In my view, one of the common resource allocation issues faced by project managers relates to insufficient details of project requirement from the client.
In most cases, clients fail to provide project managers with all the project details, which lead to underestimation of the resources by the project managers. As a result, project managers find it challenging to establish project plans and conduct proper resources scheduling due to misappropriation of the required resources. The lack of sufficient details often leads project delays and reworking on some parts of the project after the initial deadline.
Another resource allocation issue faced by project managers relates to poorly founded time estimates.
Time management forms an essential component of the management of any project. If the time estimates are not well-defined, the project will eventually fail, irrespective of the resource scheduling software or plan used by the project manager. Resource scheduling by project managers is guided by the time estimates, which means that poorly founded time estimates will pose a high risk of cost and time overruns.
The unavailability of resources is another resources allocation issue faced by project managers.
Project managers often utilize the available resources to accomplish various projects. However, in some cases, the necessary resources for the accomplishment of a given project might be limited, especially when the same agency or company runs multiple projects. In other words, the availability of resources usually changes, and project managers have to monitor the available resources to identify possible threats to project delivery.
Another common resource allocation issue faced by project managers relates to project uncertainties.
Even with the proper project timeline and correct budget, there are always other things that project managers cannot predict. Project managers have to be ready to respond to such project uncertainties by reassigning or shifting resources.
