I’m currently on the hunt for some best practices information that can help direct me down the right path.
I am currently in a small-medium size organization that utilizes Microsoft Project to assist in managing projects. We use Project Server as a central point to manage the resource pool. Each Project Manager is responsible for managing there own resources. Our resources are often shared across multiple projects, so to ensure that we are not over allocating any one person at a corporate level, we use the levelling function. Understanding that levelling only ensures that resources are not over allocated, we need to then ensure that at each levelling point we “clear levelling” to maximize resource utilization or else MP will just push tasks to the next available point and ultimately blow out the project plan. However, by using the “clear levelling” function we are effectively freeing up time previously utilized which could be taken by another project if they are levelling at the same time you are and with the same resource needs (if that makes any sense). This could be a common scenario when auto-levelling; something we are currently grappling with. This is really a timing issue but a very likely one unless MP has safe guards in place to protect from such a thing.
I have also noticed that the clear levelling/levelling combination does not maximize resource utilization to its full potential. I’m guessing it’s probably not the right tool for this but would appreciate some direction on how best to do this.
What I’m looking for is some industry best practices to address:
? Shared resource management and the industry standard on controlling over allocation. Assuming levelling is the only answer then that leads to the next bullet.
o Auto-levelling vs. manual levelling and maintaining resource control in a shared environment.
? Maximize resource utilization
Direction to a whitepaper on MP or similar would also be helpful.
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