Since the rise of the digital age, project management has morphed from a group of centralized people working out of a single boardroom or location to now something that can encompass people from all over the world working digitally toward a common goal. Technology has forced project managers to change their strategies to accommodate the new multiplatform business world. Being a successful project manager requires mastering communication strategies, developing robust group oversight tools and managing resource allocation, as well as trouble shooting and problem solving real time issues.
Despite each project being unique and different, there are a common group of issues that often arise during a project that can negatively affect efficiency and, worst of all, delay or hinder project completion.
One of the most common issues that arise for project managers, regardless of industry, is resource over-allocation. “A resource becomes over allocated when we assign more work to that resource the can be completed within a particular time period, given that resources availability,”
describes PM Connection.
The art of resource allocation requires knowing the staff and people who are working on the project and assigning them tasks that are appropriate for their skill set. Lisa Overholt, a business professional and executive consultant who runs Toronto’s
Lisa Overholt and Associates Consulting Services, points out that project managers shouldn’t get overzealous when distributing project duties.
“It’s important that the manager and the team are realistic in terms of responsibilities and deadlines,”
Lisa Overholt adds.
The key to effective resource allocation lies in not only assigning the right task to the right person, but also having the ability to effectively monitor and manage those resources.
“Planning for a variety of situations that may arise is the best way to manage resources once they are allocated,” Overholt continues.
Above all, an effective resource allocation schedule hinges on organization. “When scheduling the project, it is vital to leave breathing room between tasks,”
recommends the Bright Hub Project management website. “However, it is important to not under-allocate resources as this could lead to a loss of budget monies.”
If over-allocation of resources does happen, an organized project manager should be able to employ resource leveling strategies that can quickly redisperse the workload efficiently. This can be done manually or using one of the many software programs managers use to oversee projects.
Microsoft Project and Project 2007 are two of the many project management tools that can split and reorganize tasks to ensure any resource over allocation is addressed.
Project managers work hard to make sure that resource over-allocation doesn’t happen. However, even the best can fall victim of scheduling conflicts and last minute issues. As industry blog
Eight to Late points out, if this is a recurrent problem for a company, it may have nothing to do with the project manager. “[Persistent] resource allocation issues are a consequence of flawed organizational procedures rather than poor project management practices… Addressing the root cause of this syndrome is a task for executive management.”
In these instances companywide strategies should be revised and assessed or the over allocation issues are sure to remain.
