This is the sixth article in the series “How to remember ITTOs”. You can find all the articles in this series here: How to remember ITTOs series.

ITTO is an acronym that stands for Inputs, Tools and Techniques, and Outputs.

In this article, we will focus on Project resource management.

What is Project Resource Management?

Project resource management is the knowledge area in which the team performs the following major activities:

• Estimates the resource requirements for the project
• Acquires the necessary resources
• Improves competencies of the team, tracks their performance and manages the team to optimize project performance
• Monitors and controls the allocation of physical resources as planned and their actual use

There is a major shift in the approach of this knowledge area from PMBOK^® Guide, Fifth Edition to PMBOK^® Guide, Sixth Edition. While the earlier edition focused only on human resources, the latest edition includes both human resources as well as physical resources. So, the knowledge area has also been renamed accordingly, from Project Human Resource Management to Project Resource Management.

Process Flow for Project Resource Management

I have suggested process flow diagrams as a way to remember and map the concepts in the previous articles. Following the same approach, I have given the process flow diagram for Project Resource Management below.

I have included ONLY the major inputs and outputs, so that it is easier to understand rather than complicating it too much. It does NOT include ALL inputs and outputs. I have included only those inputs and outputs, which I felt are significant. Please refer to PMBOK^® Guide for a complete list of ITTOs.

The best way to remember the ITTOs is to draw the process flow diagram yourself. It would help your mind to map the inputs and outputs to the processes; and would help to remember the process flow for a very long time.

Tips to remember ITTOs in Project Resource Management

1. Organizational Process Assets is an input to all the processes in Project resource management. (Note: Please note that OPA is an input to 47 processes; only two processes do not take OPA as an input. They are 5.5 Validate Scope and 11.7 Monitor Risks).
2. Enterprise Environmental Factors is an input to all the planning and executing process of Project resource management.
3. Once resource management plan is developed in 9.1 Plan Resource Management, it becomes an input to all the following processes in Project resource management.
4. Work performance data is an input to Control Resources process; and work performance information is the relevant output from this process.
5. Change requests is an output of all the executing and controlling processes in Project resource management. (Note: For all Monitoring & Controlling processes, change requests is an output; the only exception is Perform Integrated Change Control. In this process, change requests is an input and Approved change requests is an output).
6. The output of 9.2 Estimate Activity Resources include resource requirements and basis of estimates. You will see similar outputs in few other processes. For example, the output of 7.2 Estimate Costs include cost estimates and basis of estimates; the output of 6.4 Estimate Activity Durations include duration estimates and basis of estimates.
7. Work performance reports is an input to 9.5 Manage Team. Work performance reports is an input to only three other processes, namely, 4.6 Perform Integrated Change Control, 10.2 Manage Communications and 11.7 Monitor Risks.
8. The processes 9.4 Develop Team and 9.5 Manage Team apply only to human resources or project team. The process 9.6 Control Resources applies only to physical resources.
9. Lessons learned register is an input to three processes in this knowledge area, namely, 9.4, 9.5 and 9.6.

Conclusion

What is your approach to remember ITTOs in Project Resource Management? Do you like the above approach? Have you tried this approach hands-on? Share your experience and advice whether it helped you.

Do you have any other tips you want me to include in the above list?

Share your opinions and comments in the comments box below. I will continue to work on the process flow diagram for the other knowledge areas.