I recently attended an inspiring webinar that discussed the importance of resource management to a project’s success; it impressed me so much I wanted to share some of the things I learned with you.
The speakers focused on some important aspects of resource and capacity control to help project management teams increase the potential for success: Capacity (know your limits); People (get the right ones and build your team); Time-tracking (capture data, track progress, reset limits going forward, and monitor results); Change management (scope creep, adjustments to spec, etc.); and Tools (have the right ones and tailor them to your needs). All critical elements for project success.
My only concern is that the speakers were discussing all the right things, but perhaps with a somewhat rosy view of reality. In a perfect world, the right team members are available when you need them, and everyone is honest and realistic about need, capacity, limitations, and the elements that make up the project plan.
In the real world, this is seldom the case. Which is probably why so many projects fail.
It’s incredibly important to monitor and manage resources during the course of a project’s life-cycle. But without some stringent controls, I fear it’s easier said than done. Of course, if project management tools were incorporated into the mix, it’s likely that managing resources would become a whole lot easier.
To hear how Allconnect is doing this using project management software, check out Amy Dowis’ interview HERE.
How do you track and manage your resources? Is it working for you? Let me know!
