Examine methods for scheduling and allocating resources in multi-project environments.
The multi-project activities need to be scheduled in such a way that the conflict situations shouldn’t occur. The resource allocation issues can be recorded in a portfolio to find out the solutions easily (Steyn, 2000). The project manager may use different methods to simplify the project tasks comfortably. There are no specific methods available that can suggest a project manager choose the perfect one among them. It can only be experienced by the project manager as per his practical experience and perception about the used project. There is no surety of the success of the application of the method in the projects, but it may depend on the situation and the ability of the project manager to handle the situation (Goldratt, 1997). The needed methods solely depend upon the situation factor of the project, issues and their types, the timeline of the project commencement, the purpose of the project, project complexity, and available resources. Before choosing a suitable method for the multi-project works, the project manager is needed to examine the necessity of the situation to adapt a multi-project method for scheduling and allocating resources in multi-project environments. Many researchers studied the practical situations of multi-project works over the years and suggested several research-based methods to perform the multi-project works resourcefully (Canonico and Söderlund, 2010).
Xang and Fu (2004) contrasted their method with the Critical Chain Project Management method and found out that, the commencement of each step in the multi-project environment is crucial than the execution of projects only. Laslo and Goldberg (2008) studied the realization of a matrix structure in 17 trade organizations in Israel of various work profiles to find out a relationship among resource allocation policies. They ascertained that it is completely uncertain to expect a possible solution in a highly sensitive and complex environment of multi-projects. A resource allocation ability of a project manager helps him to schedule the steps of execution only. The role of management in the commencement of multi-project execution is needed extensively needed with a high value of cooperation, without which the project process may fail in a short time. The successful completion of the project solely depend upon the parties involved and their participation and commitment to execute the project situations reasonably. The complexity level of the project facilitates caused by the employees as well as the related elements it also possible that the project leader my change or modify the used methods and perform the multi-project environment with innovative ideas (Pinto and Kharbanda, 1995).
Reference List
Canonico, P., Söderlund, J.,( 2010). Getting control of multi-project organizations: combining contingent control mechanisms. International Journal of Project Management 28, 796–806.
Goldratt, E.M., (1997). Critical Chain. North River Press, Great Barrington.
Laslo, Z. and Goldberg, A. I. (2007). Resource allocation under uncertainty in a multi-project matrix environment: Is organizational conflict inevitable?. International journal of project management. 26, 773-88.
Pinto J. K, Kharbanda O. P. (1995). Project management and conflict resolution. Project Management Journal,26(4):45–54.
Steyn, H., (2000). An investigation into the fundamentals of critical chain project scheduling. International Journal of Project Management 19 (6), 363–369.
Xang, S. and Fu, L. (2013). Critical chain and evidence revealing applied to multi-project resource schedule in automobile R & D process. International journal of project management. 32, 166-77.