Part Five : Resource Optimization
Resource Leveling and Resource
Smoothing
• It rarely happens that you have all resources
as per your schedule to complete the project.
Even if you have them, during project
execution any risk can take away that freedom
and you will have to manage with fewer
resources.
• Even when you have all the necessary
resources, as a project manager it is your
responsibility to use resources efficiently and
save costs for the company.
Resource leveling
• Resource leveling is the practice of adjusting a
project’s start and end dates to accommodate
for limited resources.
• Resource smoothing, meanwhile, entails
adjusting the project’s activities to ensure
work is completed according to existing
timelines.
A Real World Example
• Let’s say you are developing a schedule for a project,
which is to construct a two-story building. To construct
the first floor you have enough scaffolding but for the
second floor, you need extra scaffolding.
• So you look within your organization and find that you
can arrange extra scaffolding from another project, but
one week later than what you require.
• So, you delay construction activities on the second
floor by one week.
• This is an example of resource leveling where you
extend the schedule to get the resource.
Resource leveling is used when
• A critical resource may not be available for a
certain duration;
• A critical resource may not be available at a
certain point of time;
• You have to share a resource with another
project;
• The demand for a resource exceeds the
supply.
Advantages of resource leveling
• AVOID OVER-UTILIZING RESOURCES
• Resource leveling can also reduce the risk of
over-utilization. Once again, consider labor as
a resource. Over-utilizing your workers (i.e. by
expecting them to work faster than
reasonable) will reduce the quality of their
output.
• It could also jeopardize safety and lead to
burnout.
• ACCOMMODATE RESOURCE SHORTAGES
• Acquiring additional resources to complete a
construction project within the allocated
timeframe isn’t always possible.
• Construction’s labor shortage is a perfect
example of this; there simply aren’t enough
qualified workers to complete projects as
efficiently as many professionals might hope.
Resource smoothing
• You use resource smoothing when you have to
optimize the resources and you cannot extend
the schedule.
• Since you cannot extend the schedule, the
project completion date and the critical path
will stay the same. Here the activities cannot
be delayed more than their total and free
float.
• In resource smoothing, you must be careful to
avoid any delay in activity as it may affect your
critical path.
• Time is the main constraint here. You have a fixed
schedule and are asked to optimize resources.
• Resource smoothing is also known as time
constrained scheduling (TCS). The project end
date cannot be changed, and you have to
optimize resources within the float.
A Real World Example
• Let’s say you want to apply for the PMP exam and have
allocated 60 hours to study in three months. This
translates to 20 hours per month.
• However, while scheduling the date for the exam you
find that the only available appointment is in four
months. Now you have to distribute these 60 hours
throughout four months, meaning 15 hours per month.
• This is an example of resource smoothing. Since you
have enough time, there is no need to use all 60 hours
in three months. You can ease the burden of these
three months and use the fourth month as well.
Advantages of resource smoothing
• POTENTIALLY INCREASED CLIENT SATISFACTION
• When choosing between resource leveling or
resource smoothing, client satisfaction will be
an inevitable consideration.
Difference Between Resource Leveling
and Resource Smoothing
• In resource leveling the project end date may change while in
smoothing it does not change.
• In resource leveling the critical path changes (generally
increases) while in resource smoothing it does not, and
activities can be delayed within their float.
• Generally resource smoothing is usually performed after the
resource leveling.
• In resource leveling resources are the main constraint while in
resource smoothing project end date is a constraint.
• Resource leveling is used when resources are under or over
allocated. Resource smoothing is used when resources are
unevenly allocated.
• Resource leveling can be applied to activities on the critical
path while in resource smoothing you do not touch activities
on the critical path.
Similarities Between Resource Leveling
and Resource Smoothing
• The following are a few similarities between
these two techniques:
• They both help you optimize resource
utilization
• They both help you in scheduling network
analysis
Quiz 10%
1.What is the difference Between Resource
Leveling and Resource Smoothing(5point)
2. When dose Resource leveling is used(3point)
3. When dose Resource smoothingused (2point)