Resource allocation and leveling
Resource levelling
Resource levelling is a project management
technique used to examine unbalanced use of
resources (usually people or equipment) over
time, and for resolving over-allocations or
conflicts.
Resource levelling
Two Main approaches of Resource Levelling:
 Time-constrained approach – In this case
importance will be given on completing the
project within a specified (imposed) date
 Resource-constrained approach – In this
approach, the project must be completed with
limited available resources even if this means
extending the project duration.
Resource levelling
Two ways of levelling :
 By delaying a task until the assigned resource has time
to work on it.
 By splitting a task so that part of a task is done when
planned and the rest of it is done later when the
assigned resource has time
Day
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Task A
3
3
3
3
3
Task B
1
1
1
1
1
Task D
1
1
1
Task E
3
7
8
3
3
Task C
Light color – delay, because task wait for needed resource
Dark color – Task during work
Day
1
2
3
Task A
3
3
3
Task B
Task C
1
1
4
5
3
3
1
1
6
1
Task D
Task E
1
3
Light color – delay, because task wait for needed resource
Dark color – Task during work
Resource allocation
Resource allocation is used to assign the available resources
in an economic way. It is the scheduling of activities and the
resources required by those activities while taking into
consideration both the resource availability and the project
time.
The strategic planning in resource allocation:
• basic allocation decision
• contingency mechanisms
• priority ranking of items excluded from the plan
(more resources available = items to fund)
• priority ranking of some items included in the plan
(total funding must be reduced = sacrificed items)
Steps to make resource decisions in a rational way:
• Identify/design alternatives
• Identify and structure the organization’s goals and
objectives
• Prioritize the objectives and sub-objectives
• Measure each alternative’s contribution to each of the
lowest level sub-objectives
• Find the best combination of alternatives, subject to
environmental and organizational constraint
References
http://www.sciencedownload.net/demodownload/chapter8.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resource_allocation
http://www.brighthub.com/office/project-management/articles/14644.aspx
http://hubpages.com/hub/RESOURCE-MANAGEMENT---LOADING--LEVELING
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resource_leveling
https://courses.worldcampus.psu.edu/welcome/pmangt/samplecontent/520lesson08
/lesson08_07.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtBvc4duvDY
Samuel J. Mantel Jr, Jack R. Meredith, Scott M. Shafer, Margaret M. Sutton, 2005.
Project Management in Practice, second edition
Timothy J. Kloppenborg, 2009, Project Management: A Conteporary Approach