Resource loading a schedule by crew: the weeks that need more people than you have
The programme appears achievable when each activity is viewed alone. In the third week, three activities need the company’s finishing crew. The resource sheet has counted the same people more than once, and the project manager is about to promise all three starts.
Resource-load the schedule by assigning the crew type, number of people and working period needed for each activity, then comparing overlapping demand with confirmed availability. The Government Accountability Office’s schedule guide explains that limited resources can require levelling and can change the finish. Use the comparison to test choices; moving an activity is not harmless just because a previous version showed spare time.
Find the overload before making commitments
- Define the crew demand. Ask the leads to identify the skills, people and expected work period for each activity. Keep separate tasks separate so a single broad crew label does not conceal competing specialist needs.
- Build a realistic availability view. Confirm the people available to this job and their other commitments with the responsible manager. Do not count a hoped-for hire, another project’s crew or an unconfirmed subcontract resource as committed capacity.
- Sum overlapping demand. Read the schedule at a useful period, such as weeks for broad planning and days where short overlaps matter. Separate skill types and look inside the period when tasks do not run for its full length.
- Test sequence changes with the leads. Consider moving work only where dependencies, area readiness and project requirements permit it. Ask the scheduler to verify current float and shared-path effects rather than using an old printed number as permission.
- Evaluate remaining choices openly. If permissible resequencing does not resolve the overload, compare the implications of confirmed additional capacity, a different work split or changed dates. Obtain the required decisions instead of silently assuming overtime or extra people.
- Recalculate and issue one plan. Update logic, resources and forecasts together, then check the resulting milestones and handoffs. Record the decisions and assumptions so the next capacity review starts from the same approved planning basis.
Common mistakes
- Counting one crew against several simultaneous activities.
- Treating unconfirmed additional people as available.
- Moving work within an old float figure without recalculating the linked programme.
Checklist
Before accepting the resource plan
- Crew types and demand periods are defined.
- Availability is confirmed with its owner.
- Overlaps are checked at a useful time scale.
- Proposed changes respect actual dependencies.
- The revised milestones and handoffs are recalculated.
Check your understanding
The weekly total fits the available crew, but two short tasks both need it on Tuesday. Has the resource check passed?
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