A strategy without a clear plan of execution is just words on a paper. Plain and simple. It doesn’t matter how many of your organization’s overarching goals the strategy satisfies – if you don’t have the people to complete the necessary work, then the work won’t happen on time.
That’s why it’s so important to understand how your team is allocated throughout the project portfolio. Only then can you factor workload and capacity into the planning process. Let’s take a look at why this holistic view is critical for strategy execution.
Where project management falls short
By definition, project management excels at the project level. It’s a critical function for ensuring the tasks required to execute a project are being completed and that the timeline is progressing according to plan.
However, PPM tools can only tell you so much. Without the ability to zoom out and look at the entire portfolio, organizations won’t be able to see where interdependencies could create conflict across projects down the road. If specific resources with key skills or roles are over-allocated, projects will inevitably be delayed. Over-allocated resources are also at a greater risk of reaching burnout, which will impact their productivity in the long-run.
Overseeing capacity through resource management
The capacity of your resources is the linchpin around which all other planning must revolve. People cannot create more hours in their day, and tasks are going to take the time they take. No amount of turning a blind eye or overly-optimistic forecasting will change that.
The key to unlocking true strategy execution is using resource management to understand your team’s capacity so you can put a realistic plan in place. Wouldn’t you much rather identify capacity issues during the project planning phase instead of smack-dab in the middle of the portfolio work? The sooner bottlenecks or resource constraints come to light, the sooner organizations can explore options like upskilling, hiring for key roles, or budgeting for contractors when the time comes.
Gaining insight into capacity
When it comes to effective resource management, investment in the right solution is key. Organizations need a powerful platform that will deliver actionable insight into capacity issues or other challenges before these obstacles can deter the success of a project or overall portfolio.
Tempus Resource is proud to be ranked first in Capacity and Resource Management, one of the key areas of the Gartner Magic Quadrant™. By giving users a single platform for resource management with powerful forecasting, allocation, and scenario-planning capabilities, Tempus makes it easy to incorporate resource capacity into any phase of the planning process.
Knowing your team’s capacity is the foundation for strategy realization. A resource management solution like Tempus Resource can prevent under- or over-allocation, enabling you to find the most efficient way to sequence work and execute the entire portfolio. At the end of the day, planning around your team’s capacity is the best way to keep your strategy on time and on budget.
Want to see how Tempus Resource support capacity and project planning? Contact us today or schedule a demo.
