PMP® – Resource Management Maturity Model

Resource management is a crucial process in the project management process. Inadequate measures to define or execute relevant resource management strategies might end up detrimental to the organization. Let us look at the Resource Management Maturity Model (RMMM) by the PMP®.

What Is Resource Management Maturity Model (RMMM)?

The RMMM helps establish a logical progression of the resource management process through five maturity levels in a project. Each maturity level is addressed along seven dimensions. Such a model helps in ensuring that the project resources and capacity are organized at the right level depending on the business.

Currently, the RMMM Version 2 is in practice. The original version 1 of RMMM was developed based on expert opinions. Later on, the version was refined in accordance with the feedback of a global resource management maturity survey.

Why Does an Organisation Need RMMM?

Resources lead to a significant portion of the organization’s total cost of doing business. In order to maximize the return on investment in these resources, a solid resource management plan is highly necessary. Even if organizations employ a resource management approach, there is a question of fit. Software tools might not be able to deliver solutions that are tailored fit for an organization’s level of sophistication. Also, RMMM helps in addressing problems that are specific to resource and capacity management. This makes it the most effective tool to address questions such as −

• Can the company take up new projects with the existing resources?

• What is the cost of resources for a particular project in the next 6 months?

• Is it possible to use a critical resource for a specified period in another project?

• Why is a resource in high demand all the time?

• Are the resources qualified enough to take up a particular project?

Overview of The RMMM Model

The RMMM model is applicable to various industries including product development, Information technology (IT), and delivery. However, it must be noted that RMMM is applicable only in resource-constrained environments irrespective of the size of resources involved. For instance, it cannot yield desirable outcomes in construction projects where either the schedule or budget is the constraining factor.

Only RMMM cannot be responsible for the success of a project or work assignment. Other factors like risk assessment, risk mitigation, the performance of individuals, etc. also contribute significantly.

Levels and Dimensions in an RMMM

As described earlier, the RMMM consists of seven dimensions that accurately and adequately define the resource management scenario of a company at five maturity levels. The five maturity levels are as follows −

Level 1: Work Visibility

At this level, there exists visibility in who is working on what. Although organizations can view this, no oversight or control is involved.

Level 2: Controlled Assignment

At this level, a formal approval process based on the information on resource availability is considered.

Level 3: Governed Capacity

As maturity increases, the focus shifts toward capacity management. A structured process and governance are involved while considering priorities.

Level 4: Schedule-driven Assignment

At this level, the project schedule drives the capacity management and resource allocation processes.

Level 5: Granular Management

The capacity management and resource allocation processes are driven completely by the project schedule at the task level.

Now each of these levels is defined across seven dimensions which are as follows −

• Assignment Granularity − This defines the level of detail at which resources are being utilized in a project, phase, or task. Utilization may either be a constant or vary with respect to time.

• Project Roles − This dimension defines the roles of an individual or group of resources in the project under consideration. With the help of this, attributes and policies can be created for an individual or group of resources. Examples of attributes are the maximum number of projects assigned, cost rate, efficiency, etc.

• Resource Cost − This defines the cost of labor for a particular project, phase, or task. The planned or actual cost can be tracked over a specified time interval.

• Resource Approval − This dimension defines the process involved in allocating a resource to a task or assignment at a specified assignment granularity and resource cost. This dimension is critical to the entire process as it deals with governance strategies.

• Capacity Planning − This defines strategic portfolio-level planning. The main objective is to optimize resource allocation and utilization within the constraint of an organization’s aggregate resource capacity.

• Governance − This dimension involves resource approval, demand management, portfolio prioritization, capacity planning, and other decision-making processes.

• Business Value − This defines the key business value that can be expected by organizations to be realized at any given maturity level.

Interpretation of The Resource Management Model

PMI provides a standard table that defines the characteristics of each dimension across five levels of maturity. This describes the level of sophistication involved in successful resource management practices used by various organizations. It is considered as best practice to implement all dimensions and processes in their current maturity level before proceeding to the next maturity level.

Few organizations may also operate at different levels of maturity i.e., one maturity level along certain dimensions and another maturity level along other dimensions. For example, an organization might not have a governance structure but all the resources have differentiated roles. In this case, the organization is at Level 2 and Level 3 respectively.

The RMMM specifies the characteristics that an organization should possess with respect to resource management to operate successfully at a particular level. The optimal level of maturity will differ from organization to organization. And it is important to decide the right maturity level based on the target business value and desired benefits.

Conclusion

Adopting RMMM benefits the organization in many ways including improved visibility and predictability, efficient communication tools and practices, and timely and budget-friendly projects. Organizations must first try to understand their current level and sophistication before trying to move on to the next maturity level. PMI provides adequate guidance into the steps to be taken to move from one maturity level to another.

Resource management is a crucial tool as it helps optimize capacity management and maximize resource utilization across various projects of an organization. Resource management through RMMM improves the organization’s probability of being successful since it ensures project completion on time and on budget.