Workload Analysis: Understanding Your Real Capacity

The fundamental equation of capacity planning is simple: Can supply meet demand? But the devil is in accurately quantifying both sides.

Demand = What needs to be produced/delivered and when Supply = What your resources (people, machines, space) can actually produce

The gap between theoretical capacity and real capacity is where most planning fails.

Theoretical vs. Effective Capacity

| Factor | Impact on Capacity | |--------|-------------------| | Scheduled PTO/holidays | -8 to -12% | | Meetings and admin | -10 to -20% | | Unplanned absences | -3 to -5% | | Equipment downtime (planned) | -5 to -10% | | Equipment downtime (unplanned) | -3 to -8% | | Changeover/setup time | -5 to -15% | | Ramp-up (new employees/projects) | -10 to -25% for new work | | Quality rework | -2 to -8% |

Effective capacity is typically 65-80% of theoretical capacity. Planning at 100% guarantees failure.

Framework: Workload Analysis Prompt