Abstract: A method and associated systems for automatically identifying a risk that a staffing resource identified by a proposed project-staffing plan will be unavailable. A computerized project-management tool, in response to receiving a proposed project plan, requests, receives, and aggregates information about other past, present, and expected projects and about expected supplies of, and competing demands for, staffing resources required by the proposed plan. The tool infers patterns, business rules, and trends from the received information, with which it adjusts the proposed project's planned start date, expected availabilities of required staffing resources, and expected competition for staffing resources. The tool then determines a likelihood that a sufficient supply of each of the plan's required staffing resources, as adjusted, will be available at the required times, as adjusted. If the risk is too high, the user may fine-tune the proposed plan by repeating the preceding steps with varying project parameters.

Abstract: A model and method for channel-based workforce sourcing is provided. In one aspect, a computer model is populated to create a baseline capacity, including a current number of resources in each of a plurality of skill, sets for each of a plurality of available channels. The computer model is also populated with one or more modulators that affect business-defined values. A desired channel mix, for example, for a given time period may also be recommended and specified in the model. The model is validated and updated with additional or new information. The model and method then automatically generates a starting headcount based on the baseline capacity and ending headcount based on the one or more modulators. The model and method may also generate a targeted plan over a given period for achieving the ending headcount from the starting headcount according to desired channel mix.