How do resource smoothing and resource leveling differ from each other?
Resource smoothing aims to maintain original project deadlines while increasing project costs. On the other hand, resource leveling does not alter the existing resource capacity but instead emphasizes rescheduling, which may have an impact on project deadlines.
The accompanying diagram, sourced from the APM Body of Knowledge, provides a comparison between the two approaches.
Resource levelling and smoothing options (APM, 2019, p. 179)
© Association for Project Management (APM) (2019) APM Body of Knowledge (7th edn), Princes Risborough: APM.
At a more significant level of impact, certain projects undergo more than just rescheduling or resource allocation adjustments. They may undergo a reevaluation of their project scope by the project sponsor. This involves a broader analysis of the entire project and requires reconsideration of how time, cost, and quality interact within the project.
A prime example is the review of large-scale infrastructure projects like railways. Such projects often undergo rescaling due to increased costs, resulting in significant deviations from the original plans. The consequences of these revisions can affect the client and a wider range of stakeholders and may even result in the loss of subsequent work opportunities (Kerzner, 2009, p. 529).
Now, let’s consider MTD, the water installation events company, and the Glasgow event that you have been following in the course videos thus far. When examining the provided figure, do you think it would be feasible to implement a resource leveling approach in this scenario?
Share your thoughts and join the discussion below.
© The Open University
Yes, it may be possible to use resource leveling in this situation, but it will depend on the time available for the project. Resource leveling can help spread the workload and avoid overusing people or equipment. However, if the event has a strict deadline, it may be difficult to adjust the schedule too much. Therefore, the project team would need to balance the available resources with the time constraints to make it work.
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Because MTD projects usually have a fixed deadline, resource levelling will not be a good option. A rescheduling of the project timeline may mean a failure of the project as the event has to go on and cannot be rescheduled easily. But in a situation where the issue is communicated to the project sponsor and stakeholders early, resource levelling could work if the project is one that its deadline could be adjusted easily.