Project Resource Allocation and Leveling

• Resource allocation involves assigning the necessary resources to each activity with correct quantity and timing, also known as resource loading.
• Resource leveling involves minimizing the fluctuations in day-to-day resource utilization throughout the project, often by shifting noncritical activities within their available float.
• The goal of resource leveling is to maintain a consistent daily use of a resource throughout the project's life cycle.
• Free float represents the maximum time an activity can be delayed without affecting the early start of subsequent activities.
• Resources include labor, equipment, and materials.
• Forward resource leveling involves leveling resources from the project start, maintaining resource usage within limits, and potentially delaying activities, which may extend the project finish date.
• Backward resource leveling involves leveling resources from the project finish, maintaining resource usage within limits, and potentially causing project start to occur before the originally scheduled date.
• Materials management is the planning and controlling of all efforts to ensure the correct quality and quantity of materials and equipment are specified, obtained at a reasonable cost, and available when needed.

Starting Up the Project

• Project start-up involves mobilizing the project management team, educating them on project risks, and conducting team-building activities.
• Jobsite planning involves mobilizing the project management team, educating them on risks, and conducting team-building activities.
• Mobilization involves establishing the project office and temporary facilities, ensuring site access, installing fencing and gates, and preparing start-up checklists, logs, and insurance certificates.
• Initial submittals may include shop drawings, product data sheets, or samples for designer review and approval.
• Submittals are used by design professionals to ensure correct materials.
• Project buyout involves awarding subcontracts, procuring materials, and comparing actual costs to budgeted costs.
• Three-week schedules are used to manage day-to-day activities.

Project Monitoring

• Project monitoring involves keeping a close watch on the project management life cycle to ensure activities are on track.
• Project monitoring is used to measure project progress
• Success depends on a clearly defined structure

Earned Value Monitoring

• Earned value determines the estimated or budgeted value of completed work and compares it with the actual cost.
• Earned Value Management integrates scope, schedule, and budget to measure project performance.
• Earned Value Management is used to compare planned work with what was actually earned and spent to determine cost and schedule performance.
• Cost control is to gain maximum profit within budget
• Project cost risk is the risk that a project will spend more money than was originally budgeted.

Project Control—

• Project Control is the continuous process of: Monitoring work progress, comparing it to Baseline Schedule and Baseline Budget
• Project Control involves finding any variances, analyzing the variances to find out the causes, and then taking corrective actions whenever and wherever necessary to bring the project back on schedule and within budget.
• Information System is helps to collect data on operators, tools, vehicles and equipment, it also offer you the opportunity to compare estimated and actual costs.
• Quality Control ensures materials and installation meet contract requirements.

Conflict Management

• Mediation resolves disputes through an impartial intermediary who suggests settlement options.
• Negotiation involves two or more parties with competing interests discussing an issue to reach an agreement

Project Control

• Project Control encompasses the resources, procedures, and tools for planning, monitoring, and controlling all project phases.

• Subcontractor management involves procuring subcontractors and overseeing their work.

• Pre-award is the stage that general contractors assess project needs

• Award is the stage that bids and proposals from subcontractors in search of the best candidates get reviewed

• Post-award involves general contractors monitoring subcontractors.

• Close-out involves general contractors inspecting work.

• Project crashing speeds up a project through addition of resources.

• Change Management integrates a procedure for handling project changes.

• Critical Chain is a method of planning and managing projects that emphasizes the resources required to execute project tasks.