In 30 seconds
- Capacity = people x available days x a realistic focus factor.
- Subtract leave, holidays and recurring meetings first.
- Compare with velocity to set a sensible sprint commitment.
Try it
Optional: convert to points
–Available person-days
–Focused capacity (days)
–Of a normal sprint
–Suggested points
A simple formula
Capacity = team members x working days available x focus factor
The focus factor accounts for meetings, support work and interruptions. Many teams start around 0.6 to 0.7 and adjust based on experience.
Worked example
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Team members | 5 |
| Sprint working days | 10 |
| Days of leave this sprint | 4 |
| Available person-days | 46 |
| Focus factor | 0.7 |
| Capacity | about 32 focused person-days |
Capacity vs velocity
Velocity tells you what the team usually finishes. Capacity tells you whether this sprint is normal. If capacity drops by 20% because of holidays, plan roughly 20% less than average velocity in Sprint Planning.
Myth vs reality
Myth · Plan to 100% capacity.
Reality · Full plans leave no room for surprises and usually fail.
Myth · Capacity is about hours, so story points are useless.
Reality · Use capacity to adjust a points-based plan, not replace it.
Myth · Everyone has the same capacity.
Reality · Part-time members and specialists need separate figures.
The AI angle
AI changes how much a person can produce but not how much they can review, decide and integrate. Plan capacity around review and decision time, not just building time.
FAQ
What focus factor should we use?
Start near 0.7 and adjust after a few sprints.
Should we include unplanned work?
Yes, reserve a slice based on recent history.
Is capacity planning a Scrum event?
No, it's a common input to Sprint Planning.