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Resource Allocation: How To Manage Project Resources

04 January 2024

Effectively using the art of resource allocation is, without a doubt, a game of strategy. We could even say it is almost like playing chess. There is human capital to manage, financial resources, technological assets, and perhaps the most valuable resource of all: time.

Resource allocation involves the thoughtful and intentional organization of limited resources to meet the needs of a company or a project. It requires a delicate balance between short-term goals and long-term vision while dealing with the everyday challenges that every team is faced with.

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How team leaders and project managers navigate this complex challenge influences the team’s efficiency and determines the capacity for resilience and adaptability to unforeseen circumstances.

Understanding the dynamics of strategic resource allocation is crucial for the project’s success. Let’s explore how.

What is resource allocation?

Resource allocation can be defined as the strategic and intentional distribution of available resources to achieve a specific goal while maximizing productivity and efficiency.

The resources involved in this strategic operation involve financial capital, human resources, time, technology, and expertise.

What is more challenging about the resource allocation process is the decision-making involved: where to invest them, how, when, etc.

What counts as resources?

Financial capital – money and other financial assets that an organization has at its disposal. Its allocation involves budgeting, investing, and managing expenses.
Human resources – the people within an organization constitute a valuable resource. Resource allocation in this context includes assigning employees to specific tasks, multiple projects, or departments, according to their skills and expertise.
Knowledge, skills, and expertise – intellectual assets, such as knowledge and expertise, are crucial resources. Allocating these resources involves identifying key team members, fostering a culture of continuous learning, and leveraging expertise where it is most needed.
Technological resources and infrastructures – tools, technologies, and physical infrastructure available, that may require investments, maintenance, and/or upgrades.
Time – unfortunately, time is a finite resource, and how it is allocated is the definite factor that can significantly impact productivity and the outcome of the project or future of the organization. Effective time management involves prioritizing tasks and activities to achieve goals efficiently.

Who is responsible for resource allocation?

Responsibility for resource allocation varies depending on the size and structure of the organization.

The most relevant stakeholders involved in resource allocation in project management typically include executives, resource managers, department heads, the organization’s financial department, project managers, and human resources.

Effective resource allocation is truly a collaborative effort.

The benefits of resource allocation

The benefits of resource allocation are varied, but they all contribute to the short and long-term goals of the organization.

Improved decision-making – data-driven resource allocation facilitates informed decision-making and allows teams to anticipate possible challenges and identify opportunities. By allocating resources strategically, organizations can better anticipate and mitigate potential risks.
More efficient operations – efficient resource allocation helps identify unnecessary spending and reallocates resources to areas that need more, resulting in cost savings and improving business efficiency.
Enhanced overall satisfaction – properly allocated resources involve placing employees in roles that align with their skills and interests, increasing job satisfaction. Investing in their skills fosters retention.
Accomplished strategic roles – resources are directed toward activities that align with strategic objectives, ensuring that the organization is moving collectively in the right direction.
Enhanced focus on what’s needed – well-placed resource allocation enables organizations to concentrate on core competencies.
Adaptation to possible change – efficient resource allocation allows organizations to adapt more effectively to changing market conditions, technological advancements, and unforeseen challenges.
Stabilized finances – if the investments align with strategic priorities, resource allocation will minimize the financial risks and promote sustainable growth.
Improved competitive advantage – allocating resources to research and development encourages innovation, giving organizations a competitive edge in their market.

Resource allocation methods

These are the most common resource allocation methods that are taught in most of the top-rated PMP certifications.

Critical Path Method (CPM)

Within project management, the critical path represents the most extended sequence of interdependent tasks.

The Critical Path Method (CPM) establishes a clear and sequential order for completing tasks before the project starts, optimizing resource use. However, this method only accommodates multitasking.

Related content: How to avoid overloading employees

Earned Value Management (EVM)

Earned value management integrates cost, schedule, and scope to track progress.

By comparing the value of completed work against the planned budget and schedule, EVM helps identify any deviations from the original resource plan.

Resource leveling

When implementing resource leveling, assess your team’s capacity to determine their workload capacity. Compare this with the demand for resources.

If scarce resources and demand are not aligned, reschedule tasks accordingly.

TIP: Read our post and learn how to do a workload analysis

Resource smoothing

Resource smoothing is a method that intends to minimize demand while ensuring the project is completed within the optimal timeframe.

In this approach, the project manager modifies resource scheduling and allocation according to needs and skills.

How to allocate project resources

The resource allocation process is a crucial aspect of project management. The project manager’s main goal is to make sure that the right resources are assigned to tasks and activities in a way that optimizes efficiency.

Let’s explore how to allocate project resources best step by step:

1. Start by defining the project scope and goals

Clearly articulate the scope and the goals of the project. Clearly define the deliverables, project timeline, and quality standards that need to be achieved.

2. Identify what resources are needed

Determine which and how many resources are required for each project task. This includes human resources, equipment, technology, materials, and other assets.

Employee work schedule template

3. Create a resource breakdown structure (RBS)

Project and resource managers use a Resource Breakdown Structure to categorize and organize resources according to their type and function.

4. Estimate resource availability

Assess the availability of existing resources, both in terms of quantity and qualitative terms. Consider the availability of team members, external contractors, and any other resources needed for the project.

5. Establish priorities and allocate resources accordingly

Prioritize project tasks based on their importance, dependencies, and path. Identify tasks that are time-sensitive or significantly impact the project’s success and match the identified resources with the requirements of each task.

6. Don’t forget possible constraints

Consider any constraints, such as budget limitations or equipment availability that may impact resource allocation decisions for other projects.

7. Make use of resource allocation tools

Explore project management tools and software that facilitate resource planning and allocation. These resource management tools can help visualize resource availability, manage resources and workloads, and ensure that resources are distributed efficiently.

8. Monitor resource use and workloads

Continuously monitor and track the use of the resources throughout the project’s path and the distribution of tasks and resources in a way that balances workloads among team members.

Avoid overloading individuals with too many tasks or allocating resources unevenly.

Read also: What is project monitoring?

9. Be flexible to changes

While too many changes in project scope and project timelines are not recommended, flexibility is still required if the need arises. Reassess resource needs and make adjustments as necessary.

10. Guarantee clear communication from beginning to end

Communicate resource allocations to the project team. Ensure that everyone understands their roles and responsibilities, including the assigned tasks and the expected timelines.

By clearly communicating, we also mean regularly reviewing the decisions made in the project resource allocation. Analyze project performance, identify areas for improvement, and improve resource allocation.

By following these steps, a resource manager can enhance the likelihood of successful project outcomes by allocating resources effectively.

Resource allocation tools

Having explored various resource allocation methods, let’s explore some tools that project managers can use when planning the organization of resources.

Gantt charts

Gantt charts offer a straightforward way to outline project tasks. This tool facilitates resource allocation in projects, by allowing resource managers to assign tasks, track team members’ time spent on each task, and precisely determine resource needs over the project duration.

Resource allocation matrix

A resource allocation matrix serves as a comprehensive overview of the required project resources. It is a great method to identify potential blockages proactively.

Typically, the matrix includes team members’ names, roles, availability, skills, and assigned tasks. It visualizes resources, aligning resources with project tasks and activities.

Workload charts

Workload charts visually depict resource allocation across project teams, departments, or the entire organization. They allow for a quick assessment of each person’s assigned hours.

These charts are instrumental in aligning human resource management with resource allocation.

Related article: Workload management plan

Resource allocation tips

Keep these key tips in mind when planning resource allocation:

Identify and prioritize tasks based on importance and deadlines;
Adjust resource plans as project scopes and timelines evolve;
Avoid overloading or underutilizing team members;
Don’t forget to include budget, time, and other constraints when allocating resources.
Ensure clear communication with team members about resource allocations and expectations.
Monitor how resources are being utilized to make informed adjustments.

Resource planning template and examples

For example, we’re using a resource allocation template to launch a digital marketing campaign. It’s important to allocate human resources, budget, and tasks across the different campaign phases.

This is the information you must include, adapting it to the template or tool you prefer:

Project information

Project name: Digital Marketing Campaign Launch
Project manager: [Name]
Start date: [Start Date]
End date: [End Date]

Resource types

Human resources

Name:
Role: Digital Marketing Specialist
Skills:
Availability:

Name:
Role: Copywriter
Skills:
Availability:
Name:
Role: Designer
Skills:
Availability:

Equipment/Resources

Type: Ad Campaign Budget
Quantity:
Availability:

Budget

Total project budget: 100K €
Budget allocated for resources: 25K €

Read also: Project budget planning

Resource allocation timeline

Project phases

Strategy development
Content creation
Design
Campaign execution
Performance monitoring
Reporting

Timeline

Strategy development
- Start date: 8 January 2024
- End date: 8 February 2024
- Resource allocation:
Design
- Start date: [Date]
- End date: [Date]
- Resource allocation:

Task allocation

Task 1: Social media strategy plan
- Estimated duration:
- Assigned resources:
Task 2: Graphic design
- Estimated duration:
- Assigned resources:

Monitoring and reporting

Tracking
- Time tracking tools: Timeular
- Performance analytics: Google Analytics
- Regular team meetings: Every two weeks
Reporting frequency
- Weekly progress reports
- Post-campaign performance report

Read also: How to make a project report

Contingency plans
Risk identification
- Potential risks: Ad spending exceeding budget

It might be useful: Free time management and allocation templates

The challenges of resource allocation

While the practice is a cornerstone of project management and task organization, resource allocation still presents several challenges. Anticipating, preventing, or even avoiding them is key. Let’s explore some examples:

Limited resources – the fundamental challenge is the lack of resources. Projects often have to contend with time, budget, skilled personnel, and materials constraints.
Changes in project scope – project scopes may evolve due to various factors, such as shifting priorities or changes in client requirements. Issues can also happen when the project’s timeline is constantly being changed.
Poor communication – insufficient communication between the project team and stakeholders can result in misunderstandings of resource needs and availability.
Mismatched skills and tasks – mismatches between the skills needed and the skills available within the team can lead to inefficiencies and project delays.
Technology constraints – outdated or insufficient project management tools and technology can stop resource allocation.
Being resistant to change – resistance from team members or stakeholders to changes in resource allocation plans can delay the process.

Overcoming these challenges requires a strategic approach, effective communication, and continuous monitoring. A project manager’s work is never done.

How to allocate resources with Timeular

Time tracking plays a crucial role in effective resource allocation by providing valuable insights into how time is spent on various tasks and projects. Using Timeular as a time-tracking tool means having a major ally in allocating resources efficiently.

First, real-time time tracking allows project managers to monitor resource usage continuously. It generates data on the actual time spent on tasks. This data serves as a reliable foundation for making informed decisions about resource allocation. Also, by tracking the time spent on different activities, you can identify which tasks require more resources or where additional support may be needed.

Using a time-tracking tool will also be useful in balancing workloads, by revealing how much time each team member is spending on specific tasks. This information ensures that work is distributed evenly, providing the opportunity for reassessment of project priorities and resource allocation, if needed.

Time tracking can highlight obstacles, prompting adjustments to the whole resource allocation plan and strategy. This data can also be stored and be an important guide for future projects, for better time estimations and their respective resource allocation strategies.

Looking for an effortless, smart and secure time tracking app to streamline resource allocation?

Conclusion

Resource allocation is not a one-time task at the start of your project’s lifecycle. It’s an ongoing project management process that involves many variables.

Adaptability and flexibility are fundamental because effective resource allocation involves navigating human capital, financial resources, technology, and, perhaps most crucially, time.

It demands a delicate balance between short-term objectives and a long-term vision for project success, all while confronting the daily challenges that teams inevitably face working on a project. Being successful at it is what project managers should keep working for.

FAQ

How to allocate resources efficiently

To allocate resources efficiently, start by identifying the most important tasks. Use specific data on your team member’s skills and workload to match the right people with the right jobs, ensuring effective project management.

What is a resource allocation graph?

A resource allocation graph is a visual tool that portrays the relationship between processes and the resources they require, offering a graphical representation of resource allocation.

What does the allocation of resources mean in economics?

In the context of economics, resource allocation refers to the process of distributing limited resources among various competing uses. This concept originates from the economic problem of scarcity or absence of means, recognizing that resources such as time, money, and raw materials are finite, while human wants never end.

What is a resource management software?

Resource management software helps you organize and track all your team’s tasks and work. It’s a tool that makes it easy for you to see who is doing what and ensures everyone is working on the right things at the right time.

Timeular is an example of a time tracking project management tool, that helps to create a project schedule, assign tasks, and work on a resource allocation plan based on resource data.

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