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
it will feasible to implement a resource levelling approach
For MTD, applying resource leveling approach is feasible but can be very tricky as this will significantly impact on the project deadline.
For MTD’s event, implementing a resource leveling approach could be a bit tricky but worth considering. Resource leveling is about smoothing out resource usage to avoid peaks and valleys, ensuring no one’s overbooked and work flows steadily.
Given the nature of event planning, where things like venue setup, speaker coordination, and logistics are often time-sensitive and interdependent—a few things might limit feasibility:
Fixed Deadline: Events have a hard end date, making it tough to push tasks back if resources are overloaded.
Inter-dependencies: Many tasks (like tech setup and speaker arrivals) are sequential, leaving little room to shuffle resources without impacting the timeline.
Unpredictability: Last-minute changes (e.g., venue cancellation) could throw off the existing plan.
Having said that, we could still apply parts of resource leveling:
Prioritize critical tasks: We Focus on non-negotiable elements (like venue setup, catering) and adjust less critical ones (like decor) based on resource availability.
Train the team: Build flexibility by having team members handle multiple roles if needed.
how resource smoothing different from resource levelling cus it preserve project deadlines and also focus on increase project cost in order to avoid stress and over waste of material in future
Can you be more specific about the content of your article? After reading it, I still have some doubts. Hope you can help me.
It will be feasible to implement a resource levelling approach