Virtual Resources in Project Management

PMBOK v8 Definition

Virtual resources refer to any resource that is not a person. These resources may include equipment, materials, supplies, facilities, infrastructure, software, testing environments, licenses, services, and anything else needed for successful and efficient project completion. Organizations should have processes for obtaining the team, physical, or virtual resources necessary to complete project work, based on the activity list.

Why It Matters for the Exam

This concept appears frequently in PMI exam questions testing your understanding of resource planning and acquisition, particularly in scenarios involving constraints or substitutions. You will see it in situational questions where the project manager must identify alternative resources when planned resources are unavailable due to economic factors or assignment to other projects.

Key Points to Remember (for the exam)

• Definition: Virtual resources = everything that is NOT a person (equipment, materials, supplies, facilities, infrastructure, software, testing environments, licenses, services)
• Main Process: Acquire Resources (part of the Resources Performance Domain)
• Critical Rule: Alternative resources are allowed if risks are acknowledged and legal, regulatory, mandatory, or other specific criteria are not violated
• Common Confusion: Virtual resources are NOT the same as virtual teams—virtual teams involve people working remotely, while virtual resources are non-human assets
• Key Constraint: Insufficient resources or capabilities decrease the probability of success and could result in project cancellation
• Resource Management Plan: Describes how project resources are acquired, allocated, monitored, and controlled
• Resource Calendars: Identify when team and physical or virtual resources will be available (activity or project level, including attributes like experience, skill level, and geographical location)

Typical PMI Exam Example

A project requires specialized testing software for quality validation. Due to budget cuts, the original software license cannot be procured. The project manager identifies an open-source alternative with similar capabilities, documents the risk of using it, and confirms it does not violate regulatory requirements. This is an example of assigning alternative virtual resources.

PMI Exam Traps

• Trap: Confusing virtual resources with virtual teams Reality: Virtual resources are non-human (software, equipment, licenses); virtual teams are distributed people working remotely

• Trap: Assuming alternative resources are never allowed Reality: Alternative resources ARE permitted if risks are acknowledged and legal/regulatory criteria are not violated

• Trap: Thinking virtual resources only means software Reality: Virtual resources include equipment, materials, supplies, facilities, infrastructure, testing environments, licenses, services, and anything else non-human

• Trap: Believing resource constraints only affect schedule Reality: Insufficient resources or capabilities decrease probability of success and can lead to project cancellation

Important PMI Connections

Quick Review Questions

1. Which of the following would be classified as a virtual resource: a senior developer, a software license, a conference room, or a supplier contract?

2. When planned virtual resources are unavailable due to economic factors, what must the project manager do before assigning alternative resources?

3. What document describes how virtual resources are acquired, allocated, monitored, and controlled?

4. What is the difference between virtual resources and virtual teams in the PMBOK v8 framework?

5. What are the potential consequences of insufficient virtual resources for a project?

PMBOK v8 Reference

Section 2 – Project Management Performance Domains (Resources Performance Domain, pages 79-83)