Generic resource

A generic resource is a stand-in for a role that a project needs but no specific person has been assigned to yet. Instead of a named individual, the slot is described by trade, skill or seniority, for example "senior 3D artist" or "intermediate copywriter." Generic resources let planners express project demand at the point in time when scope is known but staffing is not.

The most common use is bidding and roadmap work. A studio scoping a new game can list the trades and quantities needed for each milestone using generic resources, then later swap them for named people as the project gets confirmed and individuals come off other work. The same pattern supports hiring decisions, since unfilled generic demand across the portfolio shows where the next hires will pay off.

Related: demand forecasting, tentative project, capacity gap. See also the Float comparison for how scheduling tools handle this differently.