A
Allocation (Resource Allocation)
The process of assigning specific resources, such as people, time, or tools, to tasks or projects based on availability and suitability.
Availability (Resource Availability)
The total amount of time a resource (usually a person) is free and able to work, factoring in booked hours, time off, and non-project-related duties.
B
Billable Utilization
The percentage of a resource’s time spent on tasks that generate revenue or can be billed to a client.
C
Capacity (Resource Capacity)
The total amount of work that can be performed by resources within a specific time frame, considering availability, skill level, and productivity.
Capacity Planning
The strategic process of ensuring that resources have enough bandwidth to meet current and future demands without overloading.
Contingency Planning
A proactive approach to managing risks by preparing alternative plans for resource shortages, unavailability, or unexpected changes.
Cost Variance (Resource Cost Variance)
The difference between the planned and actual cost of using a resource within a given time or project.
D
Dashboards (Resource Management Dashboards)
Visual tools that display real-time data about resource allocation, availability, workload, and performance to support decision-making.
F
Forecasting (Resource Forecasting)
The practice of predicting future resource needs based on historical data, current trends, and upcoming project requirements.
H
Hard Allocation
A fixed, non-negotiable assignment of a resource to a task or project, ensuring that the resource is blocked out for that specific period.
K
KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)
Quantifiable metrics are used to evaluate how effectively resources are being used, including metrics like utilization, cost, and allocation efficiency.
O
Overbooking
Scheduling a resource for more work than their available hours allow, often leading to burnout or missed deadlines.
Overallocation
Assigning a resource more work than they can realistically handle during their available time, leading to inefficiency and risk.
P
Placeholders (Unnamed Resources)
Temporary resource slots are used in planning when specific personnel are not yet identified but their role, capacity, or type is known.
R
Realization Rate
A financial metric indicating the percentage of billable hours that are invoiced to clients.
Realized Rate
The actual revenue earned per hour of work performed, calculated using the realization rate and billing rate.
Reporting (Resource Reporting)
The systematic tracking and analysis of data related to resource usage, costs, availability, and performance.
Resource Booking
The action of reserving a specific resource for a task or project during a particular time frame.
Resource Conflicts
Situations where multiple projects or tasks compete for the same resources, leading to delays or inefficiencies.
Resource Identification
The process of determining what resources (people, equipment, tools) are needed for a project, and what specific capabilities they must have.
Resource Load (Workload)
The total amount of work assigned to a resource during a set period, often shown as hours per day/week.
Resource Management Software
A digital tool that helps teams plan, allocate, track, and optimize the use of resources across projects.
Resource Plan (or Resource Planning)
A document or tool that outlines how project resources will be allocated, scheduled, and managed throughout a project lifecycle.
Resource Planning Template
A reusable framework used to organize and track the allocation, availability, capacity, and cost of project resources.
Resource Risk
Any factor that could disrupt the availability, capability, or performance of project resources, including shortages, conflicts, and skill gaps.
Resource Risk Management
The process of identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks that affect resource availability, cost, or performance.
S
Scheduling (Resource Scheduling)
Assigning resources to tasks within specific timelines to ensure balanced workloads and timely project completion.
Scenario Planning
A technique used to model potential future conditions and evaluate how changes in scope, staffing, or timing affect resource needs.
Soft Allocation
A tentative resource assignment that may change depending on future availability, workload, or project priorities.
T
Turnover Rate (Resource Turnover Rate)
The percentage of resources who leave the organization during a certain period, often used as an indicator of retention or engagement issues.
Turnover Cost (Resource Turnover Cost)
The financial impact associated with replacing a departing team member includes recruitment, onboarding, and training expenses.
U
Underutilization
When a resource is available but not assigned sufficient work, it leads to inefficiency and potential financial loss.
Utilization (Resource Utilization)
The degree to which a resource’s available time is spent on productive or billable work, typically expressed as a percentage.
W
Workload Management
The process of balancing workloads across individuals or teams to prevent burnout and maximize productivity.
Workforce Planning
A long-term strategy to ensure the right number of people with the right skills are in place to meet current and future demand.
