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
Resource leveling can not be implemented in this scenario, since the water installation event company and the Glasgow event have a fixed deadline. Therefore, Implementing the resource leveling will alter it entirely
Paul-Okonko Chiamaka
Cohort 7, Team 9
The MTD, the water installation event company and the Glasgow event are all into projects with specific deadline that cannot be adjusted or rescheduled.
So in this case it won’t be ideal using the resource levelling approach since the resource levelling will change the project deadline thereby making the events not to hold on the specified date initially fixed.
MTD should adopt the Resource Smoothing because the project is time sensitive with strict deadline. Its a live event. Though this option may push their overhead cost a little deadline will be met and customer will be satisfied
Applying resources leveling is okay here since it only affects time no cost
Applying resources leveling is okay here since it only affects time not cost
Resource leveling can be apply in the MTD water installation project. This involves balancing the workload on individual resources in order to access resource performance with their capability. While resource smoothing should be applicable to the Glasgow project because it is towards an event which already has a fixed date and can not be moved.
Resource leveling will not be the best choice, in my estimation, based off the modus operandi of MTD Events Water Supply company , even though cost of resources will have increase.
The projects MTD provides water for are events ,typically they are usually sporting events that have set completion deadlines/dates with little to no flexibility, . The reputation of MTD as well as the clients and other stakeholders could suffer if the resource leveling strategy were used in this situation, because it would prolong the timing.
Because resource smoothing emphasizes time-limited scheduling while maintaining the end date, I think it is the best choice.
Resource leveling would not be the ideal way to deal in these two projects unless an extended deadline will still provide that same quality and will not affect the clients and their consumers I.e if the said deadline is not the exact deadline for the project
Resource levelling is not the best for MTD because it involves balancing the workloads on resources, they do this by shifting the scheduling of project activities within their available floats, that is how flexible a deadline is and to what extent an activity can be rescheduled.
As a PM I will recommend resource smoothing because it has an alternative way of dealing with resource overload. it focuses on preserving the planned project duration and its deadlines by applying strategies like adding new resources to the project and using overtime
CATHERINE OKEH
COHORT 7, TEAM 2.
Resources smoothing will be the best option for the MTD project to complete the project at the deadline date, although it will increase the cost, time management is very important and quality assurance.
Since the goal of resource levelling is to achieve a more realistic and manageable schedule that optimizes resource utilization while maintaining project objectives, adopting this approach will be feasible.
Using the MTD water project as case study, it is my opinion that resource levelling will not be the right option.
The projects MTD handle usually have specific end dates with little or no room for rescheduling. Using the resource levelling approach in this case could be disastrous for not just the clients and other stakeholders but also for MTD’s reputation.
I believe resource smoothing is the best option because of its focus on time limited scheduling while holding the end date.