Capacity planning is a key aspect of project portfolio management (PPM) that involves forecasting and allocating resources to ensure that a project is completed successfully. Capacity planning helps organisations determine their resource requirements and ensure that they have the necessary capacity to handle future projects.  

Importance of capacity planning in project portfolio management

Capacity planning is essential for managing project resources effectively.

Capacity planning helps organisations to determine the right number of resources required for each project, ensuring that each project is appropriately staffed to handle the project requirements and deliver the outcomes on time. By planning your resources correctly, you can also ensure that your resources are being used efficiently and no resource is being wasted, this not only helps with overall productivity, but also budget.

By forecasting and allocating resources effectively, organisations can control costs by preventing over or underutilise of resources, helping you to deliver your project within budget. To meet project deadlines, adequate resource allocation through effective capacity planning ensures that projects are completed within the required time frames.  

In a nutshell, effective capacity planning really helps to ensure that your projects are delivered on time, and in budget.

Approaching capacity planning in project portfolio management 

The approach to capacity planning can vary depending on the size and complexity of the organisation. However, the following steps can act as an adaptable guide for the process: 

Assess the organisation's resource needs: The first step in capacity planning is to assess the resource needs for each project in the portfolio. This involves identifying the skills and expertise required foreach project, as well as the number of resources needed to complete each project successfully. Resource needs should be evaluated during the project planning process and reviewed regularly throughout the project's lifecycle.

Evaluate resource availability: Once resource needs are assessed, it’s essential to evaluate resource availability to determine the required capacity. Resource availability should be evaluated based on the organisation's current workforce, including full-time employees, contractors, and other external resources. Resource availability should also consider the organisation's budget, as adding additional resources may not be financially feasible. 

Identify capacity gaps: Capacity gaps occur when the resource needs of a project exceed the organisation's available resources. Capacity gaps can also occur when resource availability exceeds resource needs, resulting in underutilised resources. Identifying capacity gaps helps organisations to allocate resources more efficiently and effectively.

Develop a capacity plan: This involves determining how to allocate resources across projects to ensure that each project has the necessary resources to meet its goals. The capacity plan should also consider factors such as resource utilisation, project priorities, and budget constraints.

Implement the capacity plan: Implementing the plan requires coordinating with project managers to ensure that resources are allocated appropriately and that each project has the necessary resources to meet its goals. It’s also essential to monitor resource utilisation regularly and make adjustments as needed to ensure that resources are utilised efficiently and effectively. 

Impact of effective capacity planning on project success

Effective capacity planning has a significant impact on project success. It ensures that the right resources are available at the right time, preventing delays and enabling timely project completion. Capacity planning also helps manage costs, ensuring that resources are used efficiently and cost-effectively. Effective capacity planning can improve resource utilise, enhance project team morale, and ensure that stakeholders are satisfied with the results.

Risks of ineffective capacity planning

Ineffective capacity planning can lead to resource shortages, cost overruns, delays in project completion, and dissatisfaction among stakeholders. Inadequate capacity planning can also lead to over or underutilisation of resources, which can impact the organisation's profitability and the project's overall success.

PPM Software and capacity planning

Fluid is a powerful PPM software that enables effective capacity planning. It offers features such as viewing resource allocation and availability, helping project managers to make informed decisions regarding resource allocation. Fluid’s forecast resourcing helps to ensure the organisation has sufficient capacity to handle all projects.  

Fluid provides project managers with the tools they need to plan capacity effectively, as well as monitor resource utilisation, enabling them to detect and address resource inefficiencies and ensure their project is cost-effective. 

Find out more about how Fluid can help with capacity planning with a free trial.