Re: Leveling Resources

 As a professional engaged in forensic scheduling I have a few observations that
may help. First, the necessity for progress payments and the use of standard
accounting mandate that resources are both monadic and periodic.  Standard types
of construction estimating likewise produce 'snapshot' results that meet the
requirements of management and standard decision making process. The paradigm for
my discipline is to conceive of an activity as a kind of box of resources. Each
resource can be conceived as a three dimensional block, a cubic object with the
dimensions of time, quantity, and cost, each a single unit (or zero) of each
dimension.  Allocating resources is like sliding coins across the exchequer - each
resource has properties such as availability, cost per unit, etc. the 'box' can be
of a fixed size, or elastic in one or more dimensions and moreover it can be
partly filled, filled in a pattern (an f curve for example), or be periodic in
some defined way. An important consequence of the paradigm is that calendars are
associated with resources. The ability to run scenarios also depends on snap shot
views of the schedule.
 Leveling is dependent on the concept of float which is determined by schedule
computations which in turn are defined by chosen rules. The most explicable float
is 'total float by finish dates' which is calculated directly from early and late
finish dates for each activity. In this case the float is the difference in
calendar units and the leveling moves each activity against the available float to
achieve the desired resource allocation (then you get to decide if time or
quantity will be overriden). The software I use requires that I devise rules for
the leveling, I must choose and prioritize my resources and decide what curve to
follow.  More modern software (Goldrat) uses a different method, relying afik, on
the full body of estimating data to achieve rules, and also a more conditional
logic than traditional pdm.
 Currently I think (ignorantly perhaps) periodicity is not a priority for
MrProject and that it will come from some derived software (Mrprojex ?). The
wonder of OS is that everyone gets to keep their priorities. I do hope the team
makes the vital connection between resources and calendars so that those who need
other things can get them without having to redo everything. One final note on
leveling, someone expressed concern with 'artificial ties' but in fact nothing is
more artificial than computer leveling, no matter how well the rules for a
leveling are devised the computer makes 'inhuman' choices. Best practice is to use
all the tools you have including your judgment and your relationship to the
workforce to make a schedule people can work from. Best regards, gem