Resourcing Projects

A Manager's Job is to get results through people and other resources. Hence acquiring all resources (including human resources) is a function of management. - Narayana Rao (2010)

http://nraomtr.blogspot.com/2012/03/resourcing-function-of-management.html


Estimating and Resourcing
in
The Project Management Book: How to Manage Your Projects To Deliver Outstanding Results
Richard Newton
Pearson UK, 2013 - Business & Economics - 296 pages


The Project Management Book addresses the real-life scenarios and issues that anyone responsible for managing a project is likely to face on a day to day basis.  It provides solutions to the everyday issues involved in managing projects.



https://books.google.co.in/books?id=vC4yiPcyiW8C&pg=PT48#v=onepage&q&f=false

Estimating is the process of determining how much time and resources a project requires.
Resourcing is the subsequent process of identifying, acquiring and allocating the right resources in the project.

Being able to estimate the resources required to run a project and gaining access to those resources are central to managing projects.

Resource Planning

Special understanding required by Persons working in Projects

Project human resources have to understand the nature of the project and work accordingly. There is fluctuation in the amount of work demanded by a project. The work can be very light sometimes and very heavy at other times. People must be ready to take up the extra work whenever it arises because project time limits are fixed and the customer is one unlike the delivery times of routine operations where multiple customers share the output.

So when acquiring the human resources for the project, project managers has to evaluate whether the person concerned has understanding of the project work nature and whether he is willing to work in that context.



In an online article  http://systeme.ie/the-project-mindset/  the following are specified to evaluate a person for project based work.

1. The ability to cope positively with change
2. Commitment to milestones and  willingness to dig deep to complete a milestone
3. Must be ready to face surprises and should not react in frustration to every surprise that is encountered on a project
4. The Capability to move roles and/or work multiple roles to get the job done
5. The ability to switch off and chill after a period of high intensity working
6. Must not take any work-related discussions personally
7. Can keep focused on the end goal
8. Believe the end goal is possible
9. Can support the team to deliver the scope at all costs


Estimating the science of uncertainty

Meyer, W. G. (2016). Estimating: the science of uncertainty. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2016—EMEA, Barcelona, Spain. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute.

Estimation is at the heart of most project disciplines, and project cost and time overruns can often be traced back to inaccurate estimates.

Estimation requires human involvement to create a forecast that considers past projects, personal experience, and industry-specific knowledge and techniques. But the process of estimation is often subject to biases by the estimator.

This paper explores the problem of estimation inaccuracies from a cognitive psychological perspective. It looks at various research studies about the way in which the human brain deals with forecasting, and makes recommendations on how estimates can be improved.
https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/estimating-science-uncertainty-10186

http://blog.method123.com/2009/11/16/resourcing-projects/#!prettyPhoto

http://www.epmbook.com/resourcing.htm

https://www.nationalcollege.org.uk/transfer/open/csbm-development-module-2-planning-and-leading-projects-in-schools/dm2-s3/dm2-s3-t6.html

Estimating and Resourcing 

in
The Project Management Book: How to Manage Your Projects To Deliver Outstanding Results
Richard Newton
Pearson UK, 2013 - Business & Economics - 296 pages


The Project Management Book addresses the real-life scenarios and issues that anyone responsible for managing a project is likely to face on a day to day basis.  It provides solutions to the everyday issues involved in managing projects

https://books.google.co.in/books?id=vC4yiPcyiW8C&pg=PT48#v=onepage&q&f=false


Practice Standard for Project Estimating
By Project Management Institute
2011
https://books.google.co.in/books?id=OuauDgAAQBAJ

Leveraging the new practice standard for project estimating
Kanabar, V. & Warburton, R. D. H. (2011). Leveraging the new practice standard for project estimating. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2011—North America, Dallas, TX. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute.
https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/leveraging-new-practice-standard-project-estimating-6222

Updated on 9 August 2018, 15 April 2017