International Project Management Association (IPMA) Practice Exam

Resource leveling will often?

1. Have little to no effect on individual activity durations

2. Have little to no effect on the overall project duration

3. Increase the most likely duration of the project

4. Increase the most likely project cost

The correct answer is: Increase the most likely duration of the project

Resource leveling is a technique used in project management to resolve resource conflicts by adjusting the project schedule. When resources are limited, leveling aims to use them more efficiently across project activities without impacting the project's critical timeline excessively. The correct answer indicates that resource leveling can increase the most likely duration of the project. This is because, during the leveling process, activities may be delayed in order to address resource constraints. For example, if multiple tasks require the same resource simultaneously, the project manager might extend the timeline of one or more of these tasks to make sure that the resources are not over-allocated. Hence, the overall project duration may increase as a result of these adjustments to ensure a smoother workflow. Resource leveling typically does not affect individual activity durations significantly, nor does it inherently change the total project cost unless it results in overtime work or reallocation of resources that incurs additional costs. The aim is usually to maintain or optimize project schedules while balancing the workload across available resources. Thus, the indication that resource leveling can lead to an increase in project duration aligns with the fundamental principles of resource management in project execution.