This series of articles deals with the management of resources in software project management including planning activities, allocation/deallocation activities, and release activities. Planning activities include resource estimation, request for resources, allocate resources, and resource leveling.
Once all the planned activities are completed and no further allocation is planned for a resource, we need to release that resource. We release human resources to an HR department or Resource Allocation department, computer resources to the Systems Administration department; and monetary resources, if any remaining, to the Finance Department. When we release resources, we need to perform the following activities.
Deallocation and Release Activities - Performance Appraisals for Human Resources
When we release human resources, we need to complete the performance appraisal for the resource being released. This appraisal consists of the following activities:
- Complete the performance appraisal in conformance with organizational practice, discuss it with the resource, get it reviewed by the concerned authority, and submit it to the HR department.
- Update the skill database records for the resource being released.
- Discuss with the resource about opportunities for improvement of his performance as well as receive any feedback he may have about the project execution.
Deallocation and Release Activities of Monetary Resources
Any remaining money at the end of the project execution should be returned to the Finance Department. We need to prepare a itemized reconciliation statement showing the actual expenditure vis-à-vis the planned expenditure, recording reasons for deviations if any. This will assist the cost analysis of the project spending to draw lessons for future project cost estimation.
We need to include the following in the lessons learned document:
- Planned quantity of resources planned and actual quantity of resources utilized, with reasons explaining any variances.
- Planned skill sets of human resources and actual skill sets utilized, with reasons for variance.
- Any issues faced in effectively utilizing the resources with an analysis of solutions implemented, and how these can be prevented in future projects.
- Any exceptional results obtained from any resource with analysis of how this can be sustained in future projects.
- Any other matter relevant to the future resource planning and utilization.
Release resources
This activity includes handing over resources to the concerned departments when they are released from the project fulfilling the formalities mentioned in the above sections. Following these steps allows for accountability, and a checks and balance system that is crucial for current and future projects.
For additional information on Resource Management, read the following Bright Hub articles:
Employing Effective Resource Management at Your Company by Gary
Key Elements of Software Management by Ronda