Resource smoothing

Unfortunately, this important technique tends to make projects longer, not shorter

Looking at the plans produced by critical path analysis, we might realise the same person is scheduled to undertake two or more tasks simultaneously

Question: How can we solve this? How can we minimise the impact on the completion date?

Good targets for resource smoothing

The following tasks should be delayed

• Tasks not on the critical path that coincide with the overload
• Tasks with the largest float
• Tasks that last roughly the same duration as the overload

Consider also reallocating tasks to other team members so there is no overload

• What does this say about multi-skilled teams?

Exercise: Resolve this overallocation

Before resource smoothing. (Underlined tasks are on the critical path)

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Comments please to: dwfarthi@glam.ac.uk

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