Project Management Lecture Resource Analysis

Introduction Project planning Gantt chart and WBS Project planning Network analysis I Project planning Network analysis II Project planning Network analysis II Plan Project planning Resource analysis Risk management Quality Budgets and cost control Project teams Project planning Resource analysis Risk management Quality Budgets and cost control Project teams

Why Network Diagrams? Splits up the decision making process into Method/logic - the order in which tasks have to be completed Time – estimates for the time to completion can be added to each task Resources – these can be added and then analysis carried out

Resources Resources may be: Storable Remains available if not used and is only depleted by usage Examples? Non-Storable Availability has to be renewed for each time period Examples?

Loading The assignment of work to an operator, machine or department When too much work is required of a resource it is overloaded If too little work is assigned to a resource it is underloaded What are the implications if a resource is underloaded?

Limits Time limited projects – Projects where time is the overriding factor They must be completed by a certain date Resource limited projects – Limited resources are available to complete the project Think about the relationship between time and resources in a project?

Units of resource It is desirable when possible to state the work required in units of time. (i.e. person/machine hours) Example To dig a hole 4m x 4m x 6m = 96m 3 will take one person 12 hours. So 96m 3 = 12 person hours of digging Or 1 person hour of digging = 8m 3 How long would it take 12 persons to dig the hole?

Units of resource Most tasks will NOT have a linear relationship between the units of resource employed and the activity duration IS Team working factors? Communication overhead? Increased likelihood of sickness?

Linear vs. non-linear relationship

Exercise 1 – Resource Analysis

Exercise 1 Draw a Gantt chart using earliest Start/Finish Times

Resource analysis Earliest Start Time

Resource analysis Earliest Start Time Now add the resource usage histogram

Resource analysis Earliest Start Time

Exercise 1 Draw a Gantt chart using latest Start/Finish Times

Resource analysis Latest Start Time Now add the resource usage histogram

Resource analysis Latest Start Time

Resource analysis Latest Start Time Earliest Start Time

Different types of resource It is likely that more than on type of resource is being consumed by a project For three types of resource we need three histograms (See example in Lockyer and Gordon)

Resource Analysis The same approach can be used to calculate the: Cumulative Resource Requirements Average Resource Requirements (using earliest start and latest start) See (Lockyer and Gordon, 1996)

Levelling Resources Resources can be levelled by: Moving activities with float Splitting up activities Only really effective for those with float Mooving activities with no float Trade-off between extending project duration and reducing resource costs Sometimes there is no choice

Levelling Resources After resource levelling the Activity Network must be reviewed Some tasks will now have no usable float (due to resource constraints) This can be indicated by using “dummy” activities such as “Waiting for programmer availability” It is likely that more than on type of resource is being consumed by a task

Project Effort Estimation Need to know: Usual efficiency of working Sickness/absenteeism rate Other existing commitments (e.g. other projects) Additional tasks (e.g. routine maintenance) Holidays Constraints on Facilities (e.g. availability of labs) Cost of and availability of overtime etc.

Software Effort Estimation Needs Historical Data KLOC is not a good measure on its own Complexity of the software can effect time taken for development E.g. more efficient algorithms will take longer to design

Laws of Estimation Parkinson’s Law “Work expands to fill the time available” Brookes’ Law “putting more people on a late job makes it later”

Why Network Diagrams? Splits up the decision making process into Method/logic - the order in which tasks have to be completed Time – estimates for the time to completion can be added to each task Resources – these can be added and then analysis carried out

Introduction Project planning Gantt chart and WBS Project planning Network analysis I Project planning Network analysis II Plan Project planning Resource analysis Budgets and cost control Quality Risk management Project teams