This article outlines the top ten tools project managers need to use to manage project resources. Find resource management tools that will benefit you in your projects below.
Why Use Tools for Managing Resources?
Resource management can be a daunting task for any project manager. Resource management involves careful organization and planning. There are different types of resources that need to be managed:
- Human resources (employees and team members)
- Financial resources
- Products (either to be obtained or sold)
- Skills
- Technology
- Production elements
- Information
Because many projects require that project managers and team leaders are able to balance these seven facets of resource management, the proper tools for the job can be a great help. What are the best tools for getting the job done? Read on and find out.
1. Project Management Software
Project management software makes a project manager's life easier. If your job description requires you to perform heavy resource management, be sure to evaluate the software's functionality for these purposes. You will want to make sure that your software covers the different kinds of resources you manage. For example, if you manage only human and financial resources, you will want to make sure that your software focuses on these aspects. Here is a list of software that makes resource management an easier task:
- Project 2007 - especially for resource allocation and resource leveling
- Tenrox - this program contains accounting, resource planning, time tracking, and other important in-depth features
- @Task - this is a web-based project management tool that includes resource management functions
If you have a difficult time choosing what option is best for you and which will fit your resource management needs, please note that many different software programs have been reviewed on Bright Hub's Project Management channel for these purposes. You can often download free trial versions of the programs for evaluation purposes as well.
2. The Resource Plan
A resource plan specifies what resources you will need for a project. While it may seem redundant to plan your resources, by creating the resource plan alongside the project plan, you can stave off situations where you realize you will need more financial or space resources than you currently have. What's worse is when you have a project underway and realize you don't have enough human resources on hand to complete the project's plan. The resource plan becomes one of the most important tools and documents you will use while managing resources.
3. The Resource Breakdown Structure
The resource breakdown structure (RBS) is another important tool you will use when managing resources. The RBS is a visual representation, through a hierarchical structure, of the human resources involved in a project. The levels involved in an RBS include:
- Department the resource belongs to
- Reporting manager
- Resource itself
There may be many other levels depending upon the level of detail included in the RBS and the levels of complexity in the company. A resource breakdown structure is helpful when trying to determine what human resources to give to a project based on the availability for particular tasks. When used tangentially with the work breakdowns structure, the allocation of resources to action items is simplified.
Please read on to page 2 to find out more tools for resource management every project manager should be familiar with.