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
In the case of MTD water project, resources levelling is not recommended because using resources levelling means they have to work within the available resources in other to achieve best result which may in turn extend the period of deliverable
On the other hand, i recommend resources smoothing because it enables them to incure additional cost to fast-track the progress of the project which enable them to deliver the best results at the expected timeline
Because I have to consider quality, time, and cost in order to fulfill the project’s deadline, I will advocate the resource smoothing strategy as a project manager. Although resource smoothing may increase the project’s cost, my clients will feel better at ease knowing that I won’t accept any redundancy at all during the project. When I know the correct kind of quality for the project, as the MTD projects require, resource smoothing will allow me to maintain deadlines.
Although project deadline rescheduling is the goal of resource levelling, MTD cannot perform it because it does not modify the project’s present capacity.
Rearranging activities without altering the resource capacity may cause project deadlines to slip if MTD is experiencing resource constraints and is unable to devote more resources to the project. If there are definite deadline or commitments to stakeholders, this could be a problem.
Resource smoothing may be a better MTD strategy in this situation. Maintaining scheduled deadlines while accounting for increased project expenses is the main goal of resource smoothing. To prevent resource overloads, it entails regulating the timing and length of tasks within predefined bounds. MTD could ensure that the workload is dispersed more evenly over time without going over the available resource capacity by smoothing out the resource requirements.
Resource smoothing focuses on preserving planned deadlines but increasing project costs; resource levelling does not change the current capacity but focuses instead on rescheduling, with a possible impact on project deadlines.
it is possible to apply a resource leveling approach to ensure efficient allocation of resources, prevent bottlenecks, and optimize project timelines. By carefully managing the availability of resources and adjusting the project schedule as needed, the company can enhance its project execution process and improve overall project outcomes.
If MTD is facing resource constraints and is unable to allocate additional resources to the project, rescheduling tasks without changing the resource capacity may lead to delays in project deadlines. This could be problematic, especially if there are fixed event dates or commitments to stakeholders.
In such a scenario, resource smoothing might be a more suitable approach for MTD. Resource smoothing focuses on preserving planned deadlines while allowing for increased project costs. It involves adjusting the timing and duration of tasks within certain limits to avoid resource overloads. By smoothing out the resource requirements, MTD could ensure that the workload is distributed more evenly over time without exceeding the existing resource capacity.
Precisely
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.
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
I don’t think it would be feasible to implement a resource leveling approach in this scenario.
In the context of the MTD water project, as Project manager resource smoothing will play a significant role in maintaining perfect project delivery with great quality. Resource smoothing can help us as a team to ensure successful project delivery with high quality in the following ways:
1. Efficient Resource Allocation: Resource smoothing ensures that the project team’s workload is evenly distributed over time, preventing situations where some team members are overburdened while others have little to do. This efficient allocation of resources allows team members to focus on their tasks and deliver quality work without feeling overwhelmed.
2. Minimize Bottlenecks: By smoothing resources, the project manager can identify potential bottlenecks early on and take proactive measures to address them. Bottlenecks can lead to delays and compromised quality, but with resource smoothing, resources can be reallocated to alleviate bottlenecks and keep the project on track.
3. Enhanced Team Morale: Maintaining a balanced workload improves team morale and reduces stress levels. When team members are not under excessive pressure due to uneven workloads, they are more likely to stay motivated and perform at their best, contributing to the overall quality of the project.
4. Effective Risk Management: Resource smoothing can help mitigate risks associated with resource constraints. By leveling the workload, the project manager can identify potential risks related to resource availability in advance and take proactive steps to manage them, thereby reducing the impact on project delivery and quality.
5. Focus on Quality Assurance: With a more predictable and balanced project schedule, there is greater scope for the project team to focus on quality assurance activities. This includes conducting thorough reviews, testing, and other quality checks to ensure that the deliverables meet the required standards.
6. Improved Stakeholder Communication: Resource smoothing allows the project manager to provide stakeholders with more accurate and reliable project timelines. This promotes better communication and expectation management, which are essential for maintaining stakeholder satisfaction and support throughout the project.
7. Flexibility for Unforeseen Changes: Projects often encounter unexpected events that require adjustments to the schedule. Smoothing resources provides flexibility to accommodate these changes without causing major disruptions to the project timeline or compromising quality.
Unarguably, resource smoothing can help us maintain perfect project delivery with great quality by ensuring efficient resource allocation, minimizing bottlenecks, enhancing team morale, supporting effective risk management, enabling a focus on quality assurance, improving stakeholder communication, and providing flexibility for unforeseen changes. It optimizes resource utilization and promotes a balanced and well-managed project environment conducive to successful project outcomes.
So for MTD, Resource leveling will not work. There is already a planned target time for the events to hold. So only resource smoothing that will work. For example, when there is water contamination from the source, they will need to make plans for alternative water supply, which will be additional cost. The goal is to ensure deadline is met.