TOPIC: Resource level vs Resource Smoothing vs Fast Track

What is the difference between Resource Leveling, vs, Resource Smoothing, vs Fast Tracking.

I do understand Fast Tracking is a schedule compression. However, how and when do we consider it usually over Resource Leveling?

Ashwin,

You are correct. Fast Tracking is a schedule compression technique, in which you perform certain tasks in parallel that you would normally not do in parallel. For example: You start software development before the database design is completely finished. It's risky but allows you to speed things up.

Resource Leveling is used to balance out your schedule based on your available resources. Let's assume that Susan is scheduled to work on 10 different tasks on your project. Each of these tasks takes 4 hours. You cannot schedule her to work these tasks all on the same day because Susan cannot work 40 hours per day. You have to change your schedule so that each day you only have her working on 2 tasks.

Resource Smoothing is very similar to Resource Leveling. But in resource smoothing we also have to take into account, that Susan is only assigned to our project for 50% of her time. So we are only allowed to schedule her for 4 hours per day, meaning we can only schedule her for 1 task per day. Furthermore, Resource Smoothing is not applied to tasks on your critical path. So if Susan's tasks happen to be on the critical path then you are going to have to negotiate with her manager, so that you may be allowed to "overbook" her, so that your schedule does not slip.

Hi there

Do you by any chance know what the steps are to smoothing a resource?

thanks a million

regards

Thank's Cornelius! I will use your example as my blueprint example for differentiating between resource levelling (e.g. Susan only can work 8 hours per day at most meaning 2 tasks per day) and resource smoothing (e.g. Susan is only assigned to our project for 50% of her time meaning 1 task per day).

Another example:

- Resources that work on projects on a holiday are often paid at a premium rate. In an effort to control cost, many projects restrict or limit resource use on holidays. Which of the following techniques can be used to ensure that a company policy that specifies that no more than 2 employees can work on a holiday is not exceeded?
A.) Resource leveling
B.) Resource smoothing

B is correct.

Technical explaination:

- not A: Resource leveling adjusts the start and finish dates of activities based on resource constraints to balance the demand for resources with the available supply. For instance, delaying the start of an activity which would have caused resources to be over-allocated.
- B: Resource smoothing is a technique that adjust the activities of a schedule model so that the requirement for resources on a project do not exceed certain predefined resource limits, for instance, the number of resources that are allowed work on a holiday.

Why can't you use Resource leveling to limit the 2 employees?