Level of Effort (LOE)

Ongoing work that results in no discrete deliverable; progress and completion are gauged by time spent rather than by a specific output.

Key Points

  • Represents supportive or sustaining activities without a distinct end product.
  • Measured by duration or time-phased effort, not by completed units or tangible deliverables.
  • Typically spans alongside related work and should not drive the schedule's critical path.
  • In earned value, EV for LOE generally accrues with planned time (EV aligns with PV), so schedule variance is minimal; cost variance may still occur.

Example

During a six-month project, the project manager provides ongoing administration and weekly status reporting from start to finish. The effort is planned at 10 hours per week, and progress is tracked by the passage of weeks, not by a single discrete deliverable.

PMP Example Question

Which of the following is best classified as Level of Effort (LOE) work?

  1. Configure five network switches and document the configuration.
  2. Complete the design review meeting and issue approved drawings.
  3. Provide project management oversight and weekly status reporting throughout execution.
  4. Develop and deploy a new login feature by the end of Sprint 3.

Correct Answer: C — Provide project management oversight and weekly status reporting throughout execution

Explanation: This is ongoing, time-based support work without a discrete deliverable, which fits LOE. The other options produce identifiable outputs.

Project Management with AI: From Initiation to Closing

Build a practical project management process from initiation to closing with our Project Management: From Initiation to Closing with AI course. Learn how to move from informal project coordination to a structured, repeatable approach using PMBOK-aligned workflows, real examples, and professional templates.

This hands-on course follows a complete project lifecycle. You will learn how to write a project charter, define scope, build a work breakdown structure, develop a schedule, estimate costs, manage risks, engage stakeholders, execute the work, monitor performance, and close the project properly.

You will also learn how to use AI tools to accelerate project management work. The course includes reusable prompts, downloadable templates, assignments, and worked examples that show how project documents connect from one stage to the next.

The course is designed for professionals, team leads, coordinators, analysts, and new project managers who need practical skills they can apply at work. Enroll now and build the confidence to manage projects with structure, clarity, and control.

Explore the Course


Build an ICS/OT cybersecurity foundation that fits the real environment

Standard IT controls can disrupt the industrial systems they are meant to protect. Learn how to assess OT risk, design zones and conduits, apply IEC 62443 security levels, use MITRE ATT&CK for ICS, and establish passive asset visibility without risking production. Eight reconstructed incidents connect attacker techniques to the controls that failed, giving you the vocabulary and judgment to make credible security decisions from day one.

Explore the Course