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 levelling may not be feasible for MTD project in their events in cases of Coordination Complexity: In water installation, many tasks depend on the availability of both specialized equipment and skilled labor. With fixed dependencies, resources must be precisely aligned to complete interdependent tasks. Resource leveling might necessitate juggling the availability of critical resources in a narrow timeframe, increasing complexity and risk of misalignment.
Resource levelling will not be feasible for MTD project because their events are fixed and resource levelling will involve reschedule of date.
It will be difficult to apply resource levelling method to the MTD and Glasgow projects, seeing that most of their events are fixed and the idea of moving the scheduled end date will be seemingly impossible.
For MTD company, I believe that resource levelling in projects is a technique that involves resolving overallocation or scheduling conflicts to ensure a project can be completed with the available resources. Resources include the time, materials, or tools needed to complete a project.
Although the manager in some of the videos I watched explained some of their challenges as one that can lead to contingencies not budgeted in the overall cost & resources for the project. This at times, may lead to their client to release extra funds for purchase of new resources needed as an emergency to accomplish the project goals and objectives.
Implementing resource leveling for MTD’s water installation at the Glasgow event isn’t feasible, as it would require shifting the project deadline—which is already set by the event schedule. Instead, a resource smoothing approach would be more suitable. By adding resources, we can stay on track to meet the fixed deadline, even if it means adjusting the budget slightly. This way, we keep the project on schedule without impacting the overall timeline.
Resource levelling ·does not change the current capacity but focuses on rescheduling, with a possible impact on project deadlines.
considering the MTD water installation events company and Glasgow event it will not be feasible to implement resources levelling approach because it will delay the project deadline
Resource smoothing focuses on preserving planned deadlines but increasing project costs; resource leveling does not change the current capacity but focuses instead on rescheduling, with a possible impact on project deadlines.
Considering the above information, it will not be feasible to implement on the MTD and Gaslow projects as both projects are time-based, and using resource leveling will increase the cost on the project due to rescheduling.
It will be difficult to apply resource levelling method to the MTD and Glasgow projects, seeing that most of their events are fixed and the idea of moving the scheduled end date will be seemingly impossible.
In MTD, the water installation events company, and the Glasgow event, it would not be feasible to implement a resource leveling approach in this scenario. This is because the deadline isn’t just for MTD but also for Glasgow event, therefore it can’t be changed. Instead, resource smoothing can be applied in this scenario whereby there would be increase in cost and change of budget to hasten the project in order to still meet up with the deadline and end project successfully.
Events that require urgency like in the case of the MTD company and Glasgow can not implement the resource levelling or resource limited scheduling as they are time conscious and extending the time could incur loss of money.