Page 225 - DCAP304_DCAP515_SOFTWARE_PROJECT_MANAGEMENT

Unit 11: Resource Allocation

Resource leveling can be accomplished more easily if resource requirements to complete an Notes
activity are expressed in terms of hours or days required. The definition of resource requirements
using such units of measure can help us determine if an activity should be completed in a short
time through the use of many resources or over a longer period of time through the use of fewer
resources. In practice, however, there is a limit to the number of resources that can be deployed
and, therefore, a limit to the amount by which any activity duration can be shortened.
We will now examine situations where networks are used as the primary planning method.
Generally, there are two approaches to leveling and smoothing the resources required:
 Time-limited resource considerations: In this case emphasis will be placed on completing
the project within a specified time. This time will usually have been determined by network
analysis. Adjustments in the timing of any activity, and the resources required at a given
time, must be undertaken within the float (slack) available. Obviously there can be no
adjustment of activities which are on the critical path.

 Resource-limited resource considerations: In this case the project must be completed with
the resources available even if this means extending the project duration. If the total
resource demand exceeds the resource availability at any time then some of the activities
must be delayed until there is sufficient resource availability.
For both of the above approaches, information concerning the earliest and the latest.

Resource Smoothing

Resource smoothing is part of the resource leveling process. In itself, resource smoothing is the
process that, not withstanding any constraints imposed during the leveling process, attempts to
determine a resource requirement that is “smooth” and where peaks and troughs are eliminated.
For example, even if 7 units of a given resource are available at any one time, utilizing 5 of these
units each week is preferable to 4 one week, 7 the next, 2 the next and so on. Even if there is no limit
to the amount of any one resource available, it is still desirable that resource usage is as smooth as
possible. Given that the resource requirements of those activities on the critical path are fixed,
some order or priority needs to be established for selecting which activity and which particular
resource associated with this activity should be given priority in the smoothing process. In
determining which activity should be given priority, a subjective judgment should be made about
the type of resource (or resources) associated with each activity; priority should be given to the
activities whose resources are considered to be most important. Beyond this consideration, activities
should be ranked in order of total work content and total float or slack available for that activity.

Did u know? What is the useful device for prioritizing?
A useful device for prioritizing is to consider the ratio of total work content/total float
remaining and give priority to activities with the highest value of this ratio.
Solving the resource scheduling problem for optimal solutions is extremely complex, particularly
for large project networks with many different resource types. However, several heuristics are
available to solve such problems. These heuristics allocate resources to activities to minimize
project delay based on certain priority rules. The two most commonly used heuristics are the
serial and the parallel methods. In the serial method of resource allocation, activities are sorted
into a list and resources are allocated to each of these activities one at a time until resources are
allocated to all activities. In the parallel method, however, resources are allocated on a period
by period basis rather than each activity. In this method only those activities whose preceding
activities have been completed will be considered. If two or more activities compete for the
same resources, then allocation of resources is based on certain prescribed priority rules.

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