Apportioned Effort is an activity where effort is allocated proportionally across certain discrete efforts but cannot be divided into standalone tasks. It is typically associated with support functions that depend on the completion of primary activities.
Key Aspects of Apportioned Effort
- Proportional Allocation – The effort assigned depends on the progress of a related discrete activity.
- Not a Standalone Task – Cannot be performed independently from its associated work.
- Common in Supportive Roles – Often applies to activities like quality assurance, inspections, or project management oversight.
- Used in Earned Value Management (EVM) – Helps track and measure work performance.
When to Use Apportioned Effort
- Quality Control & Inspections – Inspections often scale with the progress of manufacturing or construction tasks.
- Testing & Verification – In software projects, testing efforts align with development milestones.
- Project Management & Oversight – PM activities increase or decrease based on project workload.
Example Scenarios
Construction Project
A team performing structural inspections must assess each floor as construction progresses. Since inspections are tied to the number of completed floors, the effort scales accordingly.
Software Development
A testing team validates code as developers complete new features. Their workload increases proportionally with the number of features delivered.
Manufacturing
A quality control team performs checks on a production line. As output increases, so does their effort, but they do not generate a separate deliverable.
Why Apportioned Effort Matters
- Improves Resource Planning – Helps allocate effort efficiently based on workload.
- Ensures Accurate Tracking – Supports better cost and performance measurement in EVM.
- Reflects Dependency on Primary Work – Ties effort to tangible progress rather than standalone tasks.
See also: Discrete Effort, Level of Effort.