A project containing multiple moving components can be difficult to organize. However, managers can lighten the burden through the use of resource allocation. Resource allocation helps team leaders ensure that a project has all of the proper resources to meet deadlines. Additionally, resource allocation gives managers an overview of what their teams are doing each day.

Resource Allocation 101

The base of resource allocation contains three parts: people, time, and tools. People encompasses individuals who have the skills to get the project done. Time is determined by the deadline of the project and ranges from only a few days to several years. Teams need to delegate the proper amount of time to each task in order to meet an overall project deadline. Meanwhile, tools include the technology or resources that people will use to get a project accomplished. Groups might have to share these tools with other people within a company.

Team managers and department heads need to rely on one another to effectively map out resource allocation. Managers need to work concurrently to determine which employees are suitable for specific tasks, as well as to plan a project’s timeline. How teammates are alerted or a project is tracked depends on the size of the company and the complexity of its projects.

What Affects Resource Allocation

As with other business practices, resource allocation can be affected by a variety of factors. These variables can be broken into two categories: project and team variables.

Project Variables

• Changes to deadline: Some deadlines for a project can be pushed a few days. A team’s flexibility can help with ever-changing due dates. Project managers need to walk a fine line when choosing which projects to move around for a new deadline.

• Changes in scope: Clients can change their minds or add on more components to a project. If the project is too large for the current team, managers will have to redelegate people to help with the workload.

Team Variables

• Resource availability: The best person for a job is not always available at the drop of a hat. Vacations or another project can often pull the selected individual away from the work at hand. Project managers will need to determine if the job needs to be outsourced or if other individuals can step in to fill the gap.

• Other projects in the works: The urgency of another project can pull people off of the selected project. A project’s ranking can be determined by the looming deadline or how quickly it can be completed among other factors that managers have to take into account.

Software to Help with Resource Allocation

Despite the hurdles that managers can face with resource allocation, there are software tools to help the process become simpler. Cloud-based technology tools can store talent profiles of employees to help managers with staffing projects. For example, the resource management aspects of a human capital management system can aid leaders in choosing the right team member for a job.

Smaller businesses can use smaller-scale solutions to help them. Something as easy as a group chat area allows managers to check in on available team members. Successful resource allocation or different methods to meet project deadlines lead to improvements in business practices. Resource allocation is a process that helps managers with meeting deadlines. People, time, and tools have an impact on how a manager is able to distribute work and maintain a project deadline. Additionally, all three factors have their own set of variables that can impact their availability. However, software tools can help managers properly allocate resources. Overall, resource allocation helps managers know what their team members are working on daily and what projects will need their attention next.