What to Include in a Resource Utilization Report

Now that you know how to find your ideal resource utilization, let’s talk reporting. After all, understanding resource utilization not only allows you to see the workload assigned to each team member, but also offers insights into the potential productivity level of your entire workforce. That makes resource utilization one of the most important Key Performance Indicators for a project or portfolio’s success.

Understanding the types of resource utilization

Resource utilization is a measure of how much work your people are assigned. It tells you their workload. It also paints a broader picture of workforce efficiency. Over-utilization can lead to cumbersome task-switching, extended work hours, and, inevitably, missed deadlines. Conversely, under-utilization means untapped potential.

But how do you condense the data into metrics that will paint the picture for the rest of your organization?

Key Metrics to Include in Your Report

Let’s dive into what you need to put together a comprehensive resource utilization report:

1. Planned Utilization vs. Actual Utilization: This metric looks at the anticipated workload versus the actual tasks and hours submitted.
2. Utilization By Month, Quarter, and Year: By breaking down utilization over time, you can identify patterns, peaks, and troughs, offering a temporal perspective to workload distribution.
3. Billable vs. Non-billable Utilization: Distinguishing between billable tasks (those that generate revenue) and non-billable tasks (like administrative work) can inform profitability assessments.
4. Utilization and Project Budget: Aligning utilization metrics with project budgets can give a clearer picture of resource allocation versus financial expenditure.
5. Utilization Roll Ups by Team or Portfolio: Aggregating utilization data by teams or portfolios gives you insight into broader workload distribution and overburdened or underutilized teams.
6. Utilization Risks by Project and Team: Identifying potential risks means you can proactively problem-solve.
7. Utilization by Role and Person: This granular level of reporting, which details utilization by specific roles and even individuals, can pinpoint where adjustments may be needed in task assignments.

Tailoring Reports to Organizational Needs

While these metrics are crucial, it’s important to remember that every organization is unique. The most valuable resource utilization report is going to be the one tailored to your company’s specific needs, goals, and challenges. If you want the report to be a meaningful tool for decision-making, you need to understand and prioritize the information most pertinent to your company.

Resource utilization is more than a buzzword in project management—it’s the compass that guides workload distribution and project success. By systematically reporting on resource utilization and incorporating these insights into strategic decision-making, organizations can ensure optimal workforce productivity and project outcomes. A well-crafted resource utilization report is the key to optimizing potential.