Workload is the amount of time it takes to complete a task. It is different from the duration of a task.
Indeed, a project member can have a workload of 2 days to achieve a task whose duration is 5 days.
For example, a painter will work a day to apply the 1st layer of paint, wait 3 days before coming back to work a day to apply the 2nd layer. The duration of the task “Painting the facade” is indeed 5 days but the workload of this task is 2 days.
The distinction between the workload and the duration of the task then allows the member to position himself on other tasks up to 3 days (workload), to parallelize the member’s tasks and to optimize his working time.
Conversely, it is not possible for a project member to work 7 days on a task that last 5 days. Therefore, if the workload of a member is 7 days on a task that lasts 5 days, the duration of the task in the schedule must be modified so that it lasts at least as long as the member’s workload, thus ensuring the consistency of the schedule. In this example, it is also possible to distribute the workload among several resources.
The workload is an essential component of time management to ensure the consistency of the schedule, optimize the parallelization and sequencing of tasks according to the availability of project resources.