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TRENDS IN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT 145

Figure 4.3a Options That Affect Resource Leveling

Here is a list of resource scheduling attributes that may be found in traditional
CPM products. The range of attributes is quite wide. Some of these are unique
to a single product. Most items on the list are available in many products, but
in less than half of them. So, in selecting project management software, you
cannot assume that even the most popular and rudimentary capabilities are
supported by any product. Price, by the way, is not directly related to the
number of supported resource scheduling functions.

• User choices for ranking.
• Multiple iterations or ranking calculations.
• Effect of imposed dates (Note: Some products use fixed dates that

interfere with resource leveling).
• Trial and Error—Perform what-if, but do not replace until accepted by

user (or perform undo).
• Manual (interactive) adjustment (most Windows products).
• Activity splitting.

Entire project only (this is useless—must be able to select by task).
By task.
By task with definable conditions.
Automatic contouring (system varies loading by time period to adjust

for resource availability).
Discrete loading via spreadsheet.
• Overtime.
• Activity Stretching (called Stretching or Re-profiling in some products or
Flex in another). Reduces loading per time period and increases time
periods (I wonder if we want to let the computer make this decision
without human interaction).
• Min-Max or Threshold Options. Defines preferred limits and maximum.
• Limit for resource.
• Resource substitution (rare).
• Leveling audit or results report.
• Depletable resources.
• Producer resources (unique to SuperProject).
• Span dates for resource leveling (if we can choose to limit our resource
leveling to a reasonably short time frame, then we can afford to
implement more exacting leveling algorithms).
• Minimum crew size (available in a few packages).