Understanding Team Capacity PlanningLearn how to plan sprint capacity effectively
What is Capacity?
Team Capacity Planning determines how much work a team can realistically complete in a sprint. It accounts for team availability, time off, other commitments, and focus factor to produce accurate sprint commitments.
Why It Matters
Capacity planning matters because: 1) Prevents over-commitment - teams don't promise more than they can deliver, 2) Improves predictability - stakeholders get reliable delivery dates, 3) Reduces burnout - realistic workloads prevent team exhaustion, 4) Enables data-driven planning - historical capacity informs future sprints, 5) Identifies resource gaps - reveals when more people are needed.
Gross Capacity
174h
Net Capacity
162h
Adjusted Capacity
133.3h
Avg Focus
82%
Days Off
2
Capacity Distribution
Team Capacity Comparison
Focus Factor by Member
Time Off Breakdown
Vacation
1
days
Team Members
| Team Member | Daily Hours | Days Off | Other Work (hrs/wk) | Focus % | Capacity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
80% | 44.8h | |||||
75% | 34.5h | |||||
90% | 54.0h | |||||
| Total | 133.3h |
Sprint Planning Recommendations
Suggested Story Points
17 - 27
points (5-8 hrs/point)
Capacity Utilized
82%
of available capacity
Team Efficiency
High
based on focus factor
Capacity Planning Glossary
Team Capacity
The total available hours a team has for sprint work after accounting for time off, meetings, and other commitments.
Focus Factor
Percentage of time available for sprint work. Typical: 60-80%. Accounts for meetings, emails, code reviews, and unexpected issues.
Gross Capacity
Total available hours without any deductions. Formula: Working Days × Daily Hours.
Net Capacity
Capacity after deducting time off and other commitments. Available for sprint work before focus factor.
Adjusted Capacity
Net capacity × Focus Factor. This is the realistic capacity to use for sprint planning.
Story Points
Relative measure of effort. Typical: 1 point = 4-8 hours. Don't map directly to hours.
Velocity
Average story points completed per sprint. Use historical velocity to predict future capacity.
WIP Limit
Work In Progress limit. Caps the number of items being worked on simultaneously to improve focus and throughput.