Guessing is not a strategy: How to build decision velocity with AI and real-time data
June 10, 2026 | Live Webinar
Running On Empty
The loss of just one core team member can cause a schedule to slip weeks. If you continuously monitor your project's actual resources against what was planned, you'll can make adjustments as gaps appear; if you don't, your project may stall at the side of the road.
This the sixth and final article in the Project Vital Signs series. Search the author's name to read other articles in the series.
When we talk about resources, we are talking about the bodies and the brains — the 'fuel' of the project. For each individual on the team, the project manager needs to specify not only an amount of time but also specific skills and the required skill levels. For example, the project manager may draw up the following requirement list: 2 full-time senior data base administrator, 3 half-time senior C++ programmers, and 1 quarter-time senior web design artist.
There are basically two ways to measure resources through the life of the project:
· The gap between the number of full time equivalent (FTE) team members actually working on the project vs. the number of FTE team members initially planned
· The amountof unplanned turnover — the number of FTE team members who have left the team unexpectedly
In the first type of measurement, if the actual FTE is less than what was originally planned, the project's schedule, scope and/or quality are sure to be compromised. …
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"Managing senior programmers is like herding cats." - D. Platt |