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6 - PROJECT TIME MANAGEMENT

• resource Smoothing. A technique that adjusts the activities of a schedule model such that the
requirements for resources on the project do not exceed certain predefined resource limits. In resource
smoothing, as opposed to resource leveling, the project’s critical path is not changed and the completion
date may not be delayed. In other words, activities may only be delayed within their free and total float.
Thus resource smoothing may not be able to optimize all resources.

6.6.2.5 Modeling techniques

Examples of modeling techniques include, but are not limited to:
• What-If Scenario Analysis. What-if scenario analysis is the process of evaluating scenarios in order
to predict their effect, positively or negatively, on project objectives. This is an analysis of the question,
“What if the situation represented by scenario ‘X’ happens?” A schedule network analysis is performed
using the schedule to compute the different scenarios, such as delaying a major component delivery,
extending specific engineering durations, or introducing external factors, such as a strike or a change in
the permitting process. The outcome of the what-if scenario analysis can be used to assess the feasibility
of the project schedule under adverse conditions, and in preparing contingency and response plans to
overcome or mitigate the impact of unexpected situations.

• Simulation. Simulation involves calculating multiple project durations with different sets of activity
assumptions, usually using probability distributions constructed from the three-point estimates (described
in Section 6.5.2.4) to account for uncertainty. The most common simulation technique is Monte Carlo
analysis (Section 11.4.2.2), in which a distribution of possible activity durations is defined for each activity
and used to calculate a distribution of possible outcomes for the total project.

6.6.2.6 Leads and Lags

Described in Section 6.3.2.3. Leads and lags are refinements applied during network analysis to develop a
viable schedule by adjusting the start time of the successor activities. Leads are used in limited circumstances to
advance a successor activity with respect to the predecessor activity, and lags are used in limited circumstances
where processes require a set period of time to elapse between the predecessors and successors without work or
resource impact.

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