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 would be possible to apply a resource levelling approach to the Glasgow event
for MTD. Resource levelling is a project management technique that helps to smooth
out resource demand over time. This can be done by delaying start times, extending
the project’s planned duration, removing tasks with the least value, allocating additional
resources, splitting tasks up between resources, or assigning alternative resources.
In the case of the Glasgow event, there are a few areas where resource levelling could
be applied. For example, the task of “Dig trenches” has a high resource demand in the
first week of the project. This could be leveled out by delaying the start of this task by a
few days or by allocating additional resources to it. The task of “Install pipes” also has a
high resource demand in the second week of the project. This could be leveled out by
extending the planned duration of this task by a few days or by splitting it up between
two resources.
Resource levelling can be a helpful way to ensure that a project’s resources are used
efficiently and effectively. It can also help to avoid over-committing resources and to
prevent project delays.
Here are some specific examples of how resource levelling could be applied to the
Glasgow event:
● Delay the start of the “Dig trenches” task by a few days.
● Allocate additional resources to the “Dig trenches” task.
● Extend the planned duration of the “Install pipes” task by a few days.
● Split the “Install pipes” task up between two resources.
● Remove the “Lay concrete” task, as it is not essential to the project.
● Assign alternative resources to the “Test pipes” task.
By applying these resource levelling techniques, MTD could ensure that the Glasgow
event is completed on time and within budget.
The MTD project has a fixed time frame.. A specific period within which to deliver the service promised. In the instance of a glitch or unforseen issues, resource levelling will not be the best approach as it means the water company will not be able to deliver at the agreed time. It’s best to put in more resources yet maintain the company’s integrity by delivering at the agreed time. So resource smoothing will be the best bet in this scenario.
The difference between resource leveling vs smoothing can be broken down to this:
Resource leveling – This is used when scheduling the production of available resources is limited and needs to be used optimally.
Resource smoothing – This is used when time constraints are the biggest factor blocking production. The idea is to finish a project on time while avoiding peaks and dips in.
From the above, On the MTD water project, resource smoothing is the best option for the project because, they will still maintain the deadline to deliver the project and still maintain the quality of the project, which increase in cost is the only thing that changed and they will meet up with the time to deliver the project.
Resource leveling is usually performed before resource smoothing when trying to compress your schedule. That’s why we’re going to look more into resource leveling, starting with the two key elements of this planning tactic.
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Resource leveling vs resource smoothing
If you’re experiencing scheduling issues, you’re going to need to use resource leveling or smoothing to fix the problem. But, how do you use them?
Katana software for resource management.
Last updated: 26.05.2023 6 mins read
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You’re a project manager, and you stand before your production schedule. You realize, with the operations you have scheduled, you can’t finish production within your current chosen timeframe. When problems like this arise, there are two solutions you can adopt to fix the scheduling issues: resource leveling vs smoothing.
Project management techniques that’ll help you compress your schedule, so you can finish your orders without over-burdening your resources.
Before we get started, what are these project management techniques?
Getting more control over your production planning. Even with the perfect resource level plan in place, anything can happen to disrupt those plans. That’s why it’s important to find a tool with production planning with real-time functionalities. Try it for free with the 14-day trial.
What is resource leveling?
Resource leveling overlooks allocating resources and resolving any issues from over or under-allocation of resources for new projects.
What is resource smoothing?
Resource smoothing is a project management tool for optimizing your resources, and adjusting your schedule activities, so resources don’t exceed the pre-defined limits during planning.
Resource smoothing is the tactic of decreasing over-burdened resources to complete production on time.
The difference between resource leveling vs smoothing
The difference between resource leveling vs smoothing can be broken down to this:
Resource leveling – This is used when scheduling the production of available resources is limited and needs to be used optimally.
Resource smoothing – This is used when time constraints are the biggest factor blocking production. The idea is to finish a project on time while avoiding peaks and dips in resource demand.
You can identify the differences by their traits and decide where you should hedge your bets when it comes to resource leveling vs resource smoothing:
Table illustrating the difference between resource leveling and resource smoothing.
Resource leveling is usually performed before resource smoothing when trying to compress your schedule. That’s why we’re going to look more into resource leveling, starting with the two key elements of this planning tactic.
The two key elements of resource leveling
The main objective of leveling is to allocate resources efficiently, so you’re able to finish production within a given period.
When you start your resource leveling, there are two main elements you’ll need to be focusing on.
These two elements of resource leveling are figuring out which projects:
Can be completed by using up all available resources
Can be completed with limited resources.
Resource levelling will not be a good approach to the MTD project. This is due to fixed deadline to commission project
My thoughts is that, it would be feasible to implement a resource leveling approach in the given scenario – considering MTD, the water installation events company, and the Glasgow event that I have been following in the course videos so far. Note that the MTD project is a service provider. Resource leveling is a method of managing resources that considers various factors. It can assist MTD and the water installation events company, distribute resources optimally across different phases and activities in the case of the Glasgow event. Resource smoothing is the best option for the MTD water project because, they will still maintain the deadline to deliver the project and still maintain the quality of the project. Resource leveling considers the project schedule to determine high-demand periods and adjust activities accordingly. It equally helps identify potential bottlenecks and allocates resources appropriately to prevent shortages or overloads. Additionally, resource leveling mitigates resource-related risks, optimizes resource utilization and enhances project efficiency.
The MTD project is to provide a service for a planned event, that should not have be affected by the inability of MTD to deliver. They company will need to apply resource smoothing to meet the deadline, however increasing the cost but making sure that planned even is not impacted by any resource related issues.
Resource leveling is a method of managing resources that considers various factors, including the nature of the event, resource constraints, project schedule, cost efficiency, and project constraints. In the case of the Glasgow event, resource leveling can help MTD, the water installation events company, distribute resources optimally across different phases and activities. By doing so, it ensures that resources are neither overused nor underused. Additionally, resource leveling helps identify potential bottlenecks and allocates resources appropriately to prevent shortages or overloads. It also considers the project schedule to determine high-demand periods and adjust activities accordingly. Cost efficiency is improved by minimizing idle time and overstaffing. Furthermore, resource leveling ensures that necessary resources are available to meet deadlines, client requirements, and regulatory obligations, reducing the risk of delays or compromised quality. However, resource leveling may face challenges due to external factors, unexpected events, or uncertainties in resource availability, requiring careful analysis, monitoring, and flexibility. Overall, applying resource leveling optimizes resource utilization, enhances project efficiency, and mitigates resource-related risks.
Applying a resource leveling approach to the Glasgow event by MTD, the water installation events company, may not be feasible due to the potential need for a revision of project scope. In such cases, where projects undergo significant changes and rescaling, the allocation of resources may require a broader reflection on the overall project’s time, cost, and quality combination.
Resource smoothing is more ideal for the MTD project. Resource smoothing would allow them to reschedule the project when need arises.
Resource smoothing is more ideal to be used by the railway MTD, than resource levelling
The Glasgow event, the water installation events company, and the environment of MTD all need to be taken into account when applying a resource leveling method to resource management. Resource leveling seeks to strike a balance between workload and resource utilization to provide a seamless and effective project execution. Let’s talk about how it applies to this situation:
1. The nature of the event: The Glasgow event is anticipated to include a number of phases and activities, including as the construction, maintenance, and deconstruction of temporary water infrastructure. It’s possible that the resources and effort levels needed for each step vary. Resource leveling can be used by MTD to guarantee that resources are distributed optimally among various stages, avoiding overuse or underuse.
2. Resource Constraints: MTD might only have a limited amount of resources, such as qualified employees, equipment, and and materials. Resource leveling helps identify potential bottlenecks and ensures that resources are allocated appropriately, preventing resource shortages or overloads during critical project phases.
3. Project Schedule: By analyzing the project schedule, MTD can identify periods where resource demand is high and plan resource leveling accordingly. This can involve adjusting the duration of certain activities, redistributing tasks among available resources, or even considering temporary resource reinforcements if required.
4. Cost Efficiency: Resource leveling can contribute to cost efficiency by optimizing resource utilization. It helps minimize idle time or overstaffing, reducing unnecessary expenses associated with resource allocation and management.
5. Project Constraints: MTD may need to consider project constraints such as deadlines, client requirements, and regulatory obligations. Applying resource leveling helps ensure that the necessary resources are available when needed, reducing the risk of project delays or compromised quality.
However, it’s important to note that resource leveling may have limitations or challenges in practice. These can include constraints imposed by external factors, unexpected events, or uncertainties in resource availability. It requires careful analysis, monitoring, and flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances.
Overall, by applying a resource leveling approach, MTD can optimize resource utilization, enhance project efficiency, and mitigate potential resource-related risks during the Glasgow event or similar projects.