Project Resource Planning

This article discusses the importance of project resource planning, the different types of resources, and how to organize them. It also covers resource planning techniques such as resource estimation, acquisition, leveling, and negotiation. The article concludes with a reflection on a class exercise and a list of references.

Running head: PROJECT RESOURCE PLANNING 1
Project Resource Planning
Student’s Name
Institution Affiliations

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Introduction
Resources play a major role when it comes to the field of project management
because each project task needs resources for it to be accomplished. Therefore, resources fall
into different categories which include people, materials, funding, and equipment for the
accomplishing of a project activity (Carstens, Richardson, & Smith, 2016). As a result, the
lack of resources will thus mean a constraint to the achievement of the project activity.
Nonetheless, these resources have to be organized in a good way for them to be of
importance in making the project a success. In other words, these resources have to be
scheduled in accordance with the project tasks requirements. Indeed, resources are the means
that project managers utilise to attain the project objectives. In this case, the main and
obvious resource is people who have competencies and applicable skills. The other
significant category of resources that are needed in project management is equipment,
finances, information, material, and facilities. Kaiser, El Arbi, & Ahlemann, (2015) states
that resource optimisation, scheduling, and availability plays a big part towards the
achievement of project management. Certainly, the assigning of limited resources should be
based on the project task priority given to every project activities.
Accordingly, the priority of resource allocation is conducted through the use of
critical path approach calculation in addition to heuristic analysis. In cases where there are
constraints regarding the number of resources Hornstein, H. A. (2015), notes that the best
way out is to create an efficient schedule which helps to minimise the project time and
maximises on the usage of available resources. However, there is always a gap between the
demands of the project (what client needs) and the investment reach. Consequently, to
warrant the success of a project the project manager, project team and project stakeholders
should ensure a cost-effective application of the needed resources through requirement
analysis to realise the project objectives and goals. The baseline for the project has to be

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resourced, and this can only be realised after the project requirements are specified and
accomplished. To achieve this, project managers make use of the work breakdown structure
(WBS) to determine the needed resources in a project. Similarly, requirement specifications
help to spell out the actual project requirements to realise complete the project successfully.
Contributions to Resource Planning
Several inputs could be of great help to a project manager during resource planning in
project management such as:
Historical information regarding the type of resources that were applied for a similar project
work can be a great contribution (Cagliano, Grimaldi, & Rafele, 2015). For instance, in the
modern world, there are industry standards that are in existence for project managers to
consult.
The work breakdown structure can be a major help in identifying the components of the
project that shall be required resources. Thus it is an essential input to resource planning.
The project stamen scope which contains the project’s justification, as well as objectives, this
should be looked into at the time of resource planning.
Resource pool description is also an essential element which comprises the knowledge of the
type of resources (equipment, people, and material) available (Mok, Shen, & Yang, 2015).
Resource Planning Techniques
Resource Estimation: Resource estimation is a well-thought-out calculation of the
expenses as well as other resources required for the execution of a given task. Hence,
resource estimation acts as a control process for creating a resource control base. Thus project
managers should work to ensure that they make the most accurate estimations to have more
dependable control systems. The needed accuracy, as well as effort channeled into resource

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estimation, will be greatly impacted by the component of uncertainty and the engaged risk
based on the innovation and complexity of the project (Siddaiah, & Saini, 2016). The
anticipated price basis of the contract is likely to estimate resources a critical aspect.
Therefore, the greater the risk, the more significant it calls for a realistic estimation, which
means a comprehensively detailed practice. Also, the duration that the project will take to get
completed is vital. Efforts are determined by the period that will be taken to complete each
project task. On knowing the efforts required for each task, it could be possible and easier to
allocate resources and be able to determine the time that shall be taken by the project to come
to an end. On the same note, this helps to determine the cost of human resource needed as
well as other resources.
Acquisition of Resources: Resource acquisition is the process of physically securing
the needed inputs for a project. All the project resources have to be purchased. Thus finances
play a significant part in the resource acquisition process (Siddaiah, & Saini, 2016). The
acquisition process has to be well-organised considering probable seasonal shortages,
competing demands, and breakdown of equipment, labor disputes, among other things that
could get out of control.
Resource leveling: Kerzner, & Kerzner, (2017), defines resource leveling as a
technique employed to resolve resource under or over allocations through escalating tasks or
delaying task by fixing peaks as well as valleys in a schedule. As a result, resource leveling
help in averting conflicts that are likely to arise in a project. Consequently, resource leveling
is utilised to bring balance in the workload of major resources over the process of projects
that in most cases comes with the expense of the projects constraints such as scope, time and
cost. Therefore, project managers make use of resource leveling technique to avert
themselves from extreme valleys and peaks during task execution (Kaiser, El Arbi, &
Ahlemann, 2015). The initial stage starts with moving non-critical tasks with float to a later

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date. Thus, when project managers want to reschedule some task they, first of all, make a
check on the critical path to find out if it is likely to impact the accomplishing of successive
project tasks. These checks help to determine if the rescheduling could impact on the
deadline of a project.
Human Resource Planning: Project managers employ a responsibility assigning
matrix during roles and responsibilities allocation. Nonetheless, the key document for doing
this is the work breakdown structure. Therefore, project managers perform this by listing the
project activities on one side of the matrix and role players at the top of the matrix cells
(Larson, & Gray, 2015). On completing the resource allocation matrix, it places them in a
better position to exactly know the person in charge of different project tasks as well as their
respective duties. If the project is extensive project managers should draw organization charts
for the project. Once the human resource has been allocated roles and responsibilities, it
becomes easier for the project manager to monitor the progress of different project activities.
Resource allocation: A range of quantities and types of resources have to be
allocated to the project as required to carry out the activities (Kaiser, El Arbi, & Ahlemann,
2015). It is important to maintain a schedule of these activities to ensure that the allocation
procedure happens on time as well as in the desired quantities.
Negotiation: Project managers are required to foster a free and open environment to
allow for negotiations with the project’s participants who include the client, stakeholders,
vendors and project teams (Hornstein, 2015). As a result, negotiation acts a basis for
discussing all uncertain matters regarding the progress of the project with the intent to avoid
any form of obstructions among the project participants.
Resource Levelling Practices

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The commonly used practise resource leveling is the critical path approach. The
critical path is the longest order of activities in the course of resource planning which is to be
completed before the project’s due date (Marchewka, 2014). Apart from the critical path
method, there are other practices such as crashing and tracking.
Moving Activities within Available Float time
During the process of managing project schedules, project managers employ the precedence
diagram approach to aid themselves in determining the project’s flow of activities.
Subsequently, the evaluation of the project activities plays a significant role in assessing the
logical relationship between two dependent tasks (Camilleri, 2016). As a result, the idea of
leads and lags come into considerations in describing these relations. Another project
scheduling activity is float which illustrates the project’s flexibility. That is flexibility
regarding advancing or delaying the project tasks, therefore float only means the the free time
that exists in the project schedule to allow project managers to implement the project
activities.
Reflection upon the Component of the Exercise Completed in Class
The process of project resource planning during the class exercise was indeed
interesting since it gave me the opportunity to place the theoretical knowledge into practice.
For example, I was in a position to calculate the critical path of the resource leveling for the
class exercise project. Additionally, I was able to physically take part in the resource leveling
performance by taking part in planning for the resource allocation for the project task from
task A to J. furthermore I also had the chance to know what is meant by floats which is the
duration between activities start and finish dates. For example, in the case of the project
activity E depends on activity C and D, therefore, activity E can only be accomplished when
activity C is completed then activity D. It was possible to group ourselves into project teams

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whereby we had ten project teams tasked with a different task. On the same note, I realised
that communication is key to the success of any project since we had to communicate with
other groups in working to accomplish the project within the specified duration of sixty-four
days. Similarly, my colleagues took the project with a lot of seriousness by behaving
exemplarily which led to no issues of conflict because of a well-organised allocation of
resources. Lastly, the part below shows the various resource planning activities carried out in
class.
Project resource planning activities

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References
Cagliano, A. C., Grimaldi, S., & Rafele, C. (2015). Choosing project risk management
techniques. A theoretical framework. Journal of Risk Research, 18(2), 232-248.
Camilleri, E. (2016). Project success: critical factors and behaviors. Routledge.
Carstens, D. S., Richardson, G. L., & Smith, R. B. (2016). Project management tools and
techniques: A practical guide. CRC Press.
Hornstein, H. A. (2015). The integration of project management and organizational change
management is now a necessity. International Journal of Project Management, 33(2),
291-298.
Kaiser, M. G., El Arbi, F., & Ahlemann, F. (2015). Successful project portfolio management
beyond project selection techniques: Understanding the role of structural
alignment. International Journal of Project Management, 33(1), 126-139.
Kerzner, H., & Kerzner, H. R. (2017). Project management: a systems approach to planning,
scheduling, and controlling. John Wiley & Sons.
Larson, E. W., & Gray, C. F. (2015). A Guide to the Project Management Body of
Knowledge: PMBOK (®) Guide. Project Management Institute.
Marchewka, J. T. (2014). Information technology project management. John Wiley & Sons.
Mok, K. Y., Shen, G. Q., & Yang, J. (2015). Stakeholder management studies in mega
construction projects: A review and future directions. International Journal of Project
Management, 33(2), 446-457.

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Siddaiah, R., & Saini, R. P. (2016). A review on planning, configurations, modelling and
optimization techniques of hybrid renewable energy systems for off grid
applications. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 58, 376-396.

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