Resource Leveling with Microsoft Project

1. Resource Leveling with Microsoft Project PMI Baltimore Chapter Aberdeen, MD December 8, 2011

2. Resource Leveling withMicrosoft Project Resource leveling with Microsoft Project can be confusing and intimidating, often unexpectedly shifting dates and extending a schedule, sometimes by years.  By understanding the principles and options Microsoft Project provides to level resources and predict a schedule, resource leveling is helpful toward realistic and accurate schedules, efficient and reasonable resource allocations, and in some cases even accelerating schedules.  Live examples will show how to determine the number of resources needed, resolve resource over-allocations, and predict finish dates.

3. Microsoft Project • Dynamic Scheduling Tool • Predicts completion of the project and its activities • Based on identified tasks, durations, dependencies, resources available • Resource Leveling helps predict schedule based on resources assigned and their availability

4. Project Scheduling Concepts • Task • The work to be done • WBS level should be to an assignment or deliverable • Summary Task • Roll-up summarization for a set of tasks (subtasks) • WBS hierarchy • Dependency (Link) • Predecessor and Successor relationships between tasks • Critical Path • Longest sequential path of activities essential to complete the project • Determines earliest completion date • Slack or Float Time • The amount of time an activity may be delayed without affecting the project finish date • Tasks with Zero Slack are Critical Path • Constraint • Limitation based on a required start or finish date • Overrides scheduling engine • Task Start Dates • By default, tasks are scheduled from the Project Start Date

5. Project Scheduling Concepts • Resource • People and equipment to do the work • Resource Pool • Pool of resources available to the project • Use real names; a name spelled two different ways is two resources available to work • Assignment • Resource assigned to a task • Choose resources from pool, rather than typing the name • Try to avoid multiple resources on the same task • No Resources on Summary task (unless intending to spread to subtasks; do not place the same resource on summary and subtask)

6. Project Scheduling Concepts • Overallocation • Resource assigned more work than available time • Max Units: Total time resource could work on the project (set in the Resource Pool) • Assignment Units: Total time resource will work on a specific task • Calendars – Project and Resource Work and Non-Workdays, limiting resource’s availability • Resource Leveling • Resolves resource over- or under-allocations by delaying or accelerating tasks; to fix peaks and valleys • Review manually for sanity check

7. Project Scheduling Concepts • MS Project Data Perspectives • Current or Projected, Baseline, Actual • Start & Finish Dates, Duration, Work, Cost • Duration Formula • Duration = Work / Resources • Task Type • Fixed Duration, Work, or Units (Resources) • Effort or Resource Driven; only affects adding or removing resources after initial assignment • 2007 Default Fixed Units, Effort Driven • 2010 Default Fixed Units, Not Effort Driven • Guideline: • Fixed Units if responsible for resources – workload, assignments, predicting completion • Fixed Duration if delegating to another team or vendor that is responsible to merely deliver within a timebox; note Duration can still change based on Actual and Remaining Work or Duration

8. Common Mistakes with MS Project

9. Common Mistakes with MS Project

10. Benefits from Resource Leveling • Balanced resources, reducing overallocations or overtime • Validates schedule • Predicts based on information entered • Determine dates or resources needed • Valuable as a “Sanity Check”: predicts dates based on durations, links, and resources assigned

11. MS Project Resource Leveling • 2007 – Tools, Resource Leveling • 2010 – Resource Tab, Level Group • Can Level by Entire Project, Selected Tasks, or Resource, and within Date Ranges • Level frequently, rather than waiting until the entire schedule is done • Develop WBS modularly, by phase or section

12. MS Project Resource Leveling • Honors Links and Constraints • Looks for available slack and resources • Schedules Longest Duration tasks first • Then in ID order • Options allow control over leveling algorithm • Priority field can be used to override and schedule tasks first

13. Microsoft Project 2007 Resource Leveling

14. Microsoft Project 2007 Resource Leveling

15. MS Project Resource Leveling • Demonstration

16. Renovation Project • Update 20 Rooms with New Televisions and Cabinets • External vendor procures, builds units, and ships to site • Customer pays Vendor for units separately; we manage resources and labor cost • Customer wants installation done by 3/1, under $100,000, with $10,000 bonus to finish 5 days early • If Shipments are late, we are not penalized • Resource Leveling will help us determine: • How long will it take with our current staff? • How many resources are needed to finish in early? • How much it cost? • When will we finish while executing

17. MS Project Resource Leveling Questions? Bill Gundrum bgundrum@veasolutions.com www.cvprojects.com Online PPM solution with Microsoft Project Reader