IVI Framework Viewer

Capacity Forecasting and Planning

CFP

The Capacity Forecasting and Planning (CFP) capability is the ability to model and forecast demand for IT services, infrastructure, facilities, and people. The Capacity Forecasting and Planning (CFP) capability covers:

  • Collecting capacity-related strategic and operational information.
  • Designing and advancing IT capacity forecasting models to demonstrate how business forecasts might impact the resources required by the IT function.
  • Modelling the current and future capacity requirements across all IT-related resources — for example, services, infrastructure, facilities, and people.
  • Communicating insights from capacity planning to the relevant stakeholders.

Structure

CFP is made up of the following Categories and CBBs. Maturity and Planning are described at both the CC and the CBB level.

AIT Capacity Modelling

Forecasts the utilization of IT resources and services.

A1Model Design

Define a model or set of models to forecast resource utilization across IT services, infrastructure, facilities, and people. Agree on assumptions and methodology, as well as error tolerances for each resource type.

A2Model Maintenance

Monitor the modelling accuracy (for example, by comparing actual to forecast resource utilization) and manage efficiency (for example, automation and data availability) of IT capacity modelling. Refine and recalibrate the model's structure, parameters, and assumptions, as required to improve performance.

BIT Capacity Planning

Aims for agreement on the required IT resources.

B1Input Management

Identify inputs required for IT capacity forecasting. Gather and validate input data for forecast scenarios.

B2Production of Capacity Plans

Compile capacity plans to inform decision-making.

B3Communication

Communicate the IT capacity plan to relevant stakeholders, and facilitate action to resolve shortages and/or over-capacity.

Overview

Goal

The Capacity Forecasting and Planning (CFP) capability aims to understand what resources will be required to support IT services based on current and projected organizational demands.

Objectives

  • Increase knowledge about the IT resource capacity in order to predict bandwidth constraints.
  • Scenario-model the impact of business strategies and forecasts on IT resources.
  • Inform management of IT strategies — for example, about over- or under- capacity utilization, or about reassigning underutilized resources.

Value

The Capacity Forecasting and Planning (CFP) capability anticipates the shifting needs for IT resources so that capacity can be cost-effectively added or reduced in a timely manner to meet changes in demand.

Relevance

The IT function needs to anticipate business needs rather than just react to them as they arise, to avoid potentially compromising business operations. An effective approach to IT capacity forecasting and planning can help ensure that the IT function can meet current organizational demand and is geared for its future requirements.

By developing an effective Capacity Forecasting and Planning (CFP) capability, an organization can manage its resources more efficiently and effectively, ensuring capacity insights are available so that IT resources can be readily delivered or withdrawn as appropriate.

Scope

Definition

The Capacity Forecasting and Planning (CFP) capability is the ability to model and forecast demand for IT services, infrastructure, facilities, and people. The Capacity Forecasting and Planning (CFP) capability covers:

  • Collecting capacity-related strategic and operational information.
  • Designing and advancing IT capacity forecasting models to demonstrate how business forecasts might impact the resources required by the IT function.
  • Modelling the current and future capacity requirements across all IT-related resources — for example, services, infrastructure, facilities, and people.
  • Communicating insights from capacity planning to the relevant stakeholders.

Improvement Planning

Practices-Outcomes-Metrics (POM)

Representative POMs are described for CFP at each level of maturity.

2Basic
  • Practice
    Prioritize which resources should be covered by the capacity forecast models, and document any assumptions and methodologies that are used.
    Outcome
    Initial forecasting efforts are targeted at areas that are likely to deliver the most benefit.
    Metrics
    • Percentage of IT resources covered by capacity forecast models.
    • Practice, develop and maintain IT capacity models.
  • Practice
    Develop and maintain IT capacity models.
    Outcome
    Increasing the quality of IT capacity models will increase the likelihood of them being used consistently in decision-making.
    Metrics
    • Number of IT capacity models created.
    • Percentage level of IT capacity model reuse.
    • Refresh frequency of IT capacity models.
  • Practice
    Collect usage data on key IT resources.
    Outcome
    Capacity modelling for key IT resources is based on up-to-date empirical data.
    Metrics
    • Percentage of resources with up-to-date empirical usage data.
    • Frequency of data collection.
  • Practice
    Produce and communicate IT capacity plans, including resource forecasts.
    Outcome
    Transparency is provided on the actual and future capacity of the reported IT resources.
    Metrics
    • Percentage of resources covered by the IT capacity plan.
    • Refresh frequency of the IT capacity plan.
  • Practice
    Ensure action is taken on forecasted shortages or over-capacities in IT resources.
    Outcome
    The organization can proactively avoid any negative impacts from over- and under-capacity forecasts.
    Metric
    Number of IT capacity-related issues identified and number resolved.
3Intermediate
  • Practice
    Ensure there are regular reviews to improve capacity forecast models based on ongoing comparison between forecasted and actual capacity.
    Outcome
    Improving the accuracy of capacity forecast models helps ensure actual outcomes are in line with what was forecasted.
    Metric
    Actual capacity versus plan.
  • Practice
    Working with other business units, implement approaches to collate the organization's strategic direction, vision, business forecasts, and operational objectives as inputs into IT capacity forecasting.
    Outcome
    A more valid suite of possible scenarios informs IT capacity forecasts.
    Metric
    Number of IT capacity scenarios agreed between IT and other business units.
  • Practice
    Adopt standardized, semi-automated approaches to produce regular IT capacity plans.
    Outcome
    The production of IT capacity plans is more timely, efficient, and repeatable.
    Metrics
    • Cost and time to produce an IT capacity plan.
    • Percentage level of IT capacity model automation.
  • Practice
    Regularly communicate the IT capacity plan across key stakeholders within the IT function and to some other business units.
    Outcome
    IT and business stakeholders know about the capacity forecasts and their implications.
    Metrics
    • Frequency of IT capacity reporting.
    • Percentage of key stakeholders receiving the IT capacity reports.
4Advanced
  • Practice
    Establish and advocate the use of an escalation process for issues relating to data availability and data quality.
    Outcome
    Forecasts of capacity requirements are more likely to be accurate when there is a process to improve the quality of data inputs.
    Metrics
    • Actual capacity versus plan.
    • Percentage of inputs checked for quality.
  • Practice
    Regularly incorporate data on macro trends and patterns (such as industry and global economic trends) as input to capacity forecasting.
    Outcome
    The IT capacity plans are informed by input from outside the organization to provide more robust forecasts.
    Metric
    Number of external macro trends included in IT capacity planning.
  • Practice
    Plan regular meetings with all key stakeholders (for example, from HR, technical infrastructure management, facility management, service provisioning, and portfolio management) to take appropriate action over potential IT resource shortages or over-capacities.
    Outcome
    Proactive discussions take place across the organization to ensure IT capacity is aligned to current and future needs.
    Metric
    Number of IT capacity-related outages and performance issues.
5Optimized
  • Practice
    Regularly review and optimize the IT capacity models to improve the assumptions and modelling methodologies used — for example, based on agreed error tolerances.
    Outcome
    IT capacity plans are continually validated for accuracy to meet current and future business demands.
    Metric
    Frequency of IT capacity model reviews. Percentage deviation of actual capacity from forecasted capacity.
  • Practice
    Regularly review the communication approaches with all key stakeholders to identify improvement opportunities.
    Outcome
    Refined, business-centred capacity plans are clearly and regularly communicated to all key stakeholders, with tailored communications for each discrete audience.
    Metric
    Frequency of review with key stakeholders.

Reference

History

This capability was introduced in Revision 16 as a new critical capability.

It was deprecated in Revision 19.01, being updated by Capacity Forecasting and Planning (19.01).