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.
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A combination of the two will be perfect. You apply each method when it’s needed
A combination of the two will be perfect. You apply each method when it’s needed
Yes, application of a resource levelling approach is very possible and sometimes can be the only optimal option in mitigating the damage, unplanned problems and issues can cause in the execution of a water installation to any sort of event.
Scenarios like
1. Bad water supply, lack of sufficient information by the sponsor e.g. water volume, space, no of people, toilets to supply.
2. Insufficient water tankers to supply water
3. Insufficient knowledge of the layout of the event.
4. Insufficient time to inspect the project layout, functionality of machines or valves.
5. Insufficient equipment or machines to cater for the entire project.
6. Delay in sponsors trying to get the standard equipments to be used for installation.
All these can affect the successful execution of a project, thats why resource levelling to serve as a backchannel to the project to correct flaws and errors keeping in mind the impact on the project deadline. Better to be safe than sorry.
Resource levelling could work for the Glasgow event project. By rescheduling activities, we can balance resource workload without adding new resources. This might require some schedule adjustments, but it could prevent resource overload and ensure a smoother delivery.
For MTD, resource smoothing works as it helps them meet their deadlines, it allows MTD to maintain original project deadlines even though project costs will increase, with these stakeholders and investor will not be lost.
JESUDIMU OPEYEMI
COHORT 16
TEAM 5
In this situation, resource leveling is the best option to address MTD because the project’s cost is being impacted by the deadline. When dealing with the Glasgow event, which has a specific start and end date, it is best to use resource smoothing to ensure the deadline is met.
from my own perspective, adopting resource smoothing is better inorder to meet up with the deadline
For MTD resource levelling is not advisable but resource smoothing can work
Resource levelling its not advisable as an option to use by MTD in the case of Glasgow event which its an event that has a set time for starting. Resource levelling seeks to use same available resource by not altering the resource capacity rather emphasizes on rescheduling which will result in extending the project completion time. Rather resources smoothing its better for MTD for the Glasgow event.
For MTD, resource levelling would not be ideal since it would ve to utter its deadline