Presented by Projility at PPM Summit DC

1. Resource Management
with
Microsoft Project Online
March 14, 2019

2. Agenda
• Introductions
• What is the Business Problem?
• Project Online Resource Management
Components
• Successful Implementation & Roadmap
• Q & A
2

3. Recognized PPM Experts
‘Microsoft recommends
that customers work with
a certified PPM partner to
help navigate the options
and ensure a successful
deployment.’
Magic Quadrant for PPM
June 2018

4. Services and Solutions
Deployment +
Consulting
Services
Software
Solutions
Support
• Microsoft PPM Deployments
• Systems Integration
• Power BI/Analytics
• PMO Consulting + Staffing
• Hammerhead PPM Data
Warehouse
• Hammerhead PPM Data
Analytics for Power BI
• Hammerhead PWA Migrator
• ExpertCare Post Go Live
• Admin/PMO Staffing
• Training

5. Introductions
Rob Hirschmann, Partner, Projility
15 years leading enterprise project and portfolio management
rollouts for large organizations
Background in project portfolio management, business process
automation and enterprise collaboration
Director, Microsoft Consulting Practice
MSProject user since 1994 (really…)
Projility (www.projility.com) provider of Microsoft Project/PPM
services and tools
rob@projility.com
Twitter: #robh_Projility

6. 95% of large enterprises polled
named Resource Management
their TOP priority within PPM!

7. The Business Problem
95% of large enterprises polled
named Resource Management their
TOP priority within PPM!
Never enough resources
More than enough work
Little internal data to support the
discussion

8. ▪ ▪▪
▪
Resource ownership today

9. Key Resource Management Challenges
• Organizational resources are controlled by multiple groups and
managers
• Resources often work across boundaries on different types of
projects
• Non-project activities take up much of a team member’s time
• Tracking happens (if at all) within a timesheet system not setup to
support resource planning
• Management wants/needs a better grasp on who is working on
what
• Reporting is manual and spreadsheet-intensive
• CIOs and PMOs look to technology to assist

10. What is Capacity Planning?
Resource capacity planning is a tool and process used to determine the
resources needed by an organization in order to meet future workflow
demands that stem from the need to increase capacity or a move to a
new system, workflow or business process.
It requires:
• determining the current resources required to support today’s
workload
• comparing that to the future resource needs (pipeline of potential
work)
The goal is to determine how many resources are required to meet the
capacity needs of the organization, now and moving forward, to set
realistic business expectations.

11. Resource Management in Project
Online

12. Resource
Definition and
Types
Enterprise
resource pool
Generic resources
Resource custom
fields
Intake/Request
approach
Resource
Engagements
Resource
constraint analysis
in Portfolio
Management
Time-tracking
Reporting and
Analytics
Core Resource Management
Components

13. Enterprise Resource Pool (PPM)
13
• Central mechanism for
storing, accessing and
reporting on organizational
resources (people, roles,
equipment, capital)
• Configurable to reflect
specifics of an organization
and related metadata,
departments
• Can be fed by Active
Directory to support updating
resource information and
single sign-on
• One per instance of PWA

14. Human resources
• Use to determine ACTUAL
capacity based upon actual
resource availability
• Can be grouped by skill,
department, location,
manager, etc…
• Drives forecasted and actual
work, performance
monitoring during the
planning process
• Need to capture actual
performance to accurately
reflect capacity
14
Jim
Project Manager
IT Applications Department
Specialties: SAP, Dynamics, PowerBI
Capacity: 40 hours per week
Dedicated to project-based work only
Jane
Systems Administrator
IT Infrastructure Department
Specialties: Dynamics, PeopleSoft HR
Capacity: 20 hours to project work, 20 hours to
KTLO/non-project work
Shared across projects and IT support

15. Generic resources
15
• Used in early planning to
gather high-level resource
requirements
• Used to request generic
profile
• Helps monitor supply and
demand
• Supports headcount
management and hiring
decision
• Foundation for Resource
constraint analysis in
Portfolio management
Developer
Architect
DBA
Project Manager
Plumber
Foreman Electrician

16. Resource Custom Fields
16
• Meta-data definitions for
your resources
• Supports text, list,
number, cost, flag,
formula types
• Used in reports,
grouping, filtering,
resource matching,
resource constraint
analysis, and more
• Used as keys to integrate
with external systems
Role
Team
Cost Center
Skills
Location
Manager
Department
Level
Division
RBS

17. Project/Work Intake
Start of the Process
• Capability to capture new work
requests (Project, Non-Project,
Admin, Keep the Lights On)
• Mechanism to capture project/work
metadata in detail in order to
categorize and analyze request
• Multiple ‘Project Types’ that allow
for separate capture forms (called
Project Detail Pages), data,
reviewers

18. Resource Engagements
18
• Pre-project (idea/opportunity) +
in flight (request based upon
change in resource availability)
• Helps managers identify
bottlenecks and initiate formal
resource requests
• Used by resource managers/line
managers and Project managers
collaboratively
• Supports Generic and Named
resource allocations
• Designed to support gaining
approvals
• Improved Resource Center
analysis views
In Project Pro desktop
In Project Web App (browser)
Analyze/AllocateCapture Requests

19. Project/Work Intake Option:
SharePoint Intake
• Ability to capture work
requests OUTSIDE of
PWA/PPM
• Good tool for broader idea
capture (pre-project)
• Supports a ‘many to 1’
approach of ‘many ideas
become one project’
conversion*
• Supports workflow approvals
• ‘Convert’ an idea to a Project
Type when the time is right!
*Requires Hammerhead add-on
solution or customization

20. Intake Workflow/Governance
• Tool for applying a
review/request process
• Allows for
– Phases – high level phases of
governance
– Stages – details tasks and data
that must be captured to
move projects through the
lifecycle
• Sits ‘above’ a project as a
method of governing,
controlling, and reporting on
project state
• A Stage in the process could
include ‘Complete resource
request and approval’
Workflow drives consistent processes
and good governance

21. Forecasting Resources: Option 1:
Schedule ROM
• Uses schedule templates to
improve forecasting
• Requires a basic level of
scheduling maturity (key
assumption)
• Upside: fast-tracks the project
planning process, can be
converted into an actual
working plan once the project
is approved
• Downside: you may not have
the level of detail required to
build out a plan at this point in
the lifecycle (often comes later)
• Best for: Pre-project
forecasting of resources by
role; generates target
workload/demand

22. Forecasting Resources Option 2: Engagements
• Upside: support analysis and
approval of resources (named,
generics) by a manager prior to
assignment, supports Portfolio
Analysis
• Downside: requires one by one
requests or ‘300%’ requests (not like
a spreadsheet)
• Best for: capturing demand at a high
level for resources, requesting
changes for in-flight projects
22

23. Resource constraint analysis
23
• Key part of the
overall Portfolio
Analysis process with
Cost Analysis
• Show aggregate
resource surpluses
and deficits by roles
• Supports resource
headcount
simulations

24. Resource Time-tracking
24
• Allow for time collection
of actual work values
from resources
• Users can plan and track
non-project time
• Approval process
between team
members, resource
managers and project
managers
or…Project managers update schedules as
they get updates from team members
(manual updates)

25. Resource Reporting/Analytics
25
• Ability to gain insight
into current state
• Ability to ‘look
forward’ and trend
potential
bottlenecks and
problems
• Tools to analyze
information and
make business
decisions with the
appropriate
Resource or
Functional Manager

26. Power BI Reporting

27. Implementation Lessons Learned

28. Typical Resource Management Roadmap
Phase Components Timeline Value
Phase 1 – Initial
Rollout/Pilot
• Resource Pool
• Generic and Named resources
• Schedule-based forecasts
• Basic task / time tracking
• Level 1 reporting
3-6
months
• Initial supply v demand
planning
• View into resource allocation
and workload
• Ability to forecast 3 months
out
Phase 2 –
Extended Rollout
• Add fixed cost resources
• Grow Generic skills library
• Resource Engagements
• Project and Non-Project time
capture
• Trend analysis on work (plan
versus actual) variances
• Level 2 reporting
• 3-6 month rolling forecasts
6-18
months
• Ability to do ‘slot
management’ for upcoming
work
• Forecasting into project v
non-project work breakout
• Resource maximization and
cost reduction
Phase 3 –
Broader
Enterprise
Rollout
• Detailed skills mapping
• Integration with HR system
• Resource Engagements for in-
flight resource changes
• Enterprise Level Capacity
Planning and Resource
Analysis
• 12 month rolling forecasting
18-36
months
• Strategic and Tactical
resource management
• Budget forecasting for current
and future years
• Skills management to support
hiring/contracting work
Tactical
Strategic

29. Strategic Tactical
Operational
What? Why? How? Who?
Continuous
Improvement

31. For more good ideas…
Check out our blog: http://www.projility.com/blog/
Topics:
• A Three-Spoke Approach to Resource Management
• How to Quickly put an effective resource
management plan in place
• Strategies for getting your organization ready for MS
PPM
• What a C-suite executive should expect for their
PPM Automation investment
And many more!
32

32. For More Information or to get help
SupportEnhanceDeployAssess
Reach out to setup time for a one-hour Assessment and
Recommendation session
info@projility.com attn: Resource Management in Project Online

33. Q & A

34. Contact Us
Rob Hirschmann, Partner
O: 703.448.6777 x706
C: 443.226.6160
rob@projility.com
www.projility.com