Unit 10

Project Resource Management

(PRM)
Introduction
• You are stranded on an
island.
• You have a goal (to • What three things would you
survive), and you must want with you?
decide how to accomplish
that goal with as few
• Got your items?
resources as possible • Well done — you’ve just
(three items). practiced Resource
Management
• However, it’s not always that
simple.
 Introduction: PRM
• Resource management requires a thorough understanding
of and transparency into your project objectives and
capacity.
• By establishing a good process for resource management
planning, you’re overseeing the utilization of those
resources and maximizing efficiency.
• A resource is anything that is needed to execute a task or
project (this can be the skill sets of employees,
hardware or software).
(PMBOK) Project Resource Management knowledge
area.
• Project managers spend most of their time managing the
project resources.
• From ordering supplies; training team members, paying bills,
the project resources are a bottomless pit of active
management.
• 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 priceless).
(PMBOK Project Resource Management knowledge area, 6th Ed).
 Project Resource Management:What?

• PRM is the process of pre-planning, scheduling, and

allocating your resources to maximise efficiency.
• There are many types of resources to manage, depending on
the type of project you're working on.
• For example, if you’re planning an event, a few resources
include scheduling staff for the event, planning what vendors
to use for promotional materials, investing software that
allows attendees to register, budgeting for everything from
giveaways to catering, etc.
The Resource Management process
• This knowledge area has 6 processes areas:
• Plan Resource Management; Estimate Activity
Resources; Acquire Resources; Develop Team;
Manage Team and Control Resources.
• The plan and estimate resourse management
processes belong to the planning stage and the other
processes belong to the execution and control process
stages/phases.
• NB! Project activities are performed by project team
members, therefore, the purpose of Project Resource
Management is to ensure that the project has sufficient
human resources, with the correct skill sets and
experience, for the project to be successfully completed.
Project Resource Management Overview
1. Plan Resource Management

• 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.
• Resources is a broad category which includes equipment, tools,
supplies, materials, time, finances and people.
• Some resources have a grade or skill level associated with
them, such as experience level of people, or size of crane, or..?
(material).
Plan Resource Management

• Job descriptions are created for the project team

members.
• The outcome of resource planning is the Resource
Plan, which is:
• a detailed list of resources and the ways they
will be managed/utilised throughout the project
2. Estimate Activity Resources

• The resources required to carry out the project must

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.
3. Acquire Resources

• At this stage, all 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.
4. Develop Team

• 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.
5. Manage Team

• 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.
6. Control Resources

• 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.
 Advantages to resource management

• Avoids unforeseen hiccups: by understanding your resources upfront

and planning how to use them, you can troubleshoot gaps or problems
before they happen.
• Prevents burnout: effective resource management allows you to avoid
“overallocation” or “dependency” of resources by gaining insight into your
team’s workload.
• Provides a safety net. let’s say the project was not successful due to
lack of resources (it happens), resource planning and management
establishes that you did everything you could with what you had.
• Builds transparency: other teams can gain visibility into your team’s
bandwidth (capacity), and plan accordingly if your team is at maximum
capacity or available to take on new projects.
• Measures efficiency: with a high-level understanding of what’s needed
to manage and execute an upcoming project, you can effectively plan and
measure ROI and utilization vs efficiency.