Methodology
What is workload
and capacity management?
Workload and capacity management is the practice of comparing the amount of work assigned to a resource against its available working time, to avoid overload or underuse.
How does workload and capacity management work?
It tracks each resource's assigned hours or tasks against their total available capacity, usually displayed as a percentage or a visual heatmap, to flag over- or under-allocation.
Why does workload and capacity management matter?
It prevents burnout from chronic overload and identifies underused capacity that could be redirected to other priorities.
Real-world example
A project manager checks a workload heatmap and sees one team member is booked at 130% capacity for next week, prompting a reassignment of some tasks.
What are the pros and cons of tracking workload and capacity?
It helps balance work fairly and avoid burnout. Its limit: it requires accurate, up-to-date time and task data to reflect reality.
Key takeaways
- Compares assigned work against available capacity.
- Flags over- or under-allocation, often via a heatmap.
- Requires accurate, up-to-date task and time data.
Visual Planning shows real-time workload and capacity across your whole team.
Frequently asked questions
How is capacity usually measured?
Commonly as a percentage of available working hours, or as a count of assigned tasks against a defined maximum.
What happens when a resource is over capacity?
It signals a risk of missed deadlines or burnout, and typically prompts reassigning some tasks to another available resource.
Is a workload heatmap the same as a dashboard?
A workload heatmap is one specific visualization that's often included within a broader scheduling dashboard.
Does workload management apply to equipment too?
Yes, the same logic applies to machines or vehicles — comparing usage against available operating capacity.
Related terms
Resource Allocation
Predictive Scheduling
Dashboard
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