What is resource smoothing?

Resource smoothing is a resource management technique in project management aimed at leveling resource usage without changing the overall project duration.

The main idea is to smooth out peaks and troughs in resource utilization to avoid overloads or idle times. This is achieved by reallocating tasks within the available time window without exceeding the deadline.

For example, if in one period several employees are overloaded while in another period they are underutilized, resource smoothing allows transferring some tasks from the overloaded period to the less busy one, maintaining the overall schedule.

Unlike resource leveling, which can alter project timelines, resource smoothing works within a fixed schedule, optimizing resource allocation to improve efficiency and reduce risks of burnout or downtime.