Resource Management Software
Previously, there has been a general lack of tools to support
multi-project resource planning and management and pipeline management -
assuring a smooth flow of development projects through the product
development pipeline. When a company has developed a detailed plan for a
project in a tool such as Microsoft Project, there is a capability to
link multiple projects and perform multi-project resource planning.
However, this approach is very cumbersome and plans resources to too low
a level of detail. Also, it is not effective to plan an entire project
with MS Project when a project is still in a proposed stage. Other
organizations use a tool such as Microsoft Excel and periodically have
programs/projects put together manpower forecasts. Again this is
cumbersome and time-consuming.
PD-Trak™ provides an easy to use resource planning and management
capability. It uses the manpower budget that already exists as part of
the initial planning and business case and that is regularly updated for
management reporting and gate reviews. Manpower requirements by project
are summarized by resource type and compared with available resource
levels. A flexible modelling capability allows the user to select and
deselect which projects to include in the resource plan as well as add
resources or change the timing of programs. PD-Trak's resource
management capability consists of four elements: the Resource List, the
Budget and Schedule Worksheet, the Projects Planning Table, and the
Resource Planning Worksheet.
Resource List
A Resource List defines the skill sets, resource levels, and their
commitment to other activities besides product development (non-project
utilization).
Budget and Schedule Worksheet
A resource profile for each proposed and active project is entered
into the Budget and Schedule worksheets of the Project Files. Experience
with similar projects and the approach of not requiring detailed (and
rapidly changing) planning make this resource estimate easy to develop
and maintain. This resource budget is used by the resource analysis
function to build a plan that compares the available resources (as
defined in a central Resource List) to the total resource demands of the
portfolio of projects. The Plan allows the user to add or subtract
resources in future periods very flexibly to allow many alternatives to
be considered as well as represent future actions related to resources.
The Resource Analysis function creates a new workbook which can be
stored as a historic record of the analysis. This file comprises two
primary worksheets: the Projects Planning Table and the Resource
Planning Worksheet.
Projects Planning Table
The Projects Planning Table is a copy of a section of the Master
Project Schedule showing the portfolio management information and the
project priorities which are the basis for decisions on which projects
to undertake. A column in the center allows projects to be included or
excluded from the resource analysis. Only active projects are initially
included in the resource planning. As part of the process to bring the
resource plan in balance, changes can be made to the project timing
(e.g., start date, duration, etc.), resources, or project scope (and
related resources). These changes are noted in the three "delta" columns
for when the live projects are updated to reflect this proposed resource
plan.
Resource Planning Worksheet
The Resource Planning Worksheet has a table for each skill set in the
Resource List. The upper section of each table computes the available
resource, starting with the base headcount from the resource list,
adding any new hires or contractors and subtracting any retirements or
cutbacks from the headcount (the yellow row). Based on factors for the
time committed to other activities besides product development
(non-project utilization), net available resources for product are
calculated. When the resource analysis is run, the program extracts the
resource requirements information from the project files and builds a
two-year outlook of project demand. The total demand for each skill set
is compared with available resources to determine any shortages or
available resources for new projects.
Resource charts can also be generated for each resource type. Here is
an example:
Based on this plan, the user can then consider actions actions to
take:
.