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Using Resource Leveling Techniques

Introduction

Resource leveling is a critical technique in project management, used to address resource overallocation and optimize the distribution of resources across tasks. Microsoft Project provides tools to effectively level resources, ensuring that project timelines are realistic and manageable while maintaining resource availability constraints. This lesson will cover the fundamental steps and considerations for using resource leveling in Microsoft Project.

Understanding Resource Overallocation

Identify Overallocated Resources:

  • Overallocation occurs when a resource is assigned more work than can be completed in their available time.
  • Microsoft Project flags overallocated resources, making them easy to identify.

Analyze the Project Schedule:

  • Before leveling, review the project schedule to understand where and why overallocations are occurring.
  • This analysis is crucial for making informed leveling decisions.

Steps for Resource Leveling

Access the Resource Leveling Options:

  • Go to the ‘Resource’ tab and click on ‘Leveling Options’.
  • This opens a dialog box where you can set parameters for how resources are leveled.

Set Leveling Parameters:

  • Choose whether to level resources manually or automatically.
  • Set leveling options such as ‘Level entire project’ or ‘Level only within available slack’.
  • Decide on how to deal with priorities and leveling order.

Leveling the Resources:

  • Once your options are set, click ‘Level All’ for automatic leveling or select specific resources for manual leveling.
  • Microsoft Project will adjust task start and end dates to resolve overallocations.

Review Leveling Adjustments:

  • After leveling, review the changes to the project schedule.
  • Ensure that the adjustments made align with project priorities and deadlines.

Best Practices in Resource Leveling

Understand Project Priorities:

  • Resource leveling can impact project deadlines. Understand and prioritize tasks to ensure critical deadlines are not affected.

Communicate with Stakeholders:

  • Resource leveling might change project timelines. Keep stakeholders informed of these changes and their implications.

Monitor Resource Workloads Regularly:

  • Regularly review resource workloads and availability to identify potential issues early.

Balance Automatic and Manual Leveling:

  • Use automatic leveling for a quick fix, but rely on manual adjustments for finer control, especially in complex projects.

Adjust Other Project Variables:

  • Consider adjusting task dependencies, durations, or even resource availability to better address overallocations.

Conclusion

Effective resource leveling is key to managing a balanced and realistic project schedule. By leveraging the resource leveling features in Microsoft Project, project managers can optimize resource allocation, prevent burnout, and maintain project timelines. Regular monitoring and adjustment are crucial for successful project execution.

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