Process Library

Capacity and Workload Planning

A recurring check of demand against team capacity that catches overload before it becomes missed deadlines or burnout.

Operations 6 steps
When to use

Monthly, or whenever demand or headcount shifts noticeably.

Trigger
Runs when: Monthly, or on a demand or staffing change

The procedure

6 steps

  1. Estimate committed demand for the next period in the same unit your team plans in.
  2. Estimate realistic available capacity, discounting for meetings, support, and time off.
  3. Compare demand to capacity and flag any person or function above a sustainable load.
  4. For overloads, choose explicitly: cut scope, move the date, add help, or accept the risk on the record.
  5. For slack, pull forward the next most valuable work rather than letting it fill quietly.
  6. Record the plan and the assumptions so the next review can check them.
Outputs
  • A demand-versus-capacity view
  • An explicit decision for each overload
  • A recorded plan with assumptions
Tools
Capacity sheetProject tracker
Note: Discount capacity for the real overhead of meetings and support. Planning at 100% theoretical capacity guarantees a miss.
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Related searches
capacity planning sop workload management process resource planning team utilization staffing checklist

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