s just as valuable. Using resource planning software can help you organize, schedule and manage your resources after you’ve made your RBS.

What Is a Resource Breakdown Structure?

A resource breakdown structure is a list of the resources that will be required to execute your project. The list is broken down by function and type, and at the very least will cover the people needed to complete a project successfully. However, at its most thorough, it will include anything you spend money on for the project, such as people, project management tools , equipment, materials, even fees and licenses.

A resource breakdown structure is more than just a list, however: it’s a hierarchical chart that is used to help project managers organize resources and create a resource plan. A RBS will inform the budget, as a thorough listing of resources will make it easier to estimate what a project will cost. It’s a means to stay within budget rather than spend erratically.

Who Makes a Resource Breakdown Structure?

A project manager is the person on the project team who is responsible for using the resource breakdown structure, though they will usually seek input from others on the team. It allows them to identify how many resources they need, breaking the project down to the task level and the resources needed for each one. This will create an understanding of the scope of the project.

When Is It Made?

It is during the planning stage of a project that the project manager will use an RBS. It can be used for any number of resource types, such as customer support, when determining the kind of customer for the project, what facilities are needed, equipment, software tools, etc.

What Are Its Benefits?

One of the benefits of using an RBS is that it helps better organize resources and clearly aligns those resources with the overall goals and objectives of the organization. It also provides a quick visual reference on resource allocation and workload, as well as individual resources and assignments.

Get your free

Resource Plan Template

Use this free Resource Plan Template for Excel to manage your projects better.

How to Make a Resource Breakdown Structure

In terms of format, the RBS is like the WBS and requires an estimation of which resources will be needed for each task in the project. Therefore, the task list is essential for collecting the necessary resources.

But a project manager will naturally seek input from a wide variety of sources; these include the schedule, risk register , cost estimates and other organizational processes. This allows a project manager to fully gather all the resources that will be needed to execute the project.

The RBS is usually created as a tree diagram. At the top is the project’s final deliverable, the breakdown of resources, each in an individual branch below the overall project heading. These branches are the resource types, such as the site where the project is taking place, the equipment being used and the team that’s executing the project.

A spreadsheet can also be used to create a horizontal breakdown of resources. It will start with the resource number on the left and move across the spreadsheet to detail the resource categories and types, quantity and notes.

Resource Breakdown Structure Example

In order to get a different view of what an RBS is, let’s take a look at a simple, real-life example. We’re making a bridge. There is a site, naturally, that the bridge will traverse. But large pieces of the bridge will be built elsewhere and then assembled on site.

Therefore, we have the facility where the manufacturing is taking place, but also meeting and conference rooms. There will also be an engineering department where the plans are made out and an on-site makeshift office for the construction foreman and workers.

Next is our equipment list. That’ll include heavy equipment, such as tractors, cranes, backhoes, excavators, and light equipment, such as welders, light towers, hand-held tools and wheelbarrows.

Software is another resource that will mostly be used during the design phase, but there is likely to be resource management software to facilitate the planning, monitoring and reporting on the project at large.

Finally, but perhaps most importantly, you’ll want to detail your human resources. For bridge building, this will include designers, engineers and construction crew.

This is a bare-bones version of an RBS, but it serves to put some meat on the idea and bring it to life in a way that an abstract definition might not. If you’re more of a visual-type learner, we’ve built an illustration to further illuminate the idea.

Resource Planning Template

This resource planning template helps you gather important information about the human resources that you’ll need to execute a project. List your team members, the tasks they’re assigned to and the estimated time it will take to complete their work. Then, you can enter an hourly rate for each of your employees so you can estimate your project costs. This helps you turn your RBS into a resource plan or a resource schedule.

ProjectManager and Resource Management

Breaking down your resource is only the start of managing resources in your project. ProjectManager helps you further control resources in your project with our resource management software to further help manage time and money.

Map Your Resources on the Gantt Chart

The first step to making an RBS is to understand the tasks required for a successful project. Online Gantt charts map tasks into phases, create dependencies and schedule resources across a project timeline. This helps you understand exactly which resources you need to identify in your resource breakdown structure.

Once they are identified, tasks can be assigned from the Gantt view, as well as being able to see the amount of hours each team member has spent working on that task. You can see at a glance if team members are overallocated or under-allocated to keep your resource balanced.

Track Your Team’s Work

With our team management tools, you can identify your human resources and categorize teams as well as supplies and equipment. The hourly rates of team members are visible across the whole software and as teams log their hours, the real cost is calculated and compared against the planned cost. This keeps project managers in control of costs and in line with their budgets.

Online Software Offers Real-Time Resource Management

Because we’re a cloud-based software, you get the most current data on our real-time dashboard to help you plan projects, schedule resources, balance workload and reassign tasks as needed. We provide transparency into your resources in real time during the execution of the project to help you track them with accuracy.

ProjectManager is a cloud-based project management software that controls every aspect of your resources and your projects. From planning to monitoring and reporting, we have the features that project managers want and the collaborative platform that gives teams the autonomy to get their work done more productively. See how it can help you by taking this free 30-day trial.

Deliver your projects on time and under budget

Start planning your projects.

A Leadership Framework for Operational Excellence and Engagement

The resource assignment matrix.

– See All Project Management Key Concepts –

A resource assignment matrix or a RAM you might see it referred to on the PMP exam, shows the project resources assigned to each work package. Each thing that we’re working on and who is working on it. It is used to illustrate the connections between work packages or activities and the project team members.

An example of a resource assignment matrix that you may be familiar with, or one of the most common ones is a RACI chart which is Responsible, Accountable, Consult (who needs to be consulted) and who needs to be Informed.

The RACI chart is a useful tool to ensure clear assignment of resource roles and responsibilities when the team consists of internal and external resources. As you can see we’ve got the activity of the Project Charter, and who’s creating that? Well Ben is Responsible for that, Anne is Accountable for that so she may need to sign off on that particular item, and we need to inform Carlos, Dina and Ed.

Then the task of collecting requirements – who’s responsible? Carlos is responsible here and Ben needs to sign off on that particular item, he is Accountable for it to make sure that it is done.

A resource assignment matrix can be developed at various levels of your work breakdown structure. In other words you can do it at a higher level, at the high level feature or you can break it down. At the high level it might define those responsibilities of the whole project or of the whole team or a group or a unit, but as we break our work down into smaller activities that we can actually estimate and deliver on, then our lower level matrix might be used within the group to designate roles responsibilities and the levels of authority within that particular work item. So it provides a lot of clarity, there’s no confusion about who is ultimately in charge or who has authority to do the work.

And that is the benefit of your resource assignment matrix.

– David McLachlan

Share this:

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World

Read our research on:

Full Topic List

Regions & Countries

• Publications
• Our Methods
• Short Reads
• Tools & Resources

Read Our Research On:

Gender pay gap in U.S. hasn’t changed much in two decades

The gender gap in pay has remained relatively stable in the United States over the past 20 years or so. In 2022, women earned an average of 82% of what men earned, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis of median hourly earnings of both full- and part-time workers. These results are similar to where the pay gap stood in 2002, when women earned 80% as much as men.

As has long been the case, the wage gap is smaller for workers ages 25 to 34 than for all workers 16 and older. In 2022, women ages 25 to 34 earned an average of 92 cents for every dollar earned by a man in the same age group – an 8-cent gap. By comparison, the gender pay gap among workers of all ages that year was 18 cents.

While the gender pay gap has not changed much in the last two decades, it has narrowed considerably when looking at the longer term, both among all workers ages 16 and older and among those ages 25 to 34. The estimated 18-cent gender pay gap among all workers in 2022 was down from 35 cents in 1982. And the 8-cent gap among workers ages 25 to 34 in 2022 was down from a 26-cent gap four decades earlier.

The gender pay gap measures the difference in median hourly earnings between men and women who work full or part time in the United States. Pew Research Center’s estimate of the pay gap is based on an analysis of Current Population Survey (CPS) monthly outgoing rotation group files ( IPUMS ) from January 1982 to December 2022, combined to create annual files. To understand how we calculate the gender pay gap, read our 2013 post, “How Pew Research Center measured the gender pay gap.”

The COVID-19 outbreak affected data collection efforts by the U.S. government in its surveys, especially in 2020 and 2021, limiting in-person data collection and affecting response rates. It is possible that some measures of economic outcomes and how they vary across demographic groups are affected by these changes in data collection.

In addition to findings about the gender wage gap, this analysis includes information from a Pew Research Center survey about the perceived reasons for the pay gap, as well as the pressures and career goals of U.S. men and women. The survey was conducted among 5,098 adults and includes a subset of questions asked only for 2,048 adults who are employed part time or full time, from Oct. 10-16, 2022. Everyone who took part is a member of the Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. This way nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories. Read more about the ATP’s methodology .

Here are the questions used in this analysis, along with responses, and its methodology .

The  U.S. Census Bureau has also analyzed the gender pay gap, though its analysis looks only at full-time workers (as opposed to full- and part-time workers). In 2021, full-time, year-round working women earned 84% of what their male counterparts earned, on average, according to the Census Bureau’s most recent analysis.

Much of the gender pay gap has been explained by measurable factors such as educational attainment, occupational segregation and work experience. The narrowing of the gap over the long term is attributable in large part to gains women have made in each of these dimensions.

Related: The Enduring Grip of the Gender Pay Gap

Even though women have increased their presence in higher-paying jobs traditionally dominated by men, such as professional and managerial positions, women as a whole continue to be overrepresented in lower-paying occupations relative to their share of the workforce. This may contribute to gender differences in pay.

Other factors that are difficult to measure, including gender discrimination, may also contribute to the ongoing wage discrepancy.

Perceived reasons for the gender wage gap

When asked about the factors that may play a role in the gender wage gap, half of U.S. adults point to women being treated differently by employers as a major reason, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in October 2022. Smaller shares point to women making different choices about how to balance work and family (42%) and working in jobs that pay less (34%).

There are some notable differences between men and women in views of what’s behind the gender wage gap. Women are much more likely than men (61% vs. 37%) to say a major reason for the gap is that employers treat women differently. And while 45% of women say a major factor is that women make different choices about how to balance work and family, men are slightly less likely to hold that view (40% say this).

Parents with children younger than 18 in the household are more likely than those who don’t have young kids at home (48% vs. 40%) to say a major reason for the pay gap is the choices that women make about how to balance family and work. On this question, differences by parental status are evident among both men and women.

Views about reasons for the gender wage gap also differ by party. About two-thirds of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents (68%) say a major factor behind wage differences is that employers treat women differently, but far fewer Republicans and Republican leaners (30%) say the same. Conversely, Republicans are more likely than Democrats to say women’s choices about how to balance family and work (50% vs. 36%) and their tendency to work in jobs that pay less (39% vs. 30%) are major reasons why women earn less than men.

Democratic and Republican women are more likely than their male counterparts in the same party to say a major reason for the gender wage gap is that employers treat women differently. About three-quarters of Democratic women (76%) say this, compared with 59% of Democratic men. And while 43% of Republican women say unequal treatment by employers is a major reason for the gender wage gap, just 18% of GOP men share that view.

Pressures facing working women and men

Family caregiving responsibilities bring different pressures for working women and men, and research has shown that being a mother can reduce women’s earnings , while fatherhood can increase men’s earnings .

Employed women and men are about equally likely to say they feel a great deal of pressure to support their family financially and to be successful in their jobs and careers, according to the Center’s October survey. But women, and particularly working mothers, are more likely than men to say they feel a great deal of pressure to focus on responsibilities at home.

About half of employed women (48%) report feeling a great deal of pressure to focus on their responsibilities at home, compared with 35% of employed men. Among working mothers with children younger than 18 in the household, two-thirds (67%) say the same, compared with 45% of working dads.

When it comes to supporting their family financially, similar shares of working moms and dads (57% vs. 62%) report they feel a great deal of pressure, but this is driven mainly by the large share of unmarried working mothers who say they feel a great deal of pressure in this regard (77%). Among those who are married, working dads are far more likely than working moms (60% vs. 43%) to say they feel a great deal of pressure to support their family financially. (There were not enough unmarried working fathers in the sample to analyze separately.)

About four-in-ten working parents say they feel a great deal of pressure to be successful at their job or career. These findings don’t differ by gender.

Gender differences in job roles, aspirations

Overall, a quarter of employed U.S. adults say they are currently the boss or one of the top managers where they work, according to the Center’s survey. Another 33% say they are not currently the boss but would like to be in the future, while 41% are not and do not aspire to be the boss or one of the top managers.

Men are more likely than women to be a boss or a top manager where they work (28% vs. 21%). This is especially the case among employed fathers, 35% of whom say they are the boss or one of the top managers where they work. (The varying attitudes between fathers and men without children at least partly reflect differences in marital status and educational attainment between the two groups.)

In addition to being less likely than men to say they are currently the boss or a top manager at work, women are also more likely to say they wouldn’t want to be in this type of position in the future. More than four-in-ten employed women (46%) say this, compared with 37% of men. Similar shares of men (35%) and women (31%) say they are not currently the boss but would like to be one day. These patterns are similar among parents.

Note: This is an update of a post originally published on March 22, 2019. Anna Brown and former Pew Research Center writer/editor Amanda Barroso contributed to an earlier version of this analysis. Here are the questions used in this analysis, along with responses, and its methodology .

What is the gender wage gap in your metropolitan area? Find out with our pay gap calculator

• Gender & Work
• Gender Equality & Discrimination
• Gender Pay Gap
• Gender Roles

Women have gained ground in the nation’s highest-paying occupations, but still lag behind men

Diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace, the enduring grip of the gender pay gap, more than twice as many americans support than oppose the #metoo movement, women now outnumber men in the u.s. college-educated labor force, most popular.

1615 L St. NW, Suite 800 Washington, DC 20036 USA (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main (+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax (+1) 202-419-4372 |  Media Inquiries

Research Topics

• Age & Generations
• Coronavirus (COVID-19)
• Economy & Work
• Family & Relationships
• Gender & LGBTQ
• Immigration & Migration
• International Affairs
• Internet & Technology
• Methodological Research
• News Habits & Media
• Non-U.S. Governments
• Other Topics
• Politics & Policy
• Race & Ethnicity
• Email Newsletters

ABOUT PEW RESEARCH CENTER  Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of  The Pew Charitable Trusts .

Copyright 2024 Pew Research Center

Terms & Conditions

Privacy Policy

Cookie Settings

Reprints, Permissions & Use Policy