INFO6007 Chap.7 Resource Allocation, Teams and Conflict
Resource Allocation, Teams and Conflict
This chapter plans human and physical resources by capability, quantity, timing, duration and ownership. It checks whether the dependency based schedule is feasible with available capacity and distinguishes smoothing from levelling. Team development, training, communication and conflict management then protect collaboration without confusing a responsibility chart with committed availability.
Resource planning includes people, environments, hardware, software, facilities and supplier capacity, together with the lead time required to acquire access or skill. A dependency network can be logically correct yet impossible when several activities need the same specialist. Smoothing uses available float without changing the finish; levelling may move work or alter the critical path.
A RACI matrix clarifies responsibility but does not prove that capacity is committed. Training and coaching should connect to scheduled work, while conflict analysis separates task disagreement, competing priorities, role ambiguity and relationship problems. When a commitment is impossible, governance should decide the cost, scope or milestone trade off rather than asking the team to hide the gap.
What this chapter covers
- 01
Human and physical resources
- 02
Capability and availability
- 03
RACI responsibilities
- 04
Resource loading
- 05
Smoothing and levelling
- 06
Training and team development
- 07
Conflict diagnosis and resolution
- 08
Compare role demand by period with real availability including operational duties, leave, onboarding and shared-resource commitments
- 09
Use smoothing only within available float and explain when levelling changes the critical path or required completion
- 10
Keep one unambiguous accountable owner while assigning responsibility, consultation and information routes in a RACI matrix
- 11
Diagnose task, process, role, priority or relationship conflict before choosing a context-sensitive resolution style
- 12
Escalate persistent overload with evidence, consequence, options and a requested governance decision instead of hiding the gap
- 13
Account for communication and learning overhead before assuming additional people will accelerate knowledge-intensive work
Worked example · free
Resolve a specialist collision
- +1Confirm both dependencies and activity float.
- +1Test alternative qualified capacity.
- +1Assess resequencing and risk.
- +1Present cost or date options to the sponsor.
- +1Update schedule, roles and risk ownership.
Key terms
- RACI matrix
- A responsibility map distinguishing responsible, accountable, consulted and informed roles.
- Resource levelling
- Resolving over allocation even when the change alters timing or the critical path.
- Resource smoothing
- Moving work within available float so resource demand improves without changing the project finish.
Resource Allocation, Teams and Conflict FAQ
Why can a logical schedule be impossible?
Dependencies may be valid while multiple activities require the same scarce person, environment or equipment. Resource loading exposes this capacity mismatch before dates are approved.
How are smoothing and levelling different?
Smoothing uses existing float and preserves the finish date. Levelling resolves resource constraints more broadly and may extend activities or change the controlling critical path.
How should project conflict be handled?
Diagnose whether disagreement concerns tasks, priorities, roles or relationships. Clarify evidence and authority, select an appropriate resolution approach and document any resulting decision or escalation.
Exam move
Overlay resource demand on the network rather than studying resources as a list. For each activity, identify the capability, quantity, timing, duration and location required. Include people, specialist environments, licences, hardware and supplier capacity. Distinguish a named person from actual availability and include recruitment, procurement, access, onboarding and training lead times.
Build a simple resource histogram and locate periods where demand exceeds qualified capacity. Use float to test smoothing, which preserves the finish date, and use levelling where the constraint may alter timing or the critical path. Explain the schedule and cost consequence instead of claiming that the team will work harder.
Create a RACI matrix with one accountable role per decision and enough responsible capacity to perform the work. Treat the chart as a responsibility map, not evidence that time has been committed. For team development, connect training and coaching to actual delivery needs and dates. For conflict cases, separate task disagreement, competing priorities, role ambiguity and relationship damage.
Clarify evidence and authority, invite the people closest to the work to explain constraints and record the decision. If the conflict exposes an impossible commitment, escalate the commitment rather than pressuring the team to hide the gap. Practise a scarce-specialist scenario in which two critical tasks need one person, then compare resequencing, acquiring qualified support, changing scope and moving the milestone.
State who chooses between extra cost and delay. On the notes sheet, keep the smoothing versus levelling distinction, the one-accountable rule and a feasibility check that qualified demand cannot exceed committed capacity. Finish every answer by updating schedule, cost and risk implications so resource management remains integrated with the rest of the plan.
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