lerianstudio/ring:resource-allocation

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

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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 |

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Resource Allocation Gates

Gate 1: Resource Inventory

Objective: Establish baseline of available resources

Actions:

1. List all available resources (people, teams)
2. Document skills per resource
3. Capture availability (FTE, dates)
4. 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] |

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Gate 2: Demand Analysis

Objective: Understand resource demand across portfolio

Actions:

1. Collect resource requests from projects
2. Categorize by role/skill
3. Map to timeline
4. 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

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Gate 3: Gap Analysis

Objective: Identify mismatches between supply and demand

Actions:

1. Compare inventory to demand
2. Identify capacity gaps (over/under)
3. Identify skill gaps
4. 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

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Gate 4: Conflict Resolution

Objective: Resolve resource conflicts across projects

Actions:

1. List all conflicts
2. Analyze priority-based resolution
3. Propose alternatives (hire, defer, redistribute)
4. 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

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Gate 5: Allocation Plan

Objective: Create optimal resource allocation plan

Actions:

1. Assign resources to projects
2. Document allocation percentages
3. Define handoff points
4. 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

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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 |

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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." |

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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:

1. Escalate to orchestrator
2. Do NOT proceed with unrealistic allocation
3. Document the request and your refusal

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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.

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Output Format

Resource Allocation Summary

# Resource Allocation Summary - [Date]

## Capacity Overview

| Metric | Value | Status |
|--------|-------|--------|
| Total FTE Available | X | - |
| Total FTE Demanded | X | - |
| Utilization Rate | X% | Green/Yellow/Red |
| Open Positions | N | - |

## Allocation by Project

| Project | FTE Allocated | Utilization | Status |
|---------|--------------|-------------|--------|
| [Project] | X | X% | Green/Yellow/Red |

## Gaps Identified

| Gap Type | Description | Impact | Resolution |
|----------|-------------|--------|------------|
| [Type] | [Description] | [Impact] | [Proposed] |

## Conflicts

| Conflict | Projects | Resource | Proposed Resolution |
|----------|----------|----------|---------------------|
| [ID] | [Projects] | [Resource] | [Resolution] |

## Recommendations

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

## Decisions Required

1. [Decision needed with options]

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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 |

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When Resource Allocation Is Not Needed

<MANDATORY> MUST: Resource allocation is minimal only when ALL conditions are met: </MANDATORY>

| 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.