04/02/2019 Resource Leveling vs Resource Smoothing

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It rarely happens that you have all resources as per your schedule to complete the
Di erence Between Push, Pull
project. Even if you have them, during project execution any risk can take away that
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freedom and you will have to manage with fewer resources.
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Even when you have all necessary resources, as a project manager it is your
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responsibility to use resources e ciently and save costs for the company.
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Between Push, Pull and Interac
To achieve these objectives, you use resource optimization techniques. Two such
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resource optimization techniques are as follows:
Dewey on What is the Di erenc

Resource Leveling Between Push, Pull and Interac

Communication?
Resource Smoothing

These techniques allow you to complete the project with minimal obstruction.

Category
Resource Leveling
General
You use resource leveling when you have limited resources and you may extend the
schedule. PMP Exam

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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.

You also use this technique when you must keep some resource usage at a
constant level.

In resource leveling, you are asked to optimize the limited resources given to you.
Here the schedule is not xed.

Resource leveling answers the question of when you will be able to complete the
project with the given resources.

Resource leveling is sometimes called resource constrained scheduling (RCS). If

resources are not available, the project duration may change.

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 rst oor you have enough sca olding but for the
second oor you need extra sca olding.

So you look within your organization and nd that you can arrange extra sca olding
from another project, but one week later than what you require.

So, you delay construction activities on the second oor by one week.

This is an example of resource leveling where you extend the schedule to get the
resource.

Resource Smoothing

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You use resource smoothing when you have to optimize the resources and you
cannot extend the schedule. Home Resource

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 oat.

Using oat in this technique will cause you to lose some exibility from your path;
however, the schedule will be optimized, e cient and cost e ective.

In resource smoothing, you must be careful to avoid any delay in activity as it may
a ect your critical path.

Time is the main constraint here. You have a xed 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
oat.

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 nd 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.

Di erence Between Resource Leveling and Resource

Smoothing

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04/02/2019 Resource Leveling vs Resource Smoothing

The following are a few di erences between resource leveling and resource
smoothing: Home Resource

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 oat.
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

Resource leveling and resource smoothing are di erent techniques and they are
used under di erent situations. It is not always necessary to use both techniques; in
this blog post I mentioned that resource smoothing usually happens after resource
leveling.

This is not true in all cases; you may use either of them or both of them. However, if
you are using both them, usually resource leveling is followed by resource
smoothing.

Summary
Resource smoothing and resource leveling are two resource optimization
techniques which, if used in any project, increase the chance of completing the
project within the approved cost and schedule baselines. Resource leveling is used
to balance the demand and supply of resources and resource smoothing helps
ensure uniform resource utilization. These techniques are also used due to statutory
or regulatory requirements. Either way, these techniques help you optimize your
resources in your project.

Have you implemented resource leveling or resource smoothing? If yes, I would

love to hear about your experience in the comments section.

Filed Under: PMP Exam

Comments
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M. S. KIRNALLI says Home Resource

February 10, 2018 at 6:36 am

Illustrated quite lucidly !!, keep it up ! all the good luck.

Fahad Usmani says

February 15, 2018 at 6:14 am

Thanks Mr. Kirnalli.

tahseen says
February 11, 2018 at 1:36 pm

we always use leveling resource on my work.

Fahad Usmani says

February 15, 2018 at 6:14 am

Hello Tahseen, can you share more information it?

Ajay Mulvanshi says

February 14, 2018 at 3:11 pm

Wonderfully explained. I really love reading your blogs to gain absolute clarity of
confusing terms Thanks !

Fahad Usmani says

February 15, 2018 at 6:15 am

You are welcome Ajay.

Moshahed says
February 15, 2018 at 2:07 pm

Very good explanation of resource leveling & smoothing

Fahad Usmani says

February 18, 2018 at 6:29 am

Thanks Moshahed for your visit and leaving comment.

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Ahmed Abdel Raouf says Home Resource

February 16, 2018 at 11:41 am

Thank you

Fahad Usmani says

February 18, 2018 at 6:29 am

You are welcome Ahmed.

Wasef says
February 16, 2018 at 9:05 pm

Excellent clari cation .. many thx

Fahad Usmani says

February 18, 2018 at 6:30 am

You are welcome Wasef.

Fadwa Abdulqader says

February 17, 2018 at 7:45 pm

Thank you, Mr. Fahad for this great illustration.

Fahad Usmani says

February 18, 2018 at 6:29 am

You are welcome Fadwa.

Abel Haruna says

February 20, 2018 at 5:54 pm

Wow! This expose’ is technically informing, I’ve gotten missing techniques in developing
my project schedules. Thanks and more of that, sir.

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