The Capacity Quadrant

A Resource Planning Learning Series

Empowering PMO and senior leaders to turn resource chaos into clarity—so strategic projects finish on time, every time.

Are These 10 Symptoms of Poor Resource Planning Familiar?

No clear view of who’s working on what.
Missed deadlines because people are unavailable.
Skills mismatch with project needs.
Uncertainty about staffing for strategies.
Constantly shifting priorities—look, squirrel!.
New projects that appear out of nowhere.
Squeezing ten pounds of work into a five-pound bag.
20% of people are doing 80% of the work—and they’re exhausted.
Endless fire drills and emergencies—Whack-a-Mole, anyone?
Everyone's playing tug-of-war for the same resources.

What’s Really Driving the Chaos?

If these symptoms sound familiar, your organization may be wrestling with critical resource planning challenges:

Executive Alignment and Communication

How to communicate the need for resource planning in terms executives care about.
How to capture leadership attention with simple, actionable metrics.
How to align hiring decisions with actual resource needs.

Planning in Dynamic, Agile Environments

How to plan for resource demand when projects and priorities keep shifting.
How to support hybrid Agile approaches that embrace change but borrow resources unpredictably.
How to determine the right level of estimation rigor for every phase.

Bridging Organizational and Operational Gaps

How to synchronize portfolio, role-based, and cost-center planning without silos.
How to engage resource managers and teams in a way that’s collaborative, not burdensome.
How to educate, onboard, and inspire staff to use new planning tools and processes.

Managing Stakeholder Conflict

How to manage stakeholder relationships in decentralized or matrixed environments.
How to handle multiple teams competing for the same talent at the same time.

Data and Measurement That Don’t Disrupt

When and how to capture actuals (with or without timesheets) in a way that fuels insight, not resentment.

Moving Toward Solutions That Actually Work

By recognizing these symptoms and underlying challenges, today’s resource leaders can move toward:

Clear visibility across teams and portfolios.
Responsive, realistic planning in variable environments.
Practical engagement—not just compliance—with resource owners.
Executive buy-in through focused, digestible insights.
Healthy, sustainable workloads and energized teams.

The Capacity Quadrant Learning Series helps you conquer these challenges.

Based on Jerry Manas’s acclaimed framework (featured in The Resource Management and Capacity Planning Handbook), this exclusive program empowers you to:

Gain Visibility: See demand, capacity, and productivity clearly.
Prioritize Effectively: Align work with strategy and value.
Optimize Resources: Make the most of your organization’s talents.
Integrate Seamlessly: Keep people, work, and strategy aligned—no matter the change.

The Capacity Quadrant is a practical framework of processes and tools that makes resource planning simple and holistic. Structured around four key areas—visibility, prioritization, optimization, and integration—it can be used for improvement, assessment, and planning, and works independently of any specific software.

Used by Fortune 500 companies, the Capacity Quadrant is your path to business agility, fewer fire drills, and a passionate, productive workforce.

What's New in 2025?

The Capacity Quadrant Learning Series also includes a segment on how emerging trends—such as Artificial Intelligence and remote work—are reshaping skills planning and employee engagement, helping you future-proof your workforce strategy in a rapidly changing environment.

Judith E. Glaser, author of the bestselling Conversational Intelligence

"[Jerry Manas's The Resource Management and Capacity Planning Handbook is] the first book dedicated to what is essentially the drivetrain of organizations—the effective use of its people toward its most important activities."

Dave Garrett, President and CEO, ProjectManagement.com

"Jerry's book and the Capacity Quadrant model he outlines give you a realistic view of your workforce and an approach to maximizing the 'people power' in your organization that's easy to understand and apply. It could very well transform your company and make you a hero in the process!"

Lisa Forsyth, Senior Manager, Smashing Ideas

"The Capacity Quadrant is a powerful framework that any organization can use to maximize its limited resources toward the most value-producing work."

Your Path to Confident Resource Planning

Whether you want a high-impact live experience or a flexible on-demand learning path, the Capacity Quadrant Learning Series delivers proven tools and expert guidance.

Masterclass: Six weeks of live, interactive sessions with Jerry, a live Q&A, your own signed copy of his bestselling book, and all the resources you need to create organizational impact fast.

Accelerator: All the essentials in a self-paced, virtual format—videos, quizzes, and action tools—accessible anytime for six months.

Tailored Consulting: One-on-one remote consulting to explore your organization's specific challenges.

All programs—through live or on-demand experiences—cover the complete Capacity Quadrant curriculum and include practical frameworks, benchmarking, and your personal Capacity Quadrant Action Plan.

Ready to transform your resource planning?

Visit our Contact page to schedule a free 30-minute Zoom session to get started.