How to overcome lack of project resources?

When you find that your resources aren't covering what you expected for your project, the first thing you should do is determine the context. Resources can range from commodities to employees, and the situation that caused you to push your resources to the limit could be due to a variety of factors.

• New Technology: You may be working on a software package that is more advanced than your team is capable of supporting, or your team hasn't yet established the necessary skill set.

• Higher Priority Projects: Another project may merge with yours, and part of your resources may be diverted from one project to another.

• Unforeseen Events: You can plan for risks and uncertainty, yet people get sick, take unscheduled vacations, and non-human resources can run out of stock at any time.

• Inadequate Planning: Sometimes the problem is as simple as a lack of planning, which is why thoroughly planning before executing a project is critical.

When the problem is modest, a quick answer can be found by looking at your project plan and task lists to see if there is anything that can be moved around to free up extra time. But we're talking about more serious resource constraints here.

What can you do if you don't have enough project resources? To assist you with resource management, we recommend a two-step procedure.

1. Identify the Situation and its Impact

Some of the reasons behind the scarcity of resources. After you've figured out why, the following step is to determine the influence on the project. It's impossible to solve the problem without the information.

2. Leverage Your Change Control Board

While it may appear that this is a problem that only you can solve, it is not. You'd want to enlist the assistance of the change control board. First, explain the scenario and its implications for your budget, timeline, scope, and quality. Then give them a few ideas for resolving the problem and listen to their suggestions. Assist in the facilitation of a decision after it has been made, and change as appropriate during the resolution process.

You might not be able to adjust to meet the need for greater resources even with the help of the change control board. At that point, it's up to them to decide whether or not to add more resources to the project and allow you to re-baseline it.

Need more tips on overcoming lack of project resources? Undertake the PMP prep today!