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
Since deadline has been fixed,
Resource smoothing will be a good options because it preserves planned deadlines even if it would result in increased cost unlike the resource levelling which will not meet up deadlines
Resource smoothing is all about preserving planned deadlines but increasing project cost, this should be applicable to the MTD project in Glasgow. The event in question has been scheduled to go life in 3days, so invoking the resource levelling wouldn’t have feasible and they would have gone past the initial planned deadline. Using the resource smoothing method is the best approach since there is a build in redundancy in the project cost for such occurance in anticipation of any setback.
Seeing that resource levelling unlike resource smoothing doesn’t change the capacity but focuses instead on rescheduling, with a possible impact on the project deadline. In the case of MTD, the event (project deadline) had already been fixed, so applying resource levelling wont be feasible as it will have adverse effect on the time already been mapped out for the event. Resource smoothing will be a better option as it preserves planned deadlines even if it would result in increased cost.
The best approach as a Pm is resource smoothing as a change in cost does not matter but meeting dead line does.
Well I think it would be challenging to employ Resource levelling at that event for MTD this is because I believe the project schedule is clear and the main sport event cannot be postponed due to MTD’s inability to meet deadline.
The best course of action for MTD to take in order to reduce serious impact of the project will be to use Resource Smoothing to get the project to completion within the stipulated time even though it will cost the sponsors more money but the main aim which is to support the sport event would have been achieved.
Resource levelling wouldn’t have been a good idea for the MTD company because it would have altered the project deadline. The Glasgow event was already close at hand and rescheduling an international sport event would increase costs with negative impact on all stakeholders.
This was why MTD opted for resourse smoothing as they added new resourses to the project for contingency provision of more water till the end of the sport event.
Resource levelling would have worked for MTD at the Glasgow event, due to the closeness to the project deadline (3 days to the event starting). It would have been easier to reschedule the the project activities (more expensive) but would not affect the project delivery date. In addition, resource smoothing wouldn’t have been the best option it there was neither enough time to increase capacity nor shift the project delivery date.
To ensure the planned event is not impacted, it is advisable that MTD employs Resource Smoothing. This involves prioritizing critical activities and de-prioritizing non-critical ones to optimize available resources and deliver the project as originally planned since the date of the event has already been fixed. Additional resources can be added or a few hours of overtime can be considered, although this may increase costs.
resource smoothing aims at meeting deadline but increasing cost which is the best
Though meeting deadlines sometimes can be very tasking and stressful, but timely delivery promotes trust and reliability it also meet needs at the appropraite time. I will rather chose smoothing for MTD. Resource leveling can be considered only if all options of resource smoothing fails.