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.
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Resource smoothing seems to be the best approach
For the MTD water project applying resource smoothing is the best because it will focus on meeting or allocating more resources to projects to ensure that the preserved planned deadline is kept
If resources leveling is applied the team will experience set backs which will make them not to meet up with the deadline
Resource leveling involves adjusting the start and finish dates of project activities based on the availability of internal and external resources. The goal is to ensure that a project can be completed using the available resources while adhering to time, cost, and scope constraints.
For the MTD, the water installation events company, and the Glasgow event If the goal is to keep the current project deadline, more resources may need to be available. If the goal is to run the project with currently available resources, the project deadline may be extended. This is to ensure the quality of the project output.
Applying a resource leveling approach to the MTD water installation events company in Glasgow would involve smoothing out resource allocation to avoid peaks and troughs in resource usage. It could be feasible depending on factors like the availability of skilled labor, equipment, and the project’s timeline. Utilizing the APM Body of Knowledge can provide valuable insights and guidelines for implementing such approaches effectively.
Williamson
Cohort13
Resource-leveling is a project management technique that aims to smooth out the workload of resources (e.g., people, equipment) over time. In a water installation events company (MTD)
, resources like personnel, equipment, and vehicles are typically busy during peak seasons and less busy during off-seasons. Applying resource-leveling techniques could help balance the workload and prevent overloading or underutilizing resources, ensuring a more efficient and sustainable operation.
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.
On the case of the MTD and Glasgow event, Resource leveling will not help in the case where the deadline of the project must be strongly adhered to. Resource smoothing should be employed here, and where Resource leveling is adopted considering the quality of the contaminated water, proper negotiations with the sponsors and the stakeholders must be taken. However resources and cost must be incurred as the deadline is rescheduled.
In the case of MTD, the issue of contamination, it would be an issue of assessing the effects on cost and time , should any of the approaches be used. If resource smoothing is adopted, then it would mean that maybe getting a new contractor. The deadlines maybe slightly affected, but cost maybe affected considerably.
If resource leveling is to be applied, it would be an issue of reallocating tasks among the engineer or reworking on some processes . This may as well affect deadlines and possibly time trying to evaluate possible strategies to mitigate risk at hand. Either way, the effect must be evaluated to find out what is more suitable given the circumstances.
Looking at the figure provided, 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.
However the challenge of MTD with the Glasgow event concerning the water quality and a contaminated source had a deadline to be met.
So, applying a resource levelling approach would mean that, MTD would either delay the activities of Glasgow event in order to make use of its available resources by rescheduling its resources or start the activities on time but would extend its duration over more days.
Whichever of this decisions is made, it will impact on the project deadline and costs. This implies that the scope of the project itself should be reviewed.
Therefore, it would be better if MTD apply resource smoothing approach by substituting current resources with a new one. This way, project deadline is met, quality issues is resolved but cost is affected which will be analysed in the earned value.
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.
Resources are the key physical tools needed to execute projects. it could be materials or human. these are often planned alongside other elements during project planning. However, there are tendencies that in the course of project execution the PM may fall short of these resources. At this point, the available resources can either be levelled or smoothed to meet up with the project objectives. These are not without implications, though.
While resource levelling majorly impacts the project timeline and cost, resource smoothing may affect the project cost only while the timeline remains undisrupted.
From the MTD videos seen, the Glasgow event seems to have a fixed deadline, and in this case, resource leveling doesn’t look feasible because it has to do with rescheduling. Except the stakeholders involved, from both ends (MTD and Glasgow stakeholders), come to a compromise, which may also place resource smoothing as an option.
Project Resource Management:
Resources are the key physical tools needed to execute projects. it could be materials or human. these are often planned alongside other elements during project planning. However, there are tendencies that in the course of project execution the PM may fall short of these resources. At this point, the available resources can either be levelled or smoothed to meet up with the project objectives. These are not without implications, though.
While resource levelling majorly impacts the project timeline and cost, resource smoothing may affect the project cost only while the timeline remains undisrupted.
With respect to the MTD water project, it must be noted that the project has a definite deadline for which it must be completed so that the event can commence (simultaneous task you may want to call it). To this end, it will be difficult for the PM to apply the resource levelling technique. using this approach will affect the project timeline which will invariable affect the event’s schedule also. The most viable option available to the PM is the resource smoothing technique by hiring additional resources. This must first be discussed with the project sponsors. For as much as the sponsors approved the proposal, and willing to bear the added cost, the PM is good to go.
Regards.