Part 49: Project Resource Management Processes
Project Resource Management includes
- Plan Resource Management
- KEY BENEFIT: Defines the level of management required for managing the project’s resources
- In this process, we
- Ensure we will have enough resources to complete the project
- Plan for the availability of scarce resources
- Remember that we can obtain resources from inside the organization or from external vendors
- Estimate Activity Resources
- KEY BENEFIT: Identify the type and quantity of resources required to complete the project
- In this process, we
- Estimate the amount of resources required
- Work closely with the Estimate Costs process because the quantity of resources affects the cost of the project
- Acquire Resources
- KEY BENEFIT: Obtain the team members, materials, and equipment required to execute the project
- In this process, we
- Obtain all the required team members, materials, and equipment
- Apply each of the resources to its respective activity
- improve our project performance by improving our team members. We focus on competencies, team member interaction, the work environment.
- Sometimes, a project manager may not have control over team member selection. The company might have preferred subcontractors, collective bargaining agreements, or other relationships, which the project is forced to use.
- A project manager should influence and negotiate with human resource providers. A failure to acquire proper resources will affect the project schedule, customer satisfaction, and product quality
- A project manager may have to compromise on worker competencies when economic factors or other constraints prevent the cost-effective acquisition of desired human resources, but only when legal. For example, if we’re working on a project in a foreign country, we may not be able to locate qualified employees without flying them in, which would be too expensive. We can substitute cheaper, less experienced, local workers.
- Develop Team
- KEY BENEFIT: Improve skills, competencies, and interaction between team members, resulting in improved project performance
- In this process, we
- Track team member performance, provide them with meaningful feedback, resolve issues, and manage changes to optimize project performance
- This is process occurs continually throughout the project
- A good project is vital to the success of the project
- Good team management requires communication, negotiation, leadership, and conflict resolution skills
- Project managers must
- Be able to motivate and lead their project teams.
- Understand cultural, industry, and language diversity
- Be able to improve the knowledge and skills of each team members
- Create an environment of mutual trust, where team members are willing to contribute knowledge and ideas
- Empower the team to participate in decision making
- Tuckman’s Ladder is a model for team development
- It has five stages
- A team goes through the stages in order and can get stuck on a stage or go back to a previous stage.
- The stages are
- Forming = Team members learn about the project and their responsibilities. Team members are still independent.
- Storming = Team begins to look at the project management approach
- Norming = Team members begin to work together, trust each other, and adjust their behaviors to support the team
- Performing = The team is working smoothly
- Adjourning = The team is disbanded because the project is complete
- A project manager should be able to guide the team through the five stages
- Manage Team
- KEY BENEFIT: Influences team behavior and reduces conflict
- In this process, we
- Track team member performance
- Provide feedback to team members
- Resolve conflicts
- This process is continuous throughout the project
- The project manager must be sensitive to the team members
- How do we resolve conflict?
- Team members should resolve conflict by themselves
- If they are unable to, then the project manager will intervene
- Use a private, direct, collaborative approach
- If team members continue to engage in conflict, we will use formal procedures (organization may have disciplinary procedures such as suspending or terminating the individual)
- What influences conflict resolution?
- Urgency of resolving conflict
- Power of the people involved
- Importance and intensity of the conflict
- Whether we are resolving the conflict long-term or short-term
- There are five techniques for resolving conflict
- Withdraw/Avoid = Retreat from a conflict scenario, or postpone the issue
- Smooth/Accommodate = Emphasize areas of agreement, concede your position to maintain the relationship
- Compromise/Reconcile = Search for a solution that partially/temporarily resolves the conflict and brings some satisfaction to each party. This is a LOSE-LOSE.
- Force/Direct = Force your position on others, can only do this when you have power. This is a WIN-LOSE.
- Collaborate/Problem Solve = Obtain multiple points of view and perspectives. Cooperate with others. This is a WIN-WIN.
- Control Resources
- KEY BENEFIT: Ensures that each resource is available at the right time
- In this process, we
- Ensure that each physical resource assigned to the project is available
- Monitor the actual utilization of each resource, as compared to the planned utilization
- Deal with resource shortages and surpluses
- Inform stakeholders when issues arise with resources
- This process is continuous throughout the project
- It is only concerned with Physical Resources, not people