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Can you recommend a tool or a professional way to estimate capacity for each employeee ?

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Paul Kristoff Bahamas
It happens very often that some employees are quite busy whereas others have a lot of spare time. However, it is difficult to decide when to hire new people as can't decide how to calculate the average time for a task completion and plan accordingly. I am afraid that giving them a form to fill with their own estimations will be biased. Any recommendations on how to understand where improvement is needed and where tasks are done efficiently are highly appreciated. Thank you !
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Rami Kaibni
Community Champion
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten Associates New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Paul - You have to consider three things here:

1- Task average estimated duration.
2 Team member capacity.
3- Team member efficiency.

For items 2 & 3, there is no form where you can figure out those two parameter except by time. As time passes, you will be able to tell which team members has capactiy, who are efficient, who are slow and so on. It is part of the learning curve with your team.
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1 reply by Paul Kristoff
Sep 19, 2018 11:26 AM
Paul Kristoff
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Hi Rami, thank you for your prompt response ! Can you recommend from your experience a way to perform an unbiased calculation of the average time a task is performed ? This is especially difficult when the same task varies depending on different circumstances. Should I divide the tasks into very small subtasks and try to observe the exact time it takes with a stopwatch or something ? Thanks a lot !
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Paul Kristoff Bahamas
Sep 19, 2018 10:51 AM
Replying to Rami Kaibni
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Paul - You have to consider three things here:

1- Task average estimated duration.
2 Team member capacity.
3- Team member efficiency.

For items 2 & 3, there is no form where you can figure out those two parameter except by time. As time passes, you will be able to tell which team members has capactiy, who are efficient, who are slow and so on. It is part of the learning curve with your team.
Hi Rami, thank you for your prompt response ! Can you recommend from your experience a way to perform an unbiased calculation of the average time a task is performed ? This is especially difficult when the same task varies depending on different circumstances. Should I divide the tasks into very small subtasks and try to observe the exact time it takes with a stopwatch or something ? Thanks a lot !
...
1 reply by Rami Kaibni
Sep 19, 2018 11:51 AM
Rami Kaibni
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Hi Kristoff,

If you do not have historical data and those tasks are completely new then one thing you can do is to establish a datum by decomposing the tasks into subtasks then doing bottom up estimate but again, many things come into play here: Team Efficency is key so you need to be mindful of that.
avatar
Rami Kaibni
Community Champion
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten Associates New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Sep 19, 2018 11:26 AM
Replying to Paul Kristoff
...
Hi Rami, thank you for your prompt response ! Can you recommend from your experience a way to perform an unbiased calculation of the average time a task is performed ? This is especially difficult when the same task varies depending on different circumstances. Should I divide the tasks into very small subtasks and try to observe the exact time it takes with a stopwatch or something ? Thanks a lot !
Hi Kristoff,

If you do not have historical data and those tasks are completely new then one thing you can do is to establish a datum by decomposing the tasks into subtasks then doing bottom up estimate but again, many things come into play here: Team Efficency is key so you need to be mindful of that.
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Vincent Guerard Coach - Trainer - Speaker - Advisor| Freelance Mont-Royal, Quebec, Canada
Hi Kristoff,

I would do like Rami suggested build a historical database so to see what is globally the average time for each task. You could add information to distinguish simple average complex to task.

Then with sufficient data you can see some interesting information on performance. Just need to be careful and be mindful. Some people make the team perform but can be seen has less efficient on task.
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Sante Delle-Vergini, PhD Senior Project Manager| Infosys Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
You can start with a ball-park estimate (such as early velocity in Agile projects) in the absence of historical databases, and then refine it over time as estimates become clearer for items 2 and 3 mentioned by Rami above.

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