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An integrated model for allocation and leveling of human resources in IT projects

Roberto Celkevicius (Universidade Nove de Julho, Sao Paulo, Brazil)
Rosaria F.S.M. Russo (Department of Project Management, Universidade Nove de Julho, Sao Paulo, Brazil)

International Journal of Managing Projects in Business

ISSN: 1753-8378

Article publication date: 19 April 2018

Issue publication date: 2 May 2018

3600

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose an integrated model for allocation and leveling of human resources in IT projects.

Design/methodology/approach

A single case study was conducted in a large company of IT outsourcing services, which were assessed the management of 14 projects. The survey was conducted through interviews with project managers, and digital files and internal documents of the organization related to these projects.

Findings

In the analysis, it was identified that the critical path is not identified in all projects, and even when this happens, resources are not allocated in the first tasks in that path. A committee controls the allocation of resources with the assessment of skills, but there is no control of all resource constraints.

Research limitations/implications

The main limiting factors for this study are: use of data of one company in the IT industry, making it difficult to generalize the model for other sectors companies; it was noted during interviews that the project managers interviewed do not always know in detail all the company’s processes for allocation and resource leveling, due to the large number of processes and different management activities of these professionals.

Practical implications

A model and actions for this implementation was proposed, such as training for the use of the technique of critical path; allocation and leveling done simultaneously; decisions of the management committee based on information of availability, key skills, holidays, days off of human resources; development of a software tool that integrates this information, generating graphical interfaces that are not provided by project management software with the use of an allocation factor.

Social implications

The characteristics of the proposed model, as well as the use of the allocation factor, can help managers to validate their allocation models and leveling of human resources in an integrated manner.

Originality/value

The study explains that the granularity of analysis of resource allocation increases by decomposition of the duration of each activity in fixed time segments. It is suggested to use the mathematical concept of the allocation factor (Fa).

Keywords

Citation

Celkevicius, R. and Russo, R.F.S.M. (2018), "An integrated model for allocation and leveling of human resources in IT projects", International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, Vol. 11 No. 2, pp. 234-256. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMPB-09-2016-0074

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited

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