6.4 Estimate Activity Resources
Process Definition
After the activities have been identified and sequenced that achieve the desired project scope, the project manager must determine which resources are required for each activity. These resources can include people, equipment, material and supplies.
Process Assessment
Estimating activity resources is one of the most difficult exercises in project management. Activities frequently take more resources than estimated, especially when it comes to labor. Also, the resources required often change over time as activities and deliverables become more well understood. This is one of the most pain-in-the-butt processes in project management. Of course, it's also one of the most important.
Figure 12. Estimate Activity Resources: Inputs, Tools and Techniques, and Outputs. Reprinted from "A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide), 5th Edition" by Project Management Institute, 2013, p. 161. Copyright 2013 by Project Management Institute, Inc. Reprinted without permission.
- Don Funk Resource Requirements: Homework assignment from Microsoft Project 2010 Official Academic Course, Chapter 2, demonstrating resource estimating, an output of this process.
- Activity Resource Requirements: A list of resource requirements is one of the two primary outputs for the "Estimate Activity Resources" process. This homework assignment was to create a list of activity resource requirements for building a surfboard.
- Retirement Party RBS: The RBS (Resource Breakdown Structure) is one of the outputs of the "Estimate Activity Resources" process. This homework assignment created an RBS for a retirement party.