2. What is Resource Overallocation?
 Resource overallocation happens when assignments of
more tasks than your resources can handle or reasonably
complete within a standard eight hour workweek are
assigned. When a company has many projects, resource
overallocation is a risk, especially if your resources are
small and involved in multiple tasks.
 When this happens, because your project health and
resource allocation affect how teams work, both in-house
and outsourced, your projects may stall, come to a
complete stop or fail, especially if they are over-allocated.

3. Why Resource Allocation is Important
 Overallocation is most likely to occur when there are
multiple projects in a company or when software is
used to allocate tasks to resources. Overallocation
occurs is when project managers have been
encouraged to meet unreasonable
expectations. Project managers then push their
resource allocation beyond obtainable limits in order
to meet constrained schedules and
budgets. Overallocation puts unreasonable pressure
on resources and can be costly not only in overtime
monies but in resource burnout.

4. Techniques for Avoiding Resource Overload
 The most obvious way resource overload can be
avoided is by setting up a project schedule that is
realistic. Avoiding pushing employees through an
unreasonable or aggressive project schedule can be the
first defense in thwarting resource allocation
problems. Scheduling the project in a realistic way is
part of creating an effective project plan.

5. 1. Resource Leveling
 In this method, the project manager can either level
resources by hand (complicated, but perhaps more
sound) or use a software program such as Microsoft
Project to level resources for you. This method
requires the project manager to be truly on top of his
or her game, and to recognize areas for concern before
they become problematic.

6. 2. Prioritize Projects
 By prioritizing projects, when a resource allocation
overload is apparent or a task conflict exists, it can be
resolved without piling pressure on the individual or
team (or requiring the individual or team to put in a
couple twelve-hour days). In this way, when you find
your resources have been overloaded, decisions as to
which tasks they should focus on are easier to make.

7. 3. Linking Tasks
 Linking tasks is more of a logistical solution. If the
resource has been assigned to research the markets for
project A and project B, these tasks could be linked. In
this manner, when it appears that a resource has been
over-allocated, really the tasks are similar enough to
count for two projects. By linking these tasks from the
different projects, the problem can be resolved.

8. 4. Leaving Breathing Room
 When scheduling the project, it is vital to leave
breathing room between tasks. However, it is
important to not under-allocate resources as this could
lead to a loss of budget monies meaning resource
allocations problems will affect your project's health. A
fine balance must be achieved between breathing
room and not moving forward quickly enough.

9. 9. Avoid the “Putting out fires”
approach to project management
 If your team is consistently putting out fires, it makes
it difficult to focus on the project. Moreover, by putting
out fires, the team becomes knee-deep in ash, while
project tasks pile up. This is where project
management techniques such as Scrum come in
handy.