Resource management in project management plays a vital role throughout the project life cycle. So, in this article, we’ll discuss project resource management processes and their importance.
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What is Resource Management in Project Management?
Project resources are a crucial asset to complete any project. Without project resources, you can’t do anything. Therefore, before beginning the project, project managers should clearly define the project resources needed to complete their projects. Accordingly, as a project manager, you should manage team resources versus physical resources because both are essential for the project completion.
Physical resources include materials, equipment, infrastructure, and facilities, while team resources refer to human resources (project people). Project people may have varied skills and experience. Furthermore, they may be assigned roles and responsibilities full-time or part-time. On the other hand, they may be added or removed from the project team as the project progresses.
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Accordingly, Resource management in project management plays a vital role throughout the project life cycle. When managing a project, it’s crucial to identify your resource requirements during the initiating and planning phases of your project life cycle. Then, as a project manager, you can estimate project costs and create a budget. On the other hand, it will help to ensure that you are scheduling the right resources at the right time. So, let’s explore resource management processes one by one.
Project Resource Management Processes
Resource management in project management includes the six processes that help project managers to identify, acquire, and handle the resources needed for the successful completion of the project. Furthermore, these processes play a vital role in ensuring that the right resources will be available to the project manager and project team at the right time and place. So, here are the 06 processes (according to the PMBOK 6th edition) of project resource management.
Plan Project Resource Management
In this process, as a project manager, you should define how to estimate, acquire, and utilize human and physical resources. Typically, project resources can be obtained from the internal or external environment of the organization through a procurement process. As well as other projects may be competing for the same resources required for the project at the same time and place. However, this may significantly impact project triple constraints and other factors.
Accordingly, this process is used to determine and identify an approach to ensure that adequate resources are available for the completion of the project.
Read More: 8 steps for creating an effective resource management plan
Estimate Activity Resources
In this process, project managers should estimate team resources and the type and quantities of equipment, materials, and suppliers necessary to perform project work. So, this process helps them to identify the type, characteristics, and quantity of resources required to complete the project successfully.
Acquire project resources
In this process, as a project manager, you should obtain team members, materials, equipment, facilities, infrastructure, suppliers, and other resources required to complete the project work. Furthermore, this process helps you outline and guide the selection of resources and assign them to their respective activities.
Develop Project Team
In this process, project managers should improve competencies, team member interaction, and internal team environment to enhance project performance. The following are some benefits of developing a project team.
- Improved teamwork
- Motivated employees
- Reduced attrition
- Enhanced interpersonal and competencies
Read More: 8 tools and techniques to develop team process in resource management
However, project managers require the skills to lead, maintain, inspire, and motivate their team members to achieve high team performance and to meet the project’s goals and objectives. Teamwork is a crucial aspect of project success. Therefore, you’re responsible for developing an effective project team. Furthermore, as a project manager, you should create an environment that facilitates teamwork and continually motivates the team by providing opportunities and challenges. Moreover, you should provide feedback and support your project team as needed. Don’t forget to recognize and reward the excellent performance of your teammates.
Read More: 6 importance of team building in project management
Manage Project Team
In this process, project managers should track team members’ performance, provide feedback, resolve issues, and manage team changes to enhance project performance. Furthermore, this process influences the following aspects throughout the project life cycle.
- Team behavior
- Manage conflicts
- Resolve issues
However, project managers require management and leadership skills to manage the project team effectively and efficiently. As well as this will help foster teamwork and integrate the efforts of team members to create high-performance teams. The following are some skills needed for team management.
- Communication skills
- Conflict management skills
- Negotiation skills
- Leadership skills
Related post: How to become an effective project manager
Control Project Resources
In this process, as a project manager, you should ensure that the physical resources, such as materials, types of equipment, etc., assigned and allocated to the project are available as planned. However, you should monitor the planned versus actual utilization of resources and take corrective action as necessary. Typically, this process is performed throughout the project life cycle and helps project managers ensure that the assigned resources are available to the project at the right time and place and released when no longer needed.
Typically, this process involves physical resources such as materials, equipment, etc. These resources needed for the project should be assigned and released at the right time, location, and amount because it will help project managers continue their projects without delays. So, the following are the essential aspects of understanding what actual resources have been used to date and what is still needed.
Importance of Resource Management in Project Management
Resource management in project management plays a vital role throughout the project. As a project manager, you’re responsible for managing the project’s resources effectively and efficiently to meet the project’s objectives. So, here are some importance of managing resource management in project management.
- Plan resource management in project management helps project managers establish the approach and level of management effort needed for handling project resources ( human and physical resources) based on the type and complexity of the project.
- Resource management in project management helps project managers define the quantity, characteristics, and types of resources required to complete the project. As well as this also helps minimize the overspending and schedule delays of the project.
- Acquire resource management in project management helps project managers outline and guide the selection of resources and assign them to their respective activities.
- Resource management in project management helps project managers improve teamwork, motivate employees, enhance interpersonal skills and competencies, and improve overall project performance.
- Project managers can complete their projects while ensuring budget, schedule, and quality. On the other hand, this helps project managers minimize project risk and conflicts.
Conclusion
Resource management in project management helps project managers manage human and physical resources effectively and efficiently. So, project resource management has six processes, including planning project resources, estimating activity resources, acquiring project resources, developing the project team, managing the project team, and controlling the project team.
