Resource allocation and project portfolio optimization in an IT department

With many projects competing for the same resources in the department, resource allocation can be a major challenge. As part of my Executive MBA at Columbia, I built an Excel model to resolve this - mostly drawing upon my real life experience with the problem. I wouldn't say how often I ended up using this model myself, but I do think it does provide a fairly comprehensive analysis of the subject.
Excel based decision model for resource allocation in a project based organization.

By Mukul Pareek

The model itself is in an Excel file that can be downloaded here - but the Excel file doesn't make much sense as a standalone file unless one at least skims through the thought process documented in the pdf document that explains the model.

The writeup explaining the model can be downloaded here

The Excel file which carries out the iterative search through various combinations of resources and projects can be downloaded here.


Here is a partial screenshot of the model: