01 · Purpose
Why and when to use it
Why?
It exposes overload and missing capabilities before they turn into missed dates or incomplete work.
When?
Start during Define and revisit when measurement, experiments or implementation change the workload.
Who takes part? Activity owners estimate needs; functional managers confirm availability; the leader resolves conflicts with the sponsor.
02 · Application
How to apply it
Start with: Planned activities, skill requirements, effort estimates, equipment needs and operational commitments.
- List the skills and resources required for each activity.
- Estimate effort in hours or another consistent unit.
- Determine actual availability after routine work and other commitments.
- Compare demand with available capacity in each period.
- Resolve overload through resequencing, added capacity or approved scope changes.
- Confirm commitments and review them as the project develops.
03 · Example
A warehouse dispatch project
Original illustrative example. All quantities, targets, roles and timings below are fictional teaching assumptions, not findings from a real project.
| Resource | Week 2 demand | Available project capacity | Planning response |
|---|---|---|---|
| Analyst | 18 hours | 12 hours | Move six hours of report preparation to week 3 or secure more capacity. |
| Shift representative | 6 hours | 6 hours | Confirm release time with shift manager. |
| Observation station | Two mornings | One morning | Reserve a second slot or extend collection. |
04 · Interpretation
What the result tells you
The analyst has a six-hour shortfall in week 2 even if the total project hours appear affordable. Schedule feasibility depends on when capacity is available and whether the required skill is present.
Completion check: A time-phased resource plan with confirmed availability and actions for capacity gaps.
05 · Judgement
Mistakes and limitations
Common mistakes
- Assuming everyone is available full time.
- Interchanging people without checking skills or authorisation.
- Ignoring the operational work displaced by project participation.
Limits of the tool
Capacity estimates are uncertain and do not guarantee productivity. Protect realistic participation time and revisit commitments rather than using utilisation targets to overload people.
07 · Reading
Sources and further reading
Toolset backbone: Six Sigma+Lean Toolset: Mindset for Successful Implementation of Improvement Projects, second edition, edited by Stephan Lunau, with Renata Meran, Alexander John, Olin Roenpage and Christian Staudter (Springer, 2013). This reference identifies the toolset; the book text was not available for a chapter-level comparison in this development pass. The explanations, application sequence and fictional examples here are original LeanTrainingLab teaching material. Linked readings provide background; they do not prescribe every example or target.