Untitled

[titasdub123]

Resource-Constrained Projects and the Need for Resource Leveling

In most organisations, project schedules are developed based on logical or technical dependencies in the network diagram. These schedules would assume unlimited resources. When the necessary labor, equipment, or skills are not available at the required time, the project becomes resource constrained. In such cases, the original schedule cannot be executed as planned, and resource leveling is required.

How Resource Leveling Resolves the Issue

Resource leveling is the process of adjusting the schedule so that the use of resources does not exceed predefined limits. It accomplishes this by delaying or rescheduling activities while still attempting to meet project objectives.

The Parallel Method

The Parallel method is one of the most widely used resource leveling techniques because it is systematic, logical, and easy to apply in software tools. It works by one schedule at the start of the day to analyze all the tasks for the day. Check the resources, if they are available, complete or start the task. If not prioritize main tasks. Tasks with lower priority get delayed, move tto the next day and repeat. This method will help manage resources.

General Impact on the Project Schedule

1. Schedule Extension

Tasks that cannot be staffed are delayed, which often increases the overall project duration. This is most common when resource constraints affect activities on or near the critical path.

2. Change to the Critical Path

The delay of previously non-critical taksmay reduce or eliminate float, creating new critical paths or extending the existing one.

3. Smoother Resource Usage

The main benefit is a more realistic schedule with resource usage spread more evenly over time. Peaks in demand are reduced, which lowers the risk of burnout, inefficiency, or underutilisation.

Relationship Between the Post-Leveling Schedule and the Rolled-Up (Baseline) Budget

Timing of Costs Changes

Even if total project cost does not change, when the money is spent, tasks pushed later shift their cost profiles to later periods, causing the overall cash-flow curve (S-curve) to shift to the right, and as a result, monthly or quarterly budget allocations may increase or decrease depending on how activities are redistributed after resource leveling.

Baseline Must Be Updated

The original baseline (scope–schedule–cost) becomes unrealistic if resource leveling significantly modifies the schedule. The post-leveling schedule becomes the new baseline that aligns activity timing, resource usage, and cost distribution.

Earned Value Implications

If the schedule changes but the budget baseline does not, EV metrics become misleading, planned value (PV) curves no longer match actual progress, and performance variances appear inaccurate; therefore, the post-leveling schedule and the rolled-up baseline budget must be aligned to maintain consistency in planning, forecasting, and performance measurement.

[titasdub123]

The Risk Management Process

The risk management process is a systematic approach to identifying, analysing, and responding to potential threats or opportunities that could affect a project. It begins with risk identification, where the team brainstorms all possible risks that might impact objectives such as technical failures, cost overruns, supplier issues, or schedule delays. These risks are documented in a risk register for ongoing tracking.

Next comes risk analysis, which can be qualitative (ranking risks by likelihood and impact) or quantitative (using numerical data to measure exposure). This helps prioritise which risks need the most attention. Once analyzed, the project team moves to risk response planning, deciding how to handle each risk. Common strategies include avoiding, transferring, mitigating, or accepting the risk, depending on its severity and controllability.

The implementation stage involves putting these risk responses into action, such as purchasing insurance, adding contingency time, or changing suppliers. Finally, monitoring and review are continuous throughout the project’s lifecycle. New risks can emerge, and existing ones can evolve, so risk management must be ongoing, not a one-time task.

A strong risk management process doesn’t just protect the project from failure; it improves decision-making and builds confidence among stakeholders. By anticipating potential challenges, project managers can turn uncertainty into foresight, ensuring that the project remains resilient and adaptable in the face of change.

[titasdub123]

Ensuring Accurate Estimates and the Impact of Bad Estimates

Accurate estimates are vital for project success because they shape expectations around time, cost, and resources. A project manager can ensure more accurate estimates by using reliable data, consulting subject-matter experts, and employing structured estimation techniques like analogous estimating, bottom-up estimating, or three-point estimating. These methods consider uncertainty and draw on past project data to make estimates more realistic. Engaging the team in the estimation process also improves accuracy, since those who actually perform the work have the best understanding of what’s required.

Good estimates depend on having clear project requirements. If the scope isn’t well defined, any estimate will be unreliable. Regularly reviewing estimates throughout the project also helps conditions change, and continuous validation ensures estimates remain relevant. Transparency is important as well; project managers should communicate assumptions behind estimates so stakeholders understand potential risks or limitations.

Bad estimates, however, can have severe consequences. Underestimating time or cost can lead to missed deadlines, budget overruns, and team burnout. Overestimating can cause inefficiency, where resources are underutilized. Either way, poor estimates undermine trust with stakeholders. In many cases, projects that fail are not due to poor execution but because they were planned on unrealistic assumptions from the start. Accurate estimating is not about perfection but about balancing optimism with realism, something that can make or break a project’s success.

[titasdub123]

How and Why the WBS is Constructed and How It Identifies Risk

A WBS is one of the most valuable tools in project management because it breaks down a project into smaller, more manageable parts. It starts with the overall project objective, which then gets further decomposed into major deliverables, smaller sub-deliverables, and finally into individual activities or work packages. In this way, setting it out will help provide clarity on who is responsible for what and avoid confusion over the scope or objectives of the project.

The WBS is, therefore, typically developed with consultations among team members and stakeholders so that input from every perspective will be taken into consideration. This makes it more realistic and ensures no big pieces are missed. Estimates for time, cost, and resources can then be applied to each individual task or work package so as to facilitate further planning and scheduling.

It's also highly valuable for risk identification. Once the project is broken down into smaller pieces, it's much easier to identify where there might be problems. For example, if a task depends on an outside supplier or specific technology, that could be a risk area. The WBS also depicts where the tasks are interdependent, which helps the team know what else might get affected if one of them gets delayed. In short, a good WBS doesn't just organize the work; it helps the team think ahead about what can go wrong and plan ways to deal with those risks before they actually occur.

[titasdub123]

The Project Definition Phase

The Project Definition phase establishes the basis for a successful project. This phase is important as it determines strategy of the project making sure the stakeholders involved understands their role in the project and knows what needs to be done. Without this phase projects will lose track and fall flat leading to the project failing.

There are multiple steps in this phase.

Defining the project scope

-The scope will show what the project deliverables, and what it won't be able to deliver. This is helpful in setting expectations and avoiding scope creep, which avoids adding tasks later without getting the required approval from the stakeholders.

Identifying stakeholders

-The project manager will identify all groups impacted by the project in this step including clients, team members, suppliers etc. Knowing stakeholders' needs from the start will ensure that their expectations are aligned with project goals.

Setting Objectives and Goals

Using SMART criteria (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound), the project manager will be able to set clear, and achievable goals will be keeping in mind the time frame using these criteria giving direction to complete a successful project.

Defining Deliverables and Success Criteria

Deliverables represent the concrete results or outputs produced by the project. Success criteria, establish how these deliverables will be evaluated to ensure they meet the agreed quality standards and align with project objectives.

Project plan This step involves developing an initial roadmap that outlines estimated timelines, projected costs, and the resources required. It provides stakeholders with an early overview of the project’s structure and the approach to achieving its goals.

Conducting Risk Identification and Analysis At this stage, potential risks are looked at including issues such as limited resources, timeline pressures, or technical uncertainties. Addressing these early allows the team to put mitigation strategies in place before they escalate into serious problems.

Main Outputs

Project Charter: The official document that authorizes the project and outlines its purpose, scope, and key participants.

Initial Project Plan: A high-level roadmap with estimated timelines, budgets, and resource allocations.

Risk Register: A record of identified risks, their potential impact, and proposed management strategies.

Stakeholder Register: A list of stakeholders, detailing their roles, responsibilities, and influence levels.

The Project Definition Phase helps minimize key risks that commonly fail projects. By setting clear objectives and scope boundaries, teams can avoid scope creep and maintain focus. Early stakeholder alignment reduces miscommunication, while first cost and resource estimates help prevent budget overruns. High-level planning also uncovers potential scheduling issues in advance, ensuring smoother progress.

[titasdub123]

Every organisation, no matter how large, the organisation faces a fundamental challenge: it cannot pursue every idea. Projects require money, time, people, and infrastructure, all of which are limited resources. Companies must therefore carefully evaluate and select only those projects that align with their strategy, add value, and stand the best chance of success. This decision-making process is known as project screening.

In this blog, I'll discuss Guinness, one of the most well-known brands in Ireland and the beer industry. Guinness uses this method of project screening to maintain its leadership in this industry. I will break down the process Guinness uses and will highlight the roles of key stakeholders and how the multi-weighted scoring model guides Guinness when selecting which project to begin.

Guinness is both rich in tradition and driven by innovation. From its stout first brewed in 1759 to modern variations like Guinness Nitro Cold Brew Coffee, the company constantly balances heritage with contemporary consumer demands.

For a global business like Guinness, projects might include:

Launching new product lines (non-alcoholic beers).

Expanding into emerging markets.

Developing more sustainable brewing processes.

Upgrading facilities to increase efficiency.

Creating experiential marketing campaigns (like the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin).

Not every idea is successful. Guinness needs a rigorous project screening process to filter projects systematically and objectively.

Project Screening Process at Guinness

The project screening process involves several stages to ensure projects are well aligned with Guinness’s business strategy and feasible within its resources.

Idea Generation Employees, managers, or partners put forward new ideas using proposal templates that outline goals, costs, and benefits.

Preliminary Assessment Weak or misaligned ideas are filtered out early. For example, a product that doesn’t fit Guinness’s brand identity (like a sugary soft drink) would be rejected.

Strategic Alignment Promising ideas are checked against Guinness’s priorities, such as sustainability, innovation, and global growth.

Resource & Risk Review Projects are assessed for available budget, expertise, and risks, including regulatory or supply chain challenges.

Scoring & Evaluation A weighted scoring model ranks projects based on criteria like financial return, feasibility, and sustainability.

Decision & Approval Senior leadership reviews the results and approves the highest-scoring projects. Others may be delayed or dropped.

Roles of Those Involved

At Guinness, project screening is a team effort rather than the sole duty of one person. Different stakeholders influence decisions in different ways:

– Project managers draft proposals that include goals, budgets, schedules, and anticipated results.

– Functional Experts: To assess viability, brewing engineers, marketers, and sustainability experts offer technical and subject-specific expertise.

– Teams in charge of finance evaluate anticipated expenses, income, and ROI.

– Committees for strategy and innovation Make sure that ideas fit Guinness's long-term objectives and brand identity.

– The final decision is made by senior executives (Diageo leadership), who weigh business interests, brand legacy, and financial sustainability.

– External Stakeholders (when applicable): Distributors, regulatory agencies, and consumer focus groups might potentially offer information during the evaluation process.

The Multi-Weighted Scoring Model in Action

A core part of Guinness’s project screening process is the multi-weighted scoring model. This tool allows decision-makers to evaluate multiple projects against a set of predefined criteria, each with its own weight reflecting its importance.

Criteria: Guinness scores projects against key factors like strategic fit, market potential, financial return, feasibility, risk, and sustainability.

Weights: Some factors matter more than others. For example, strategic alignment (25%) and market potential (20%) may carry more weight than risk (10%).

Scoring: Projects are rated (eg 1–5) for each factor. A new alcohol-free Guinness might score high on strategy and market potential but lower on risk.

Totals: Scores are multiplied by weights and added up.

Ranking: Projects are then ranked, helping leaders clearly see which ones deserve priority.