Resources measurement and its utilization

BySELVAPRAKASH

INTRODUCTION A resource is any entity that contributes to the accomplishment of project activities like

Personnel

Equipment

Materials

Money

Time

WHAT AND WHY WE NEED RESOURCE IDENTIFACTION

Once the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) has been applied and the project activities have been identified, you are ready to identify the types (labor, equipment, material) and quantities of the resources needed to implement the project. 

STEPS FOR IDENTIFICATION OF STEPS FOR IDENTIFICATION OF RESOURCERESOURCE

In order to identify the resource requirements the following steps should be followed:Review the project scope and activities/ tasks list 

In order to identify the project’s requirements for people, equipment and material resources.

Gather historical informationfrom old project files, databases and from people who have worked

on similar projects, regarding what types and numbers of resources were required for performing similar work on previous projects, as well as the duration of the relative tasks.

IDENTIFY THE RESOURCE TYPES AND QUANTITIES NEEDED.

Once you have collected all the necessary information, identify the types of resources and the quantities needed for each.

The duration of most tasks is also influenced by the capabilities and experience of the resources assigned to them.

As you collect information about the project in hand and other similar projects, continue to refine the duration estimates for the project tasks. The accuracy of the duration estimates is closely related to the accuracy of your resource requirements

Measurement of resourcesLABOUR: The quantity of a labour resources is

measured by using the term Full Time Equivalent.

One FTE indicates one person that will work 8hrs per day for 5 days per week.

Respectively 0.5 indicates one person that will spent half of the full time in the project.

MATERIAL AND EQUIPMENTThe quantity of material resources is defined using

the appropriate measurement units for each material.

For example, 50 m of cable, 5 tn of cement, 50 kg of

plastic paint, etc., and the equipments are measured in

numbers. Example :2 dozers,2 cranes.

UTILISATION OF RESOURCESResource allocationResource levelingTime-limited resource considerationResource-limited resource consideration

RESOURCE ALLOCATIONResource allocation, also called resource

loading, is concerned with assigning the required number of those resources identified in the previous step to each activity identified in the plan.

More than one type of resource may be attributed to a specific activity

RESOURCE LEVELLINGResource leveling is the process that ensures

resource demand does not exceed resource availability.

The ideal scenario would be a build up of resource usage at the beginning of the project and a reduction at the end of the project.

However, the approach to resource leveling will also depend on whether resources are dedicated to a particular project or shared across several projects and whether there is a need to keep all resources fully utilized.

TIME-LIMITED RESOURCE CONSIDERATIONIn this case emphasis will be placed on

completing the project within a specified time.

This time will usually have been determined by network analysis.

Adjustments in the timing of any activity,and the resources required at a given time,must be undertaken within the float available.

RESOURCE-LIMITED RESOURCE CONSIDERATIONIn this case the project must be completed

with the resources available even if this means extending the project duration.

If the total resource demand exceeds the resource availability at any time then some of the activities must be delayed until there is sufficient resource availability.

For level resources EST,LST and SLACK will be used.