converge · Team Building, Planning · 30 min · 3-8 people · low energy

Capacity Planning

Capacity Planning helps teams understand their true bandwidth by quantifying individual and collective availability. This method replaces guesswork with data-driven insights, leading to more realistic estimations and prioritization.

When to use Capacity Planning

Use this method when project timelines are tight, dependencies are high, and you need a clear understanding of team availability to avoid overcommitment and project delays.

What it solves

Unrealistic project timelines due to inaccurate assumptions about team availability.

How to run Capacity Planning, step by step

  1. Set the stage (5 min). Explain the purpose of the exercise and how the results will be used. Identify and agree on the specific problem you're trying to solve related to capacity.
  2. Individual Capacity Assessment (5 min). Each team member independently lists their weekly tasks and estimates the time spent on each, including meetings, administrative work, and other projects.
  3. Summarize Team Capacity (15 min). Create a table grouping team members by role. Record each individual's total weekly hours dedicated to the project and calculate the total available hours for each role.
  4. Agree on Next Steps (5 min). Discuss how often the team will review capacity, identify any unassigned responsibilities, and use the output to guide estimation and prioritization.

Materials needed

  • Whiteboard or butcher's paper
  • Markers
  • Pens
  • Notepads
  • Timer

Facilitator tips

  • Encourage team members to be honest and thorough in their individual assessments.
  • Remind participants to consider all activities, not just project-related tasks.

Common pitfalls

  • Team members underestimating the time spent on non-project tasks.
  • The team failing to regularly review and update their capacity plan.

Variations

  • Run a shorter, 10-minute version as part of a project kickoff meeting.
  • Have team members prepare their list of activities in advance to save time.

Running it online or hybrid

Use a collaborative document or whiteboard tool like Miro or Google Sheets to capture individual and team capacity.

What it produces

A table summarizing individual and team capacity, including hours per week dedicated to the project.

Origin

Adapted from Atlassian — source

Build a session around Capacity Planning

METODIC places Capacity Planning inside a complete, timed session plan — agenda, worksheets, facilitator guide and slides — matched to your group and goal.

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