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What Are The Root Causes of Project Problems and Failure?
7) Project Resources
Many project managers’ biggest complaints are a lack of resources or a lack of the right number of resources with the right skill sets at the right time. Resources can also include capital, equipment and materials. Poor resources or a lack of resources will generally result in additional project cost due to extended overhead and delays to other resources, who are waiting for dependent deliverables and work products. Poor resources can also result in tasks taking longer than planned, diminished deliverable quality and ultimately rework, cost overruns and frustrated, unhappy stakeholders.
Project managers can mitigate this risk by developing a complete resource plan based on the WBS and project schedule. The resource plan should include allowance for risk and contingencies. It may also include training resources to develop the required skill sets. Once the resource plan is developed, it is imperative for the project manager to communicate the plan to all stakeholders including the sponsor, steering team members, resource and finance managers, procurement and recruiting personnel, and core team members. The project manager must obtain agreement (alignment) with the resource needs and timing at the beginning of the project. If she does not, the project will be at risk. Additionally, as the project progresses and the scope, schedule and resource plans shift, the project manager must continue to communicate the resource needs and timing to maintain alignment with the affected stakeholders, ensuring they understand and can support the changing needs. The project manager should continue to maintain a resource contingency plan throughout the project in the case some resources become unavailable or delayed, as they often do.
If and when resources become unavailable or delayed and there is no contingency plan that will maintain the project schedule, budget or scope, then the project manager must focus on stakeholder alignment and managing stakeholder expectations.
Project situations that display symptoms of a lack of project resources include:
- The project deliverables are late.
- The project stakeholders are not satisfied with the quality of the deliverables.
- A large amount of rework is required to meet the project’s stakeholder requirements.
- The project task productivity is significantly lower than planned.
- The project’s budget overruns.
- The project schedule continues to slip.
