Resource needs are about how many and what kind of resources are needed to finish a job. Some of these things are people, tools, materials, and buildings.
The following steps can be done to figure out how many resources a project will need:
Identify Project Tasks: Make a list of all the jobs or activities that need to be done for the project to be a success.
Determine Types of tools: Figure out what kinds of tools each job or action needs. For example, personnel can include project managers, engineers, designers, and support staff. Equipment can include computers, machinery, and vehicles. Materials can include raw materials, components, and finished goods.
Estimate the Amounts of Resources: Try to figure out how much of each resource is needed for each job or action. For example, how many people are needed, how much material is needed, what kind of equipment is needed, and how big and how many buildings are needed.
Figure Out the Quality of the Resources: For each resource, say what amount of quality or skill is needed. For example, the amount of knowledge needed in the staff, how well the tools needs to work, and the high standards for products and buildings.
Check for Availability: Check to see if the needed tools are available. This could mean thinking about things like the resources available within the company, the need for outside providers, and the lead time needed to get resources.
Set priorities for resources: Set priorities for the project’s resources based on how important they are to the project’s success, how available they are, and how much they cost.
Create Resource Plan: Create a Resource Plan that shows how resources will be obtained, distributed, and controlled over the course of the project.
Resource needs are important to make sure that there are enough resources to finish jobs and activities on time and on budget. The resource needs should be looked at and changed on a regular basis to represent changes in the project’s scope, plan, and money, as well as changes in the quality and quantity of resources.
