PowerPoint Presentation
Information Technology
FIT2002
IT Project Management
Lecture 10
Project Resource Management
Video 1: Project Resource Management
Learning Objectives
Define project resource management and understand its
processes
Discuss resource management planning, in particular
human resource
Schwalbe, K.. (2015). Information Technology Project Management. (8e) Cengage Learning 2
What is Project Resource Management?
To identify, acquire and manage the resources needed for the
successful completion of the project.
Processes include
1. Planning resource management: defining how to estimate,
acquire, manage and utilize physical and team resources.
2. Estimate activity resources: estimating team resources and
the type and quantities of material, equipment and supplies
necessary to perform project work
3. Acquiring resources: getting the necessary resources and
personnel required for the project
Schwalbe, K.. (2015). Information Technology Project Management. (8e) Cengage Learning 3
What is Project Resource Management?
Processes include (cont…)
3. Developing the project team: building individual and group
skills to enhance project performance
4. Managing the project team: tracking team member
performance, motivating team members, providing timely
feedback, resolving issues and conflicts, and coordinating
changes to help enhance project performance
5. Control resources: ensuring that the physical resources
assigned and allocated to the project are available as planned,
as well as performing corrective action as necessary
Schwalbe, K.. (2015). Information Technology Project Management. (8e) Cengage Learning 4
The Importance of Human Resource
Management
Many corporate executives have said, “People are our most
important asset”
People determine the success and failure of organisations and
projects
Proactive organisations are addressing workforce needs by
– improving benefits
– redefining work hours and incentives
– finding future workers
Schwalbe, K.. (2015). Information Technology Project Management. (8e) Cengage Learning 5
Keys to Managing People
Psychologists and management theorists have devoted much
research and thought to the field of managing people at work
Some theories related to human resource management:
– Motivation theories – Maslow, Herzberg & McGregor
– Covey’s 7 habits to improve effectiveness on projects
– Daniel Goleman author of Emotional Intelligence and Primal
Leadership
• Emotional intelligence – managing one’s own emotions and
understanding the emotions of others for improved performance
• Six leadership style – visionary, coaching, affiliative, democratic,
pacesetting and commanding
Schwalbe, K.. (2015). Information Technology Project Management. (8e) Cengage Learning 6
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Schwalbe, K.. (2015). Information Technology Project Management. (8e) Cengage Learning 7
Herzberg’s Motivational and Hygiene Factors
Frederick Herzberg wrote several famous books and articles
about worker motivation. He distinguished between
– motivational factors: achievement, recognition, the work
itself, responsibility, advancement, and growth, which
produce job satisfaction
– hygiene factors: cause dissatisfaction if not present, but do
not motivate workers to do more. Examples include larger
salaries, more supervision, and a more attractive work
environment
Schwalbe, K.. (2015). Information Technology Project Management. (8e) Cengage Learning 8
McGregor’s Theory X and Y
Douglas McGregor popularised the human relations approach to
management in the 1960s
Theory X: assumes workers dislike and avoid work, so
managers must use coercion, threats and various control
schemes to get workers to meet objectives
Theory Y: assumes individuals consider work as natural as
play or rest and enjoy the satisfaction of esteem and self-
actualization needs
Theory Z: introduced in 1981 by William Ouchi and is based on
the Japanese approach to motivating workers, emphasizing trust,
quality, collective decision making, and cultural values
Schwalbe, K.. (2015). Information Technology Project Management. (8e) Cengage Learning 9
Covey and Improving Effectiveness
Project managers can apply Covey’s 7 habits to improve
effectiveness on projects
– Be proactive
– Begin with the end in mind
– Put first things first
– Think win/win
– Seek first to understand, then to be understood
– Synergise
– Sharpen the saw
Schwalbe, K.. (2015). Information Technology Project Management. (8e) Cengage Learning 10
Video 2: Project Resource Management
Learning Objectives
Create a human resource plan, project organisational chart,
responsibility assignment matrix, and resource histogram
Schwalbe, K.. (2015). Information Technology Project Management. (8e) Cengage Learning 11
Developing the Human Resource Plan
Involves identifying and documenting project roles,
responsibilities, and reporting relationships
Contents include
– project organisational charts
– staffing management plan
– responsibility assignment matrixes
– resource histograms
Schwalbe, K.. (2015). Information Technology Project Management. (8e) Cengage Learning 12
Sample Organisational Chart for a Large IT
Project
Schwalbe, K.. (2015). Information Technology Project Management. (8e) Cengage Learning 13
Work Definition and Assignment Process
Schwalbe, K.. (2015). Information Technology Project Management. (8e) Cengage Learning 14
Responsibility Assignment Matrices
A responsibility assignment matrix (RAM) is a matrix that
maps the work of the project as described in the WBS to the
people responsible for performing the work as described in the
OBS (Organisational Breakdown Structure)
Can be created in different ways to meet unique project needs
Note: Organisational breakdown structure (OBS) is a specific
type of organisational chart that shows which organisational
units are responsible for which work items
Schwalbe, K.. (2015). Information Technology Project Management. (8e) Cengage Learning 15
Sample Responsibility Assignment Matrix
(RAM)
Schwalbe, K.. (2015). Information Technology Project Management. (8e) Cengage Learning 16
Sample RACI Chart
Schwalbe, K.. (2015). Information Technology Project Management. (8e) Cengage Learning 17
R = responsibility
A = accountability, only one A per task
C = consultation
I = informed
Staffing Management Plans and Resource
Histograms
A staffing management plan
– describes when and how people will be added to and
taken off the project team
– describe how these resources would be acquired,
trained, rewarded, and reassigned
A resource histogram is a column chart that shows the
number of resources assigned to a project over time
Schwalbe, K.. (2015). Information Technology Project Management. (8e) Cengage Learning 18
Sample Resource Histogram
Schwalbe, K.. (2015). Information Technology Project Management. (8e) Cengage Learning 19
Video 3: Project Resource Management
Learning Objectives
Understand important issues involved in project staff
acquisition and explain the concepts of resource
assignments, resource loading, and resource leveling
Schwalbe, K.. (2015). Information Technology Project Management. (8e) Cengage Learning 20
Acquiring the Project Team
Acquiring qualified people for teams is crucial
Are project managers doing a good job in recruiting?
It’s important to assign the appropriate type and number of
people to work on projects at the appropriate times
Staffing plans: Maintaining a complete and accurate inventory of
employees’ skills.
Schwalbe, K.. (2015). Information Technology Project Management. (8e) Cengage Learning 21
Resource Loading
Once people are assigned to projects, two techniques are
available to project managers that help them use project staff
most effectively: resource loading and resource leveling.
Resource loading refers to the amount of individual resources
an existing schedule requires during specific time periods
Helps project managers develop a general understanding of the
demands a project will make on the organisation’s resources and
individual people’s schedules
Over-allocation means more resources than are available are
assigned to perform work at a given time
Schwalbe, K.. (2015). Information Technology Project Management. (8e) Cengage Learning 22
Sample Histogram Showing an
Overallocated Individual
Schwalbe, K.. (2015). Information Technology Project Management. (8e) Cengage Learning 23
Resource Leveling
Resource leveling is a technique for resolving resource conflicts
by delaying tasks
The main purpose of resource leveling is to create a smoother
distribution of resource usage and reduce overallocation
Schwalbe, K.. (2015). Information Technology Project Management. (8e) Cengage Learning 24
Benefits of Resource Leveling
When resources are used on a more constant basis, they require
less management
It may enable project managers to use a just-in-time inventory
type of policy for using subcontractors or other expensive
resources
It results in fewer problems for project personnel and accounting
department
It often improves morale
Schwalbe, K.. (2015). Information Technology Project Management. (8e) Cengage Learning 25
Developing the Project Team
The main goal of team development is to help people work
together more effectively to improve project performance
It takes teamwork to successfully complete most projects
Tuckman Model of Team Development:
– Forming
– Storming
– Norming
– Performing
– Adjourning
Schwalbe, K.. (2015). Information Technology Project Management. (8e) Cengage Learning 26
Training and Team Building Activities
Training can help people understand themselves, each other,
and how to work better in teams
Important to make sure that the timing and delivery method for
the training is appropriate for specific situations and individuals
Team building activities include
– physical challenges
– psychological preference indicator tools
• Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
• Social Styles Profile
• DISC Profile
Schwalbe, K.. (2015). Information Technology Project Management. (8e) Cengage Learning 27
The DISC Profile
Schwalbe, K.. (2015). Information Technology Project Management. (8e) Cengage Learning 28
Reward and Recognition Systems
Team-based reward and recognition systems can promote
teamwork
Focus on rewarding teams for achieving specific goals
Allow time for team members to mentor and help each other to
meet project goals and develop human resources
Schwalbe, K.. (2015). Information Technology Project Management. (8e) Cengage Learning 29
Video 4: Project Resource Management
Learning Objectives
Explain and apply several tools and techniques to help
manage a project team
Schwalbe, K.. (2015). Information Technology Project Management. (8e) Cengage Learning 30
Managing the Project Team
Project managers must lead their teams in performing various
project activities
After assessing team performance and related information, the
project manager must decide
– if changes should be requested to the project
– if corrective or preventive actions should be recommended
– if updates are needed to the project management plan or
organisational process assets.
Schwalbe, K.. (2015). Information Technology Project Management. (8e) Cengage Learning 31
Tools and Techniques for Managing Project
Teams
Observation and conversation
Project performance appraisals
Interpersonal skills
Conflict management
Schwalbe, K.. (2015). Information Technology Project Management. (8e) Cengage Learning 32
Conflict Handling Modes
1. Confrontation: Directly face a conflict using a problem-solving
approach
2. Compromise: Use a give-and-take approach
3. Smoothing: De-emphasize areas of difference and emphasize
areas of agreement – the accommodating approach
4. Forcing: The win-lose approach
5. Withdrawal: Retreat or withdraw from an actual or potential
disagreement – avoiding approach
6. Collaborating: Decision makers incorporate different
viewpoints and insights to develop consensus and commitment
Schwalbe, K.. (2015). Information Technology Project Management. (8e) Cengage Learning 33
Conflict Handling Modes
Schwalbe, K.. (2015). Information Technology Project Management. (8e) Cengage Learning 34
Conflict Can Be Good
Conflict often produces important results, such as new ideas,
better alternatives, and motivation to work harder and more
collaboratively
Groupthink: Conformance to the values or ethical standards of a
group. Groupthink can develop if there are no conflicting
viewpoints
Research suggests that task-related conflict often improves team
performance, but emotional conflict often depresses team
performance
Schwalbe, K.. (2015). Information Technology Project Management. (8e) Cengage Learning 35
Human Resource Management Involves
Much More Than Using Software
Patrick Lencioni: The five dysfunctions of teams are:
1. Absence of trust
2. Fear of conflict
3. Lack of commitment
4. Avoidance of accountability
5. Inattention to results
Project managers must
– Treat people with consideration and respect
– Understand what motivates them
– Communicate carefully with them
– Focus on goal of enabling team members to deliver their best
Schwalbe, K.. (2015). Information Technology Project Management. (8e) Cengage Learning 36