Abstract:
A project workforce management system defines project tasks, project positions, and assigns personnel to the project positions. The project tasks and project positions are correlated to assign a responsible project position or positions to complete each project task. Because each project position may be assigned to a specific person, the qualifications and availabilities of the person can be taken into account when determining the assignment. By correlating the project tasks and project positions, a manager can better control the assignment of the workforce and complete projects more efficiently.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0001]    This invention relates to project management systems and methods, and more particularly to a software-based system and method for project and workforce management.  
         BACKGROUND  
         [0002]    Good project management is an important factor to the success of a project. A project may be thought of as a collection of activities and tasks designed to achieve a specific goal of the organization, with specific performance or quality requirements while meeting any subject time and cost constraints. Project management refers to managing the activities that lead to the successful completion of a project. Project management focuses on finite deadlines and objectives. A number of tools may be used to assist with project management and assessment.  
           [0003]    Project management may be used when planning of personnel resources and check capacities is desired. The project may be linked to the objects in a professional services life cycle and may accompany the objects from the opportunity over quotation, contract, time and expense (T&amp;E) recording, billing, period-end-activities until the final reporting. Naturally the project gets even more detailed when moving through this cycle.  
           [0004]    A project may arise as an opportunity or a request for quotation (inquiry) sent by a potential customer. When the opportunity or request arrives, a decision has to take place by the manager whether the opportunity should be pursued or a quotation be submitted. Even at this early stage, it is important to check whether the company has the necessary capacity and resources with the required skills and qualifications available at the requested time.  
           [0005]    For any given project, several project tasks should be defined. Project tasks describe the activities and phases that have to be performed in the project such as writing of blueprints, customizing, testing etc. and can be arranged hierarchically.  
           [0006]    What is needed is a system that allows project positions to be correlated with project tasks. Project positions describe project roles like project manager, consultant, tester, etc. Project-positions are typically arranged linearly within the project. By correlating project tasks with project positions, the qualifications and availability of personnel assigned to the project positions may be considered.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0007]    A project workforce management system defines project tasks, project positions, and assigns personnel to the project positions. The project tasks and project positions are correlated to assign a responsible project position or positions to complete each project task. Because each project position may be assigned to a specific person, the qualifications and availabilities of the person can be taken into account when determining the assignment. By correlating the project tasks and project positions, a manager can better control the assignment of the workforce and complete projects more efficiently. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0008]    These and other features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the accompanying drawings.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 illustrates the overall structure of a project management system.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 illustrates a process for generating a project in a project management system.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 illustrates a process for managing workforce resources in a project management system.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 illustrates the overall structure of project management system  100  showing the relationship between a project  105 , project tasks  110 , project positions  115 , and resources  120 . The project  100  is a strategy to achieve a defined goal of an organization. The project  100  may be divided into a series of project tasks  110  and/or a series of project positions  115 .  
         [0013]    The project tasks  110  define activities and phases to be performed in the project  105 . For example, for a construction project examples of project tasks  110  may include preparing blue prints, obtaining the proper permits, preparing the foundation, ordering the lumber, hiring sub-contractors, etc. The project tasks  110  describe operational activities or phases in the project  105  that should be performed like analysis, business blueprint, implementation, and documentation. The project tasks  110  describe qualification requirements and time demand: To be able, e.g., to write a business blueprint document it is necessary to have attended a specific training session and to be available in the first weeks of September. Project tasks  110  have a hierarchical structure, i.e. tasks can be grouped or split up. Sometimes the refinement and split of tasks into several sub-tasks occurs at a later time in the life cycle of the project  110 .  
         [0014]    The project positions  115  define project roles by job title. For the same construction example, project positions  115  may include architect, foreman, electrician, mason, supervisor, etc. The project positions  115  may include qualifications and requirements for each project position  115 . Thus, a project position  115  may require availability (such as during the month of July) and certain certifications (such as certification for high voltage installations, professional licenses). The project positions  115  represent roles in the project  105  and describe what roles with what requirements exist in the project  105 . The project positions  115  may be described by fields like position type, category, time demand, description, qualification requirements, etc. One example for such a position is the project manager. The qualification requirements for this position might be: account expert, at least two similar projects done, available from September until November for at least 80% of the time. Project positions  115  are non-hierarchical and can be represented by a linear list assigned to a project header. It might be necessary to change the project positions  115  continually during the life cycle of the project  105 .  
         [0015]    The resources  120  describe a particular person or group that may fill a project position. For a company project  105 , the resources  120  may be all the employees of the company. The resources  120  are listed by name and may also include job title, availability, qualifications or other information. The resources  120  may also include any other personnel the company may use, including contractors and temporary workers.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2 illustrates a process  200  for generating a project in a project management system. The process  200  begins at a START block  205 . Proceeding to block  210 , an opportunity of inquiry is obtained. An opportunity or inquiry asks for a simple or complex engagement, where one or more persons are required to perform dedicated tasks. This engagement is requested to be performed in a defined time frame.  
         [0017]    Proceeding to block  215 , the process  200  defines a project  105  based on the opportunity or inquiry. The project  105  may be defined to check whether it is possible and reasonable to make an offer (quotation).  
         [0018]    Proceeding to block  220 , the requirements and tasks of the project  105  may be structured as project tasks  110  and the positions (roles) have to be estimated and structured as project positions  115 . As described above, the project tasks  110  define activities and phases to be performed in the project  105  and the project positions  115  define project roles by job title.  
         [0019]    Proceeding to block  225 , the project positions  115  and the project tasks  110  are correlated. Within the project  105  a correlation between project positions  115  and project tasks  110  is performed by the project manager or a resource manager. The correlation describes what project position (role)  115  is responsible to work on a project task  110 . It is possible to correlate one project position  115  to several project tasks  110 . During the correlation of a project position  115  to a project task  110 , the project position  115  acts as a supplier or (nominal) resource that fulfills the time demand and qualification requirements of the project task  110 . Thus a matching of time and qualification data between project positions  115  and project tasks  110  should be possible.  
         [0020]    Proceeding to block  230 , the process  200  matches resources  120  to project positions  115 . FIG. 3 illustrates a sub-process for managing workforce resources in a project management system. The searching and assignment of one or more suitable resources  120  to the project  105  may use a search engine that allows suitable resources  120  to be found. The engine may use filter functions to determine the available resources  120  to match with the project positions  115 . In block  305 , the engine filters the resources  120  according to their assignment to organizational units (e.g. to search only in certain departments). Thus, a program manager may choose to search the entire organization for a resource  120 , or may limit the search to one or more departments.  
         [0021]    Proceeding to block  310 , the engine may further filter the resources by matching qualifications. For example, a project position  115  may require a software programmer familiar with a particular programming language. The engine may compare the resource qualifications to the project position  115  requirements. The qualifications may also include a quality scale.  
         [0022]    Proceeding to block  315 , the engine may further filter by availability in a specific time frame. The personnel resources  120  may be checked to determine the resources  120  are available in the required time frame. The availability may be determined from shift planning and from the electronic calendar like Lotus Notes or MS Outlook/Exchange of the resource  120 . From the point of view of the resource  120 , project positions  115  carry time demand and qualification requirements which have to be fulfilled by the resource  120 .  
         [0023]    Proceeding to block  320 , the program manager may now select a resource  120  from all the available resources. Because the filters were used, only qualified, available resources are shown.  
         [0024]    Proceeding to block  325 , an option may be included that only allows a resource  120  to be assigned to a project position  115  if the resource  120  and the responsible manager have approved. Thus it is possible to send a request to the resource  120  and the responsible manager directly out of the screen where the assignment from resource  120  to the project position  115  occurs.  
         [0025]    Proceeding to block  330 , when approval is required and received, the program manager may now assign a resource  120  to a project position  115 . When a resource  120  that occupies a project position  115  is further assigned to a project task  110 , this assignment is called deployment.  
         [0026]    Project tasks  110  may describe a demand in a project  105 . From the view of the project task  110 , the project positions  115  describe a supply. From the view of the resource  120 , project positions  115  describe a demand, the resource  120  delivers the supply.  
         [0027]    Returning to the process  200  of FIG. 2, the process  200  proceeds to block  235  where optional reports may be prepared. An integrated reporting functionality is available within the project  105 . The reporting functionality may show all project tasks  110  and resources  120  for a project position  115 , all project positions  115  and resources  120  that are assigned to a project task  110 , and all project positions  115  and project tasks  110  that are assigned to a resource  120 .  
         [0028]    These process  200  can be accomplished by a consulting manager or by a (potential) project manager using software on a computer. The project  105  does not have to be highly complex or lengthy. For example, in a case of a so-called spot-consulting scenario (example: a consultant is needed for two days to define a report) the consulting project consists only of one position and the single task is represented by the consulting project itself.  
         [0029]    Numerous variations and modifications of the invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics.