Project Resource Management
Project Resource Management is the PMP Knowledge Area. Purpose of Project Resource Management:
- To ensure that people perform their roles and achieve project objectives.
Processes & Outputs
| Process | Output |
| Plan Resource Management [Planning] | Resource Management Plan |
| Estimate Activity Resources [Planning] | Activity Resource Estimates |
| Acquire Resources [Executing] | Project Staff Assignments |
| Develop Team [Executing] | Team Performance Assessments |
| Manage Team [Executing] | We check performance of the team members and recommend corrective actions, if there is a gap |
| Control Resources [Monitoring and Controlling] | Resource management plan (updated) |
Process Description
a. Roles and Responsibilities
b. Project Organization Chart – To show reporting relationships
c. Staffing Management Plan:
i. Resource Calendar – Normally displayed as Resource Histogram
ii. Training Needs
iii. Rewards and Recognition – Money required for it is added in the Project Budget
iv. Compliance issues
v. Safety issues
vi. Staff acquisition from where?
vii. Staff Release Plan
Techniques:
a. Use organization’s method of writing roles – Hierarchical, Text Form, Matrix form
b. Networking
c. Organization Theory
Matrix Form – We develop Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM). Most popular RAM is RACI.
R – Responsible
A – Accountable – Accountable is only 1 person. Therefore, “A” should be written against only 1 person.
C – Consult
I – Inform
| RACI Chart | |||||
| Work / Person | Person A | Person B | Person C | Person D | Person E |
| Concept | R | A | R | C | I |
| Design | C | C | A | R | I |
| Development | R | R | C | A | I |
| Testing | R | C | C | I | A |
| Deployment | A | R | R | C | I |
Advantages of Matrix Form:
1. It removes role ambiguity
2. It shows all the roles played by team members for any single task (horizontally)
3. It shows all the roles played by single team member in the project (vertically)
4. Only 1 person is accountable for any task whereas other roles can be played by more than 1 person
Difference between Resource Assignment Matrix and Resource Histogram – Resource Assignment Matrix shows the roles played to be played by team members but it doesn’t show time when these roles to be played. Resource histogram shows the time when these roles to be played.
Networking – By networking, we try to find personal preferences and political affiliations of the team members and use this information while deciding roles.
Organization Theory – It is behavioral science. By reading it, we try to find out behavioral aspects of people like attitudes, personality types and we use this information while deciding roles.
a. Bottom-up Estimation – Best and Most reliable one. We estimate resources for activities of each work package. Then we sum them upwards to know resource requirements for various phases and entire project. This estimation is highly detailed and accurate but consume lots of time and cost.
b. Expert Judgement
c. Published literature
d. Alternative analysis – To identify alternate resources
e. Scheduling Software – MS Project and Primavera
3. Acquire Resources [Process / Executing] – We acquire team according to the Resource Management Plan and as an output we get Project Staff Assignments.
a. Negotiation – With functional manager to get the right resources, with Project Manager of other projects if some of the resource is engaged there and with outside vendors for getting the right people.
b. Acquisition (Hiring)
c. Pre-Assignment
d. Virtual Team
e. Multi-criteria decision analysis – skillset, experience, availability, cost, time zone differences
Techniques:
a. Training
b. Team building activities
c. Co-location – Co-location is a team building tool. It is also called tight matrix. When we locate team members at one place, it gives them feeling of togetherness. When people are co-located, we also provide them the room to discuss their problems, issues, and possible solutions. This is known as War Room.
d. Ground rules for team behavior
e. Reward and Recognition (Team based)
f. Inter-personal skills of Project Manager – Leadership, Motivation
5 stages of Team Development by Tuckman
1. Forming – Team members come together to form the team
2. Storming – Differences arises which causes friction among team members
3. Norming – People start adjusting with the performance of each other
4. Performing – Team starts giving its best
5. Adjourning – Project or task is completed so team members are released
5. Manage Team [Process / Executing] – We conduct followings:
1. We check performance of the team members.
a. Techniques
1. Observation and Conversation
2. Appraisal System
2. Provide feedback
3. Recommend corrective action if there is a gap in the performance of any team member.
4. Resolve Conflicts:
a. Confrontation – Also known as Problem solving technique. Best Technique.
b. Withdrawal – Least effective technique. Should be avoided as far as possible.
c. Smoothing – It involves emphasizing the similarities and de-emphasizing the dissimilarities
d. Compromise – Both parties lose something to come up with some agreement
e. Forcing
5. Resolve human resource issues
6. Control Resources [Process / Monitoring and Controlling] – It is concerned with physical resources such as equipment material, facilities and infrastructure. In this process, amount, cost and quality of resources are managed and compared with plan. As an output, Resource Management Plan gets updated.
Exercise: Answer at-least 80% of the questions correctly in order to master the topic.
20 Questions Challenge
50 Questions Challenge