Tool 163: Resource Requirements Matrix

AKA

Requirements Matrix

Classification

Planning/Presenting (PP)

Tool description

The resource requirements matrix reflects an estimated total cost for implementing an activity or major project. Required resource categories are identified and associated costs calculated. Costs are summed by resource categories and activities to provide a common understanding for planning and budgeting purposes.

Typical application

• To plan and budget for implementation activities or process changes.

• To estimate total project costs.

• To provide supporting data for decision making.

Problem-solving phase

	Select and define problem or opportunity
	Identify and analyze causes or potential change
→	Develop and plan possible solutions or change
→	Implement and evaluate solution or change
	Measure and report solution or change results
	Recognize and reward team efforts

Typically used by

	Research/statistics
	Creativity/innovation
2	Engineering
1	Project management
3	Manufacturing
	Marketing/sales
5	Administration/documentation
4	Servicing/support
	Customer/quality metrics
	Change management

links to other tools

before

• Information Needs Analysis

• Consensus Decision Making

• Case Study

• Checklist

• Dimensions Cube

after

• Activity Cost Matrix

• Cost-Benefit Analysis

• Balance Sheet

• Comparison Matrix

• Matrix Data Analysis

Notes and key points

• Identification of probable resource categories and required activities within these categories is part of the preliminary data collection.

• Calculate averages of actual incomes, times, costs, etc., to increase degree of accuracy in calculated total resource costs.

Step-by-step procedure

• STEP 1 A planning team systematically identifies required activities, personnel, facilities equipment, material, services, and other resources needed to implement or complete an activity or project.

• STEP 2 The team recorder uses a whiteboard to draw a resource requirements matrix and inserts all identified data into the matrix. See example An Active Cross-Functional Team Cost Estimate.

• STEP 3 Cost averages are calculated or estimated and recorded into the appropriate cells of the matrix, as shown in this example.

• STEP 4 Finally, all rows and columns are summed, calculations are checked, and the matrix is dated.

Example of tool application