This post is the second in McLaughlin & McLaughlin<\/strong>\u2019<\/strong>s<\/strong><\/a> Project Professionals Blog<\/strong> series of discussions regarding current challenges being encountered in today\u2019s efforts\/environment associated with the human resource aspects of your project management team.\u00a0 More specifically, we have titled the series STAFFING YOUR PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAM, and we intend to focus heavily on the managerial aspects of human resource planning and acquisition.\u00a0 This post focuses on planning the human resources or staffing.\u00a0 In many respects, the planning is the most important activity or action in the process.\u00a0 Proper and timely planning including documenting the plan will provide the roadmap for the path to success.\u00a0 It will also tend to reveal problems and challenges before they become a problem.<\/p>\n In order to present this topic in a logical manner and with an industry-recognized lexicon, we are using the PMI Project Management<\/strong> Processes<\/strong> for a Project as presented in A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK<\/em>\u00ae<\/sup><\/a> Guide<\/a>)<\/em>.<\/em><\/p>\n Sources that are used in this post are:<\/p>\n Please Remember<\/span><\/strong> <\/strong>\u2013<\/strong> People [not machines and not software] build projects.<\/strong><\/p>\n The planning process in general and the human resource management<\/strong> process in particular, tend to be problematic.\u00a0 Many teams and organizations struggle with how to perform the planning and implementation.\u00a0 In this regard, the order or sequence of planning is quite important.\u00a0 A proper sequence creates efficiency and avoids costly and time-consuming rework as well as delays in performance\/completion.<\/p>\n The planning process differs for differing organizations and types of projects.\u00a0 PMBOK<\/em><\/strong>\u00ae<\/sup><\/strong> <\/sup>provides guidance regarding the generic planning and management process (PMBOK, CHAPTER 9).\u00a0 This can be adapted to the organizational structure and project specifics.<\/p>\n This PMBOK<\/em>\u00ae <\/sup><\/strong>process is structured around the following:<\/p>\n Inputs<\/span> <\/strong>\u2013 Basically, one needs the activities\/tasks (generally from the plan and schedule) along with the resource requirements.\u00a0 Often, the resource requirements are not obvious and need to be developed through the subsequent process.\u00a0 The enterprise environmental factors include both internal and external.\u00a0 One must fully factor in the marketplace conditions.\u00a0 The availability (or non-availability) of human resources in the marketplace will greatly influence many aspects of the plan.\u00a0 Certainly, acquisition of external resources must be tempered and influenced by the relevant marketplace.\u00a0 This is one of the most challenging aspects of planning related to large and complex projects.\u00a0 We will develop this issue in later posts.<\/p>\n Tools and Techniques<\/span><\/strong> \u2013 For smaller and simple projects, start with organization charts and available position descriptions.\u00a0 For larger and more complex projects, start with a general organization chart; but mainly with the activities from the plan and schedule (Work Breakdown Structure \u2013 WBS) and a matrix-based chart.\u00a0 M&M<\/a><\/strong> has found that a RACI (responsible, accountable, consult and inform) chart is best.\u00a0 Build the organization (or Organizational Breakdown Structure \u2013 OBS) from completing the RACI.\u00a0 Include resource estimates (man-days, person-days) and durations.\u00a0 Then update the master plan\/schedule by resource loading these human resource requirements (including acquisition timing and durations).<\/p>\n Output<\/span> <\/strong>\u2013 The Human Resource Plan should contain (see PMBOK<\/em>\u00ae<\/sup>)<\/a>:<\/p>\n Kerzner<\/strong> addresses the subject in (among other places) Chapter 4 ORGANIZING AND STAFFING THE PROJECT OFFICE AND TEAM.<\/em> Several of his key topics are:<\/p>\n The following advice is repeated from prior posts since the advice is extremely important.<\/em> When performing planning and developing the Project Management Plan<\/strong>, expert judgment is often utilized.\u00a0 PMBOK<\/em>\u00ae<\/sup><\/strong> lists the following areas for application of project planning expertise, which would include preparation of the Human Resource<\/strong> Plan<\/strong> (a portion of the Project Management Plan):<\/p>\n In the next post, we will address issues, problems and solutions often encountered in acquiring the resources for your Project Management Team.<\/p>\n The experience of McLaughlin and McLaughlin<\/strong> <\/a>includes the planning and resourcing of many large and complex projects.\u00a0 Within these projects, M&M<\/strong> <\/a>has found that time, patience, thought and consensus-building during the project planning is essential and invaluable relative to project success potential.\u00a0 Further, M&M<\/a><\/strong> experience is that lack of robust Human Resource<\/strong> Plan<\/strong> can seriously degrade the project success potential.<\/p>\n Good luck and let us all approach the managerial challenge of staffing our Project Management Team with key knowledge, tools and lessons learned that are available.\u00a0 Setting a solid planning foundation is essential and has long term (project duration) benefits.\u00a0 M&M<\/a><\/strong> wishes you happy reading and good luck in your project management<\/strong> challenges and endeavors<\/strong>.<\/p>\n It is important to note that McLaughlin and McLaughlin [M&M]<\/a><\/strong> is not a law firm and is not intending to provide legal advice.\u00a0 M&M<\/a><\/strong> is a consulting firm providing (among other services) non-legal expertise in dispute resolution and litigation support.\u00a0 The Resource Center<\/a> is for the convenience of blog visitors and M&M<\/strong> <\/a>does not offer this for commercial purposes.\u00a0 For further information on M&M<\/a><\/strong> services, please see<\/em> <\/em>www.McLaughlinandMcLaughlin.com<\/a><\/em><\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n This post is the second in McLaughlin & McLaughlin\u2019s Project Professionals Blog series of discussions regarding current challenges being encountered in today\u2019s efforts\/environment associated with the human resource aspects of your project management team.\u00a0 More specifically, we have titled the series STAFFING YOUR PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAM, and we intend to focus heavily on the managerial 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