It involves getting the people resources needed assigned to and working on the project. The project manager doesn’t not always have direct control over these resources because many of them will be assigned to the project team by other managers.

Inputs

• Staff management plan – describe when and how HR will join and leave the project team. Resource histograms that show resource requirements, their usage, and availability along a timeline are often incorporated into the staff management plan. It is part of the project plan. It is the main Organizational planning output.

• Staffing-pool description – includes the characteristics of potential staff, their experience, interests, characteristics, and availability.

• Recruitment practices – include various organizational policies, guidelines, and procedures governing staff assignment. These are a constraint on staffing.

Tools and techniques

• Negotiations – ensure that there are appropriate resources at the required time. It is the role of project manager negotiate with functional managers or others (e.g. other project managers)

• Pre-assignment – in some cases, staff were promised the assignment before the project started. It is an internal practice in many organizations.

• Procurement – recruiting people outside the organization. This technique entails hiring consultants and contractors.

Outputs

• Project staff assignments – indicate who will work on the project full-time, part-time, or variably.

• Project team directory – lists all project team members and key stakeholders. It can be a simple, informal list or very detailed.