Guide to Resource Planning & Management for Project Managers

Do you want to increase efficiency and help your team do their best work, while providing the right resources at the right time? Of course, you do! Well, one of the ways to accomplish that is through resource planning and management.  

With the help of proper planning and resource allocation in project management, you’ll be able to provide your team with exactly what they need, when they need it, at any point during the life of a project. This can help you keep everything on time and on budget.  

Below, we cover what these processes involve, and how they can help you become an even better project manager.  

Resource Planning and Management for Project Managers

1. What is Resource Management?
2. What Are the Types of Resources in Project Management?
3. What Is Resource Planning in Project Management?
4. Resource Planning Is All About Improved Efficiency

What Is Resource Management?

The management of resources includes various activities, such as planning, organizing, and scheduling. The ultimate goal is to allocate and use resources in a way that’s efficient and will significantly increase the odds of completing a project on time.  

With the right strategy, your resource management will make your team more effective. You can also move through a project more smoothly by planning for both the short term, and long run between the start of a project and its completion. And you’ll will have used your resources strategically and effectively because you scheduled and allocate them in advance, as well as tracking progress along the way.  

What Are the Types of Resources in Project Management?

They can be anything and everything that you’ll use to ensure a project will be a success. This includes resources like equipment, technology, and tools, as well as the individuals who are on your team. 

To get started, ask yourself what your team will need to complete the tasks you’ll assign throughout a project. Examples include: 

• Technology
• Machinery
• Vehicles
• Equipment 
• Facilities
• Supplies

Resources can vary from one industry to another, and from one project to another. As you work on determining what you’ll need to complete tasks and milestones, figure out what resources you’ll want to tap into, and how your team can make the most of those assets.  

What Is Resource Planning in Project Management?

Resource planning is an aspect of a resource management plan. You can do things like: 

• Figure out the current availability, as well as the future demand, of non-human as well as human resources, so you can ensure your team will always have what they need. 
• Use a technique known as resource leveling to adjust resource usage and start and end dates based on the supply of resources versus the need for them. 
• Determine where every resource needs to go, and when, to optimize the performance of each team member.   

Project resource planning stages and steps

Here are some of the steps you can take when resource planning: 

• Create a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)to figure out the types of professionals you need on your team. Agile projects use a Backlog, often without a WBS, and Hybrid projects may use both.
• Estimate the type and quantity for each needed resource.
• Estimate when each resource is needed, and the amount of time that it will be used. This helps ensure both team members and the tools they need are available to complete an activity when needed.
• Determine how you can fulfill all requirements and how much time you’ll need to complete the project.
• See if you can complete the project before the deadline set by your client. You may need to negotiate this or other project constraints (like scope, cost or quality) to meet a fixed date.
• Determine how you’ll track progress so you can make adjustments as needed. 

Resource Planning Is All About Improved Efficiency

When you become a pro at resource management and planning, you’ll be able to boost efficiency by deriving as much benefit as possible from every resource. You can keep your projects organized, as you’ll have a plan to foresee how various resources will be used. And you can help your team work better by providing them with support at every step. Overall, it’s a smart strategy that can help you improve the way you lead teams and manage projects.    

With the help of proper planning and resource allocation in project management, you’ll be able to provide your team with exactly what they need, when they need it, at any point during your project.

Sources: 

https://www.float.com/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-resource-planning-for-project-management/ 

https://memory.ai/timely-blog/resource-planning 

https://www.workamajig.com/blog/a-beginners-guide-to-resource-planning-in-project-management 

https://www.wrike.com/blog/what-is-resource-management/ 

https://www.ganttic.com/blog/why-is-resource-management-important 

https://www.ganttic.com/blog/what-is-resource-management