Chapter 8 Project Resource Management

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Chapter 8

Project Resource Management

A Comprehensive Guide for PMP Certification by Parag Pal

Chapter 8 focuses on **Project Resource Management**, which involves identifying, acquiring, and managing the resources needed for the successful completion of the project. Resources include both physical (materials, equipment, facilities) and human (project team) elements.

This guide will detail the six processes within Resource Management, highlighting key concepts, inputs, tools & techniques, and outputs for each. Managing people is often one of the hardest aspects of project management, requiring strong interpersonal and ethical behaviors.

8.1 Types of Resources

Project resources are broadly categorized into two main types:

Physical Resources

Tangible assets needed for the project.

• Materials (e.g., raw materials, components)
• Equipment (e.g., tools, machinery)
• Facilities (e.g., office space, labs)
• Infrastructure (e.g., IT systems)

Human Resources

The people involved in the project.

• Project team members
• Subject matter experts
• Stakeholders (in terms of their time/input)
• Contractors, consultants

Key Challenge:

Managing people is often the hardest aspect of project management. A dysfunctional team is more likely to produce a failed deliverable.

8.2 Project Resource Management Processes Overview

Project Resource Management includes the processes to identify, acquire, and manage the resources needed for the successful completion of the project.

The 6 Resource Management Processes are:

• Plan Resource Management (Planning)
• Estimate Activity Resources (Planning)
• Acquire Resources (Executing)
• Develop Team (Executing)
• Manage Team (Executing)
• Control Resources (Monitoring & Controlling)

Resource Management Processes by Process Group

This chart shows how the 6 Project Resource Management processes are distributed across the Process Groups.

Note: Resource management has a significant focus on the Executing phase.

8.3 Plan Resource Management

This is the process of identifying who will be doing which project role and their responsibilities, reporting relationships, and creating the resources management plan. It also documents how to acquire, manage, and use physical resources.

8.3.1 Inputs

• Project Charter
• Project Management Plan
• Project Documents (e.g., Project Schedule, Requirements Documentation, Risk Register, Stakeholder Register)
• Enterprise Environmental Factors (EEFs)
• Organizational Process Assets (OPAs)

8.3.2 Tools & Techniques

• Expert Judgment
• Data Representation:
  • Hierarchical-type charts (Organizational Breakdown Structure - OBS): Show reporting relationships and break down project positions.
  • Matrix-based charts (Responsibility Assignment Matrix - RAM): Show resources assigned to work packages. A common example is a RACI Chart.
• Organizational Theory
• Meetings

RACI Chart Example

A RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) chart clarifies roles and responsibilities for specific tasks or deliverables.

Task/Deliverable	Project Manager	Team Member	Sponsor	Customer
Develop Project Charter	A	I	R	I
Define Scope	A	R	C	I
Create WBS	R	A	C	I
Validate Scope	A	I	C	R

Note: Only one person should be 'Accountable' (A) for any given task.

8.3.3 Outputs

• Resource Management Plan: Documents how physical and staff resources will be acquired, developed, managed, controlled, and released. Includes staffing acquisition/release, training needs, recognition/rewards, compliance, and safety.
• Team Charter: A document outlining acceptable behavior within the project team (e.g., rules of conduct for meetings, decision-making). Best made by the team for the team.
• Project Documents Updates.

8.4 Estimate Activity Resources

This process estimates the team resources and type and quantities of material, equipment, and supplies necessary to perform project work.

8.4.1 Inputs

• Project Management Plan
• Project Documents (Activity List, Activity Attributes, Assumption Logs, Resource Calendars, Risk Register, Cost Estimates)
• EEFs, OPAs

8.4.2 Tools & Techniques

• Expert Judgment
• Bottom-Up Estimating, Analogous Estimating, Parametric Estimating
• Data Analysis
• Project Management Information System (PMIS)
• Meetings

8.4.3 Outputs

• Resource Requirements: Documented types and quantities of resources needed.
• Resource Breakdown Structure (RBS): A hierarchical breakdown of resources by their categories and types (e.g., software, hardware, people). Can help track project cost as it ties to the organization's accounting system.
• Basis of Estimates.

8.5 Acquire Resources

This is the process of obtaining the team members, facilities, equipment, materials, and other resources necessary to complete project work. This is often one of the first processes in the execution phase and is continuous.

8.5.1 Inputs

• Project Management Plan
• Project Documents (Resource Calendars, Resource Requirements, Project Schedule, Stakeholder Register)
• EEFs, OPAs

8.5.2 Tools & Techniques

• Decision Making (e.g., Multi-criteria decision analysis for selecting team members)
• Interpersonal & Team Skills (e.g., Negotiation with functional managers)
• Pre-assignment: When the project team has been selected by functional managers before the project starts.
• Virtual Teams

8.5.3 Outputs

• Physical Resource Assignments: Specific physical resources assigned.
• Project Team Assignments: Specific team members assigned.
• Resource Calendar: Identifies the working days and shifts for specific resources.

8.6 Develop Team

This is one of the most important processes because a dysfunctional project team ensures the project will fail. This process improves competencies, team member interaction, and the overall team environment to enhance project performance.

8.6.1 Inputs

• Project Management Plan
• Project Documents (Resource Calendars, Resource Requirements, Project Schedule, Lessons Learned Register, Project Team Assignments, Team Charter)
• EEFs, OPAs

8.6.2 Tools & Techniques

• Colocation, Virtual Teams, Communications Technology
• Interpersonal Team Skills (e.g., Conflict Management, Influencing, Motivation, Negotiation, Team Building)
• Recognition and Rewards, Training
• Individual & Team Assessments, Meetings
• Tuckman's Ladder (Team Development Stages):
  Forming

  Storming

  Norming

  Performing

  Adjourning
  • Forming: Team comes together, gets to know each other. Low conflict.
  • Storming: Conflicts arise as team members' ideas clash. Most conflicts occur here.
  • Norming: Team members begin to agree on methods, reaching consensus.
  • Performing: Team functions well, works without conflict. PM oversees.
  • Adjourning: Project completed, team reassigned.
• Motivation Theories: Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, McGregor's Theory X and Y (Theory Y preferred), Theory Z, David McClelland's Theory of Needs (Achievement, Power, Affiliation), Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory (Hygiene and Motivation factors), Expectancy Theory.
• Forms of Power (Project Manager):
  • Reward Power: Ability to give rewards (pay raises, time off).
  • Expert Power: Based on specialized subject knowledge (experience, certifications) - one of the best.
  • Formal (Legitimate) Power: Based on position/title.
  • Referent Power: Based on personality, charisma, or association with higher authority.
  • Penalty (Coercive) Power: Using punishment (threats) - generally leads to more conflicts, worst.

Project Manager Power Types

Different forms of power can be used by a Project Manager, with varying degrees of effectiveness.

Note: Expert and Reward power are generally the most effective.

8.6.3 Outputs

• Team Performance Assessments: Evaluation of team strengths, weaknesses, and improvement areas.
• Change Requests.

8.7 Manage Team

This process tracks team member performance, provides feedback, resolves issues, and manages team changes to optimize project performance.

8.7.1 Inputs

• Project Management Plan
• Project Documents (Issue Log, Lessons Learned Register, Project Team Assignments, Team Charter)
• EEFs, OPAs

8.7.2 Tools & Techniques

• Interpersonal Team Skills:
  • Conflict Resolution Techniques:
    • Problem-solving/Collaborate: Both sides happy, problem solved (Win-Win - best, PMI favors most).
    • Compromising/Reconcile: Both sides give up a little (Lose-Lose).
    • Force/Direct: One side wins, other loses (Win-Lose - worst).
    • Smooth/Accommodate: Downplay conflict, problem not solved (Lose-Lose).
    • Withdrawal/Avoid: One party walks away, problem may still exist (Yield-Lose).
  • Emotional Intelligence: Ability to identify and manage emotions, leading to less conflict.
• Project Management Information System (PMIS)

Conflict Resolution Styles (Outcomes)

The effectiveness of conflict resolution styles varies significantly, impacting project relationships and outcomes.

Note: Problem-solving/Collaboration is the most preferred method.

8.7.3 Outputs

• Change Requests.
• Project Management Plan Updates, Project Documents Updates, EEFs Updates, OPAs Updates.

8.8 Control Resources

This process ensures that the physical resources assigned and allocated to the project are available as planned, as well as monitoring the planned versus actual utilization of resources and taking corrective action as needed.

8.8.1 Inputs

• Project Management Plan
• Project Documents
• Work Performance Data
• Agreements
• OPAs

8.8.2 Tools & Techniques

• Data Analysis
• Problem Solving (for resource-related issues like incorrect usage or damage)
• Interpersonal Team Skills
• Project Management Information System (PMIS)

8.8.3 Outputs

• Work Performance Information.
• Change Requests.
• Project Management Plan Updates, Project Documents Updates.

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