Speak to other projects managers to see if they can be utilized elsewhere, provided it's allowed within the company, and while not jeopardizing your project. This is potentially an opportunity to bill back, if they are full time on your project. Saving Changes...
Anonymous
There is NO BEST WAY. In each organization and project the situations are different?
As a general concept - start with the question why are they idle? How long would they be idle? Can they handle other work? Can the business sustain with them being idle? Does it make sense to keep them idle? Saving Changes...
Drew CraigSr. Agile & Product Coach| VanguardPhiladelphia, Pa, United States
Depends on the organization, environment, and structure. They may be tasked out in a different team for the idle period. They could pick up other tasks within the team. Really depends. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
First I will assume you are talking about human being. Second, this is a decision your organization must take. For example, when I lead a consulting group idle time must not be over 25% of available work time. Third, if your organization is working and aligned behind quality then it would not be idle time and idle resources, all type of resources. Four, the theory behind all these is inside Operation Research and Linear Programming. "Critical Chain" method is based on that. Saving Changes...
Drake SettsuProject Manager / BloggerHi, United States
If it's human idle. I will have them jump to a task on the project plan to knock it out ahead of time to get ahead of schedule. Saving Changes...
Utilize a project delivery approach which doesn't result in idle resources for primary resources and for secondary resources, share them effectively with other projects.
It depends on the number of idle resources, their role in future, their importance. May be you better first find out why you have idle resources in your project. Is it from poor planning and/or ... . However, you may need to share/exchange them with other projects. Saving Changes...
Look at any task they can perform now. Things that can be done now for the project. Help another projects. Make a planed training now. Saving Changes...
Deepesh RammoorthyICT Project Manager ( PMP®AgilePM®Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®))| Australian Red Cross Blood ServiceTarneit, Vic, Australia
Give them fully paid leave until you find something for them to do :) Saving Changes...
Samer AlhmdanSenior Project Manager, PMP, PMI-RMP, LEED AP, EDGE Expert| darDubai, United Arab Emirates
Thank you ALL for sharing your valued knowledge. Saving Changes...
