Resource Allocation Skill

Systematic resource planning across portfolio for optimal utilization.

Purpose

This skill provides a framework for:

• Capacity planning across projects

• Resource conflict identification

• Skills gap analysis

• Allocation optimization

• Utilization monitoring

Prerequisites

Before resource allocation, ensure:

Prerequisite Required For Source

Resource inventory Capacity baseline HR/Resource management

Project demands Allocation needs Project managers

Skills matrix Gap analysis HR/Training

Availability calendar Time planning Team calendars

Resource Allocation Gates

Gate 1: Resource Inventory

Objective: Establish baseline of available resources

Actions:

• List all available resources (people, teams)

• Document skills per resource

• Capture availability (FTE, dates)

• Note constraints (PTO, training, etc.)

Output: docs/pmo/{date}/resource-inventory.md

Inventory Template:

Resource Role Skills Availability Current Allocation

[Name] [Role] [Skills] [FTE] [Projects]

Gate 2: Demand Analysis

Objective: Understand resource demand across portfolio

Actions:

• Collect resource requests from projects

• Categorize by role/skill

• Map to timeline

• Aggregate total demand

Demand Template:

Project Role/Skill FTE Needed Start End Priority

[Project] [Role] [FTE] [Date] [Date] [1-5]

Output: docs/pmo/{date}/resource-demand.md

Gate 3: Gap Analysis

Objective: Identify mismatches between supply and demand

Actions:

• Compare inventory to demand

• Identify capacity gaps (over/under)

• Identify skill gaps

• Document timeline conflicts

Gap Types:

Gap Type Definition Impact

Capacity Gap More work than people Project delays, burnout

Skill Gap Work requires unavailable skills Quality issues, training need

Timeline Gap Resources available wrong time Schedule conflicts

Quality Gap Available skills below required level Supervision needed

Output: docs/pmo/{date}/resource-gaps.md

Gate 4: Conflict Resolution

Objective: Resolve resource conflicts across projects

Actions:

• List all conflicts

• Analyze priority-based resolution

• Propose alternatives (hire, defer, redistribute)

• Document trade-offs

Resolution Options:

Option When to Use Trade-off

Prioritize Clear priority difference Lower priority project delayed

Share Skills transferable Context switching cost

Hire Long-term need Time to onboard, cost

Contract Short-term need Cost, knowledge transfer

Defer Flexibility exists Opportunity cost

Descope Scope flexibility Feature reduction

Output: docs/pmo/{date}/conflict-resolution.md

Gate 5: Allocation Plan

Objective: Create optimal resource allocation plan

Actions:

• Assign resources to projects

• Document allocation percentages

• Define handoff points

• Create monitoring plan

Allocation Template:

Resource Project Allocation % Start End Notes

[Name] [Project] [%] [Date] [Date] [Notes]

Utilization Target: 70-85% (leaves buffer for issues)

Output: docs/pmo/{date}/allocation-plan.md

Anti-Rationalization Table

See shared-patterns/anti-rationalization.md for universal anti-rationalizations.

Resource-Specific Anti-Rationalizations

Rationalization Why It's WRONG Required Action

"Team said they can handle it" Optimism bias is real. Validate with data. Verify against utilization data

"We'll figure it out as we go" Resource chaos causes project failure. Plan upfront. Complete allocation plan

"100% utilization is optimal" 100% = no buffer for issues, burnout. 70-85% is optimal. Plan for sustainable utilization

"Sharing resources is fine" Context switching costs 20-40% productivity. Account for it. Include switching cost in allocation

Pressure Resistance

See shared-patterns/pressure-resistance.md for universal pressure scenarios.

Resource-Specific Pressures

Pressure Type Request Agent Response

"Just assign everyone to both projects" "100% allocation to multiple projects is impossible. Creating realistic allocation plan."

"We don't have time to document skills" "Skills documentation prevents misallocation. Completing skills inventory."

"The team lead said resources are available" "Trust and verify. Confirming with actual utilization data before committing."

Blocker Criteria - STOP and Report

ALWAYS pause and report blocker for:

Situation Required Action

Demand exceeds capacity by >20% STOP. Report gap. Wait for prioritization or hiring decision.

Critical skill unavailable STOP. Report skill gap. Wait for training/hiring decision.

Key person single point of failure STOP. Report risk. Wait for mitigation decision.

Conflicting executive commitments STOP. Escalate conflict. Wait for resolution.

Cannot Be Overridden

The following requirements are NON-NEGOTIABLE:

Requirement Cannot Override Because

Utilization limits (≤95%)

95% sustained causes burnout and quality issues

Conflict documentation Unresolved conflicts cause project failures

Skills verification Assumed skills lead to delivery problems

Availability confirmation Committed resources must be verified before allocation

Context switching accounting Multi-project allocation must account for overhead

If user insists on violating these:

• Escalate to orchestrator

• Do NOT proceed with unrealistic allocation

• Document the request and your refusal

Severity Calibration

When reporting resource issues:

Severity Criteria Examples

CRITICAL Delivery at risk, burnout imminent

110% sustained utilization, critical skill gap, key person leaving

HIGH Significant risk if not addressed

100% temporary utilization, conflict between priority projects

MEDIUM Optimization opportunity Suboptimal allocation, minor skill gaps, unbalanced teams

LOW Minor improvements possible Process refinements, training opportunities

Report ALL severities. Escalate CRITICAL immediately. Address HIGH this week.

Output Format

Resource Allocation Summary

Resource Allocation Summary - [Date]

Capacity Overview

Allocation by Project

Gaps Identified

Conflicts

Recommendations

1. [Recommendation with rationale]
2. [Recommendation with rationale]

Decisions Required

1. [Decision needed with options]

Execution Report

Base metrics per shared-patterns/execution-report.md:

Metric Value

Analysis Date YYYY-MM-DD

Scope [Portfolio/Projects]

Duration Xh Ym

Result COMPLETE/PARTIAL/BLOCKED

Resource-Specific Details

Metric Value

roles_analyzed N

allocation_conflicts N

utilization_average X%

gap_count N

When Resource Allocation Is Not Needed

Condition Verification

Recent allocation exists (<14 days) Reference existing allocation plan

No new projects started Verify no new resource demands

No resource changes Confirm no departures, hires, or availability changes

Utilization within targets (70-85%) Verify no over/under allocation

MUST: Full resource allocation REQUIRED for the following conditions:

Condition Why Required

New project starting Resource demand must be planned

Resource conflict identified Resolution needed before escalation

Team member departure/arrival Reallocation required

Utilization outside targets Optimization or intervention needed

Quarterly planning cycle Regular capacity review required

MUST: When in doubt, refresh the allocation plan. Stale resource data causes delivery failures.