← Glossary
Org & delivery

Capacity Planning

Also known as: resource planning

Capacity planning is matching the work a business has committed to against the people and time available to deliver it, so nothing is over- or under-loaded.

Key takeaways
  • Capacity planning matches committed work against the people and time available to deliver it.
  • Without it, teams swing between overloaded and idle, and deadlines slip unpredictably.
  • It is a live view that informs what you take on and when, not a rigid one-off spreadsheet.

Capacity planning answers a deceptively hard question: can we actually deliver what we have said yes to? Without it, teams lurch between being overloaded and idle, deadlines slip unpredictably, and utilisation and margin become things you feel rather than measure.

Good capacity planning is not a rigid spreadsheet; it is a live view that informs what you take on and when. It is a core part of running delivery well.

When it applies

  • Deadlines slip without warning.
  • Some people are drowning while others sit idle.
  • You commit to work without a clear view of whether you can deliver it.

Frequently asked

What is the difference between capacity planning and resource planning?
They are often used interchangeably. Both match available people and time to the work; capacity planning tends to emphasise the total load a team can carry.
How far ahead should you plan capacity?
Far enough to inform what you commit to, usually the next few weeks to a couple of months, kept live rather than fixed once.
Related terms
Delivery ModelFractional PMSpan of Control

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