Request a resource rather than assigning one outright
A project manager who assigns a person directly does not see their other projects. By requesting a resource from the team lead, they get an answer based on actual workload.
Team lead's answer
capacity 35 h
In many organizations, project managers assign people to their tasks themselves. It is quick. But they only see their own project, and find out too late that the person they chose was already busy elsewhere.
Assigning outright creates overloads
Martin is already at 41 hours in week 46. If a project manager adds work for him that same week without knowing it, the overload gets worse, and nobody decided it.
Request rather than assign
A resource request reverses the flow. The project manager describes the need: 6 hours of reassembly, in week 48. The team lead, who sees everyone's workload across all projects, chooses who can do it.
In our example, they propose Martin: in week 48, he is at only 26 hours. With the request, he goes to 32 hours, within his 35-hour capacity. The request is accepted with full knowledge of the facts.
Each to their role
- the project manager expresses a need: what, how much, when;
- the team lead decides who, seeing the actual workload;
- refusals or counter-proposals happen before the overload, not after.