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
Module 5 Lesson 17
Balancing Workloads:
Resource leveling involves smoothing out the peaks and troughs in resource demand throughout the project timeline. For MTD, this means distributing labor, equipment, and materials in a way that avoids resource bottlenecks or overloads. By balancing workloads, MTD can ensure a consistent and sustainable pace throughout the project.
Optimizing Resource Efficiency:
Effective resource leveling allows MTD to optimize the utilization of available resources. This includes personnel with specialized skills, equipment, and raw materials. By aligning resource deployment with project requirements, MTD can minimize idle time and maximize the efficiency of its workforce and assets.
Enhancing Risk Management:
Resource leveling serves as a risk mitigation strategy. By avoiding resource peaks that could lead to burnout or delays, MTD can enhance its capacity to manage unexpected challenges. This ensures a more resilient project timeline, reducing the vulnerability to disruptions caused by external factors.
John Mawulolo Amegatse
cohort 13, team 8
Module 5 lesson 17
Leveling of Resources. Discussion.
Workload Balancing:
Resource leveling entails reducing the highs and lows in resource demand over the course of a project. This entails allocating workers, tools, and supplies so as to prevent overloads or bottlenecks in the resources.
MTD can maintain a steady and sustainable pace for the duration of the project by distributing the workload evenly.
Maximizing Resource Efficiency:
MTD is able to maximize the use of resources that are accessible thanks to efficient resource leveling. This covers raw materials, equipment, and employees with specific training. MTD can optimize its personnel and asset efficiency and reduce idle time by coordinating resource deployment with project requirements.
Improving Risk Management:
One way to reduce risk is through resource leveling. By steering clear of resource peaks that might cause burnout or delays, MTD can improve its ability to handle unforeseen difficulties.
By doing this, a more robust project timeline is ensured, making it less susceptible to disruptions from outside sources.
In order to Avoid missing deadline ..recourse smoothing will be a better option to take on MTD
For the MTD,resource smoothing is the better alternative because MTD strict with adherence to project deadlines.
Due to time constraints, resource smoothing will be a more feasible approach than resource levelling in the MTD events, because there’s already a fixed timeline which may have been communicated to end users. Rescheduling the time may have a greater negative impact to the project than increasing cost, due to the project being a time sensitive one.
Module 5 Lesson 17
Balancing Workloads:
Resource leveling involves smoothing out the peaks and troughs in resource demand throughout the project timeline. For MTD, this means distributing labor, equipment, and materials in a way that avoids resource bottlenecks or overloads. By balancing workloads, MTD can ensure a consistent and sustainable pace throughout the project.
Optimizing Resource Efficiency:
Effective resource leveling allows MTD to optimize the utilization of available resources. This includes personnel with specialized skills, equipment, and raw materials. By aligning resource deployment with project requirements, MTD can minimize idle time and maximize the efficiency of its workforce and assets.
Enhancing Risk Management:
Resource leveling serves as a risk mitigation strategy. By avoiding resource peaks that could lead to burnout or delays, MTD can enhance its capacity to manage unexpected challenges. This ensures a more resilient project timeline, reducing the vulnerability to disruptions caused by external factors.
Resource leveling involves rescheduling activities within the constraints of existing resource capacities to avoid peaks and troughs in resource utilization. In the provided scenario, if there are fluctuations in resource availability or if certain resources are over-allocated during specific periods of the project, resource leveling could be a viable strategy to balance resource demand across the project timeline.
I think a resource smoothing would be a better alternative rather than a resource levelling. This is because the event date have already been fixed and a change in end date could have a far more reaching devasting outcome.
My thought is that resource smoothing is a good alternative
For a company like MTD and the nature of events that it holds Versus its reputation over time in delivering quality projects on time, resource levelling would mean adjusting schedules of its clients. In most cases the nature of their business (events) are fixed and time bound. Resource smoothing would be a better alternative incase their under planning of their resource.