Resource management: what is resource planning?
Agathe Placet
Content manager
September 5, 2023
4 min
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The world of NSEs and consulting firms is punctuated by competing projects, tight deadlines and constant pressure to continuously deliver real added value... because the competition is tough. Optimized processes for Ressource Management And the Resource planning then become essential to deal with all these constraints.
Resource planning is a step in Ressource Management and aims to allocate available resources in the most fair and informed manner possible (employees, budget, technologies, etc.) to the various missions. This management method allows you to anticipate needs and their evolution, you increase your chances of allocating resources in an optimal manner.
This article is an opportunity for us to go further into what is the Resource planning and how to implement it in your business.
Resource planning can be divided into two steps:
Anticipating is the key word When we talk about Resource planning. Long before a project starts, resource planning requires identifying future needs, whether they are specific skills, technologies, or availability. The analysis must be multidimensional.
Let's take the example of a smartwatch project for a company specializing in the development of health applications. Before even embarking on the project, you need to ask yourself several questions.
Does the company have enough developers who know the specificities of smart watches (skills)? Do they have the right tools, licenses and operating systems, or are investments required (technologies)? Are these resources available over the duration of the project (availability)?
Based on this essential pre-analysis, the company can then proceed with the allocation of resources to the various projects. You immediately identify potential conflicts, for example if a project manager finds himself straddling several missions.
Even with perfect planning, adjustments are inevitable. That's why we're talking about strategic planning : deploy a Process resilient and able to adapt quickly to changes.
In the case of our example, the application development project may be delayed due to bugs that are difficult to solve. The company may therefore be required to temporarily deploy additional resources (like an expert developer) in order to respect deadlines and avoid overflowing into other projects.
This requires a monitoring and ideally real-time notification. One Feedback continuous and Check-ins regular meetings with teams help identify problems before they become critical.
As projects are carried out, NSEs can measure the effectiveness of their process and even predict trends. For example, they may note that some projects are systematically under-Staffés, or that certain times of the year are conducive to overwork. The company anticipates the moments of Rush by providing the appropriate resources.
In order to master the planning management and the allocation of resources, NSEs and consulting firms can use various tools and methods detailed below.
Several methods allow you to succeed in your Resource planning.
One of the best known is the Gantt chart. This organization provides an overview of projects (Deadline, employees involved, objectives, completion times, etc.).
The PERT chart (Program Evaluation Technical Review), for its part, aims to identify the tasks that are essential for meeting deadlines. You can thus prioritize missions and projects, an essential part of resource planning!
These methods have undeniable advantages. They allow managers and consultants to have a common file for optimal management. The tools are accessible: there are many Templates free to download for the Excel spreadsheet.
As practical as these solutions are, they are not Not without flaws. Input errors or version conflicts can seriously hamper project management. The greater the number of users (team leaders, collaborators, etc.), the greater the risk of error.
One Resource planning on Excel may be fine for small businesses, but is quickly becoming impractical and counterproductive when projects are piling up and teams are growing.
For NSEs and consulting firms, we therefore recommend opting for a tool dedicated to resource management.
A tool for Resource planning suchlike Napta allows more efficient management of Resource planning for the simple reason that some features of the software have been designed and built especially for this task..
The scope covered is much wider than the various free diagrams and templates. The solution integrates numerous variables, such as Occupancy rate collaborators. You get a view that is both more holistic and detailed, and can therefore better optimize the TACE (Activity Rate Excluded Leaves) of your teams.
In your quest for your resource planning software, make sure that it offers central functionalities such as:
Thanks to these different functionalities, you can effectively associate resources to the various projects in progress.
You also benefit from a operating in SaaS (Software-as-a-Service). Unlike decentralized files and software, the resource planning solution is available in the cloud. Any changes made are updated in real time to all employees.
Teams and managers therefore have a consistent view of ongoing projects and required resources. The flow of information is fluid and ensures that all stakeholders are aware of all changes.
A centralized SaaS solution also has the advantage of being updated regularly by the software publisher (addition of new functionalities, regulatory compliance, etc.).
In order to manage the various projects that are entrusted to them, ESNs must deploy various resources. Employees, equipment and technology, budget: so many variables to take into account.
Within the Ressource Management, the Resource planning is therefore a critical business process. The over- or under-allocation of resources can lead to delays and errors that affect the productivity, profitability and reputation of the ESN or consulting firm.
In order tooptimize your resource allocation, you can use various charts (from Gantt, PERT, etc.) that can be modelled on Excel. This operation is suitable for beginners, but it quickly has limitations, such as the risk of errors.
A software of Resource planning such as Napta is therefore highly recommended. Especially suited to large teams, this solution offers a complete and detailed view of each project and the resources allocated, or to be allocated.
Do you want to go deeper into the subject? We have lots of resources at your disposal to help you go further.
In addition to this subject, find our white paper”What metrics should you follow to properly manage your staffing and improve your decision-making?”.
Also discover our guides, templates and checklists in the Resources tab.
See you soon at Napta!
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