Project Management: A Managerial Approach, 8th Edition

CHAPTER 9

Resource Allocation

PMBOK Guide 6.3

In the previous chapter, we looked at a special type of resource allocation problem, that of allocating time among project tasks, better known as scheduling. Now we consider the impact on the schedule of the allocation of physical resources as well, a topic considered along with scheduling in PMBOK. Also, we are concerned with using resources in both individual and in multiple, simultaneous projects. The subject relates directly to the topic of scheduling because altering schedules can alter the need for resources and—just as important—alter the timing of resource needs. At any given time, the firm may have a fixed level of various resources available for its projects. The fixed resources might include labor-hours of various types of special professional or technical services, machine-hours of various types of machinery or instrumentation, hours of computing time, specialized locations, and similar scarce resources needed for accomplishing project tasks. For example, if the need for some resource varies between 70 and 120 percent of resource capacity, then that resource will be underutilized (and wasted if no alternative use exists) at one point in the project and in insufficient supply at another. If the project schedule can be adjusted to smooth the use of the resource, it may be possible to avoid project delay and, at the same ...