“I am convinced that nothing we do is more important than hiring and developing people. At the end of the day, you bet on people, not on strategies.” – Lawrence Bossidy
Getting a project and resources are two activities interlaced deeply. Not either of the two goes independently of the other.
After procuring a project, completing it on time with available resources, bound with budgetary constraints, are some challenges for the project managers. Projects govern the need for resources to include money, system, and humans in an organization. With adequate resources, project managers are better able to plan the flow of projects systematically. And for the excellent master plan, the managers would need resource planning software to plan and allocate resources.
The resource planning tool helps project managers to allocate and assign people to projects when required. Such process automation tools support project managers in resource management for different projects. These managers work in conjunction with the resource plan to fill the spaces for creativity and talent. The demand for resources depends on a project plan which needs to be flawless to match organizational goals. Let us see in detail how project managers create a project plan using resource planning software?
Let us see in detail how project managers create a project plan using resource planning software?
Table of Content
Resource Planning Software is a tool that helps in allocating tasks to human and non-human resources to improve efficiency. The critical job in resource planning is to manage the utility versus capacity of the resources, keeping everything within budget.
The resource allocation software tool assists project managers in:
When you are ready with the resource planning, the next thing you will need is a resource management technique to manage resources that support a project plan.
Resource Management Technique benefits the project managers to create effective project plans. In addition, it helps in the management of resources depending on the projects and jobs to be completed.
Some of the resource management techniques to back the project plan includes:
Resource Allocation is allocating resources like materials, people, and budget to projects. Using the workload report of the resources, the project managers can assign tasks to the resources. The technique helps managers when they create project plans.
Resource Scheduling involves allocation, aggregation, and scheduling. After you have resources, you need to put them to projects or jobs they need to complete with scheduled start and end dates. It gives you adequate information on resource availability to utilize in project planning.
Resource leveling is the art when you need to push the start and end dates with resources as a project manager. It is because every resource can have some constraints that can hinder work.Resource Leveling is done to prevent pushing the projects beyond committed dates. Also, bear in mind that not too many resources are allocated on a project.
Resource Forecasting is a technique that can support project planning. It gives you the exact number of employees the company would require in the upcoming or existing projects. Resource Forecasting is essential while you prepare the right project plan as then you have information of appropriate resources at hand.
Forecasting of resources depends on the project lifecycle and holistic understanding of resources for a business.
The right project plan involves these steps:
The first step to creating the right project plan is defining goals and aligning the inputs per that. Then, as a project manager, you need to discuss the requirements, expectations, project scope, budget, and timeline with stakeholders.
Discussion with the stakeholders is crucial because it :
Milestones in a project allow you to set checkpoints. It enables you to verify the growth of the project and the efforts of the resources. In addition, you can compare the results with the expected outcomes if you have set milestones for the project.
After you have decided on the project's goal and discussed every action with the stakeholders, it is essential to chalk the project's scope on a document. It will be the document of truth for everyone in the organization that determines a series of tasks you and your resources must complete.
Try to mention the expected time for the project, necessary resources, and account managers.
Use project scheduling software for different stages of the project. Break down the project into tasks, subtasks, and milestones. You can use Gantt Chart for a practical approach. Depending on the type of work involved in these three categories, you can set the timeline for each.
Make sure you keep a buffer on the crucial jobs, keeping in mind unplanned delays.
Use the resource planning software to find out about the requirement of the resources. It informs the exact resource capacity of the company. You can then start assigning tasks to the resources. Make clear their responsibilities and monitor their workloads.
You can tally the performance metric real-time system-generated reports through the software. If you think that the resources would require a new system, it is essential to note that. Then, execute the supply making the project a complete success.
Communication is one crucial aspect when it comes to project planning. Leave no room for confusion between the resources. Define the exact method that everyone will use and will be standard. Inefficient communication can increase the level of stress and impact the work.
Relook the entire project plan you have prepared. Check for any loopholes and discuss every step of the program with the management. If you think you are good to go, kick start the project.
Make sure that the communication is evident at all stages. Before you kick start the project, put resource management and planning software to use judiciously.
eResource Scheduler, a resource management software that offers competitive project resource management and resource planning features. The tool brings an automated process that bridges the gap between the project plan and the execution of the stages. Here is why this resource planning software is good to use.
If you have an excellent project plan, it looks like you have won half the race. Whether a small or a complex project, make sure you get each stage correct. Though there are different resource planning software companies, eResource Scheduler offers the best tool. It is the most value-driven software that helps to optimize resources by increasing productivity and reducing costs. To buy or know more about the software click here
