Project Management Session 6

Scheduling Resources

Scheduling Resources

Session Outcomes

Following the session the delegates should

have a basic understanding of the typical
resource scheduling problems for time as
well as resources constrained projects. In
addition the delegate should be able to show
how free slack can be used to effect resource
leveling.

Scheduling Resources

Preamble

Scheduling Resources

The Resource Problem

After staff and other resources have been allocated the project
manager still need to answer the following questions:
Will the resources be adequate and available when needed;
Will outside contractors have to be used;
Will unforeseen resource dependencies exist will there be
a new critical path;
How much flexibility do we have in using resources;
Are original deadlines realistic.

Scheduling Resources

The Resource Problem

Resources and Priorities:
Project sequencing and scheduling deals poorly with
resource availability and utilization;
Project network times are not a schedule until resources
have been assigned:
The implicit assumption is that resources will be
available in the required amounts when needed;
Adding new projects requires making realistic judgments
of resource availability and project durations;
Resources may be adequate but demand can vary
then resource leveling or smoothing is required; or
Resources may not be adequate to meet peak resource
requirements, the late start date of certain activities will
have to be delayed and project duration be increased
this is referred to as resource constrained scheduling.
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Scheduling Resources

Types of Project Constraints

Technical or Logic Constraints:

Constraints related to the networked sequence in which
project activities must occur example, dig trenches, pour
cement, then lay bricks for walls
Physical Constraints:
Activities that cannot occur in parallel or are affected by
contractual or environmental conditions ship renovation,
one person allowed in confined space
Resource Constraints:
The absence, shortage, or unique interrelationship and
interaction characteristics of resources that require a
particular sequencing of project activities- example,
normally you have 3 people to do three activities in parallel,
but because you only have one person you have to
schedule them in series NB!! Resource dependency takes
priority but cannot violate technical dependencies.
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Scheduling Resources

Constraint Examples

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Kinds of Resource Constraints

People;
Materials;
Equipment;
Working Capital.

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Classification of A Scheduling
Problem
Classification of Problem:
Using a priority matrix will help determine if the project is
time or resource constrained;
Time Constrained Project:
A project that must be completed by an imposed date;
Time is fixed, resources are flexible: additional resources
are required to ensure project meets schedule
Resource Constrained Project:
A project in which the level of resources available cannot be
exceeded:
Resources are fixed, time is flexible: inadequate
resources will delay the project.

Scheduling Resources

Resource Allocation Methods

Resource allocation is based on the following assumptions:

Splitting activities is not allowedonce an activity is start, it
is carried to completion;
Level of resource used for an activity cannot be changed;
Activities with the most slack pose the least risk;
Reduction of flexibility does not increase risk;
The nature of an activity (easy, complex) doesnt increase
risk.

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Scheduling Resources

Resource Allocation Methods

Time-Constrained Projects:
Projects that must be completed by an imposed date;
Require the use of leveling techniques that focus on
balancing or smoothing resource demand by using positive
slack (delaying noncritical activities) to manage resource
utilization over the duration of the project with the following
result:
Peak resource demands are reduced;
Resource demand over the life of the project are
reduced;
Fluctuation in resource demand is minimized.

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Scheduling Resources

Botanical Garden

5
4
3
2
1

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Botanical Garden

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Botanical Garden

5
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Botanical Garden

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4
3
2
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Using the slack of irrigation to start 3 days late

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Botanical Garden

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4
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2
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Using the slack of fence and walls to start 3 days late

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Botanical Garden

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Scheduling Resources

Resource Allocation Methods

Resource Demand Leveling Techniques for TimeConstrained Projects:

Advantages:
Peak resource demands are reduced;
Resources demand over the life of the project are
reduced;
Fluctuation in resource demand is minimized;
Disadvantages:
Loss of flexibility that occurs from reducing slack;
Increases in the criticality of all activities.

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Scheduling Resources

Resource Allocation Methods

Resource-Constrained Projects:
Projects that involve resources that are limited in quantity or
by their availability
Scheduling of activities requires the use of heuristics (rulesof-thumb) that focus on:
Minimum slack;
Smallest (least) duration;
Lowest activity identification number.
The parallel method is used to apply heuristics:
An iterative process that starts at the first time period of
the project and schedules period-by-period any
activities scheduled to start using the three priority
rules.

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Scheduling Resources

Resource Allocation Methods

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The Impacts of Resource-Constrained

Scheduling
Reduces delay but reduces flexibility;
Increases criticality of events;
Increases scheduling complexity;
May make traditional critical path no
longer meaningful;
Can break sequence of events;
May cause parallel activities to become
sequential and critical activities with slack
to become noncritical.b

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Scheduling Resources

Resource Management

CPM includes a way of

relating the project schedule
to the level of physical
resources allocated to the
project;
This allows the project
manager to trade time for
cost, or vice versa;
In CPM, two activity times
and two costs are specified,
if appropriate for each
activity.

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Scheduling Resources

Resource Management
The first time/cost
combination is called normal,
and the second set is
referred to as crash;
Normal assumes time and
resources in normal
conditions although there is
a technical way to calculate
it;
Crash result from an attempt
to expedite the activity by the
application of additional
resources.

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Scheduling Resources

Resource Management
Careful planning is
critical when
attempting to
expedite (crash) a
project;
Expediting tends to
create problems, and
the solution to one
problem often creates
several more
problems that require
solutions.

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Scheduling Resources

Resource Management

Another way to expedite a project

is known as fast-tracking;

Mostly construction but term

also used on other projects;

It refers to overlapping the

design and build phases of a
project;

Because design is usually

completed before construction
starts, overlapping the two
activities will result in shortening
the project duration;

Could however also lead to

increased number of change
orders, and therefore increased
cost and loss of time however
generally feasible.

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