From the PMO: Combating Resource Roulette

Balancing Resources Across Projects: Key Strategies

Managing resources across multiple projects is a complex but critical task for ensuring operational efficiency, meeting deadlines, and maintaining team morale. Here are seven absolute musts in my book:

1. Centralize Resource Visibility

ServiceNow can provide a single pane of glass for all resource data:

• Use the Resource Workbench to view allocations, availability, and utilization across all active projects.
• Leverage real-time dashboards to monitor capacity and identify over- or under-utilized resources.

2. Align Resource Planning with Strategic Priorities

ServiceNow’s Demand Management module allows PMOs to evaluate incoming project requests against current capacity:

• Score and prioritize demands using custom criteria (e.g., ROI, strategic alignment).
• Automatically route approved demands into the PPM pipeline with pre-defined resource needs.

3. Automate Resource Allocation Workflows

Manual allocation is prone to errors and delays. ServiceNow enables:

• Auto-assignment rules based on skills, availability, and project priority.
• Approval workflows for resource requests, ensuring governance and transparency.

4. Enable Cross-Project Coordination

ServiceNow supports multi-project views that help PMOs:

• Identify overlapping resource needs.
• Resolve conflicts through drag-and-drop reallocation or negotiation workflows.

5. Monitor and Optimize in Real Time

Continuous optimization is key:

• Track actual vs. planned hours using Time Cards and Resource Plans.
• Use Utilization Reports to identify trends and adjust future allocations.

6. Foster Collaboration and Transparency

ServiceNow’s native collaboration tools (e.g., comments, notifications, and integrations with Teams/Slack) ensure:

• Stakeholders stay informed.
• Resource managers and project leads can resolve issues quickly.

7. Scenario Planning for Agile Decision-Making

Use ServiceNow’s Scenario Planning to:

• Model different staffing strategies.
• Assess the impact of adding/removing projects or shifting timelines.

Conclusion

Balancing resources across projects is a dynamic challenge—but with ServiceNow, PMOs can move from reactive firefighting to proactive planning. By leveraging its integrated capabilities, you can ensure that the right people are working on the right projects at the right time—maximizing value delivery across your portfolio.