Case study · pmo iq

Finding the overload before the resignation

The utilization heatmap showed what the status reports hid — one PM carrying three high-complexity projects at 140%.

Problem statement

The portfolio was green, but its best PM was at 140%.

A delivery organization tracked capacity in spreadsheets that were stale before the meeting ended. Overload surfaced only when someone escalated — or resigned. One senior PM had quietly absorbed three high-complexity projects; on paper the portfolio was green, in reality its best person was weeks from burning out.

Business objective

See the load

Real utilization per person and team, current and forecast.

Early warning

Overload flagged before it becomes attrition or a missed delivery.

Balance with data

Reassignment decisions based on capacity, not on who complains loudest.

Our solution

PMO iQ's capacity & utilization module.

(In design — distilled from a working PMO capacity system used in live portfolio practice.)

◆A live snapshot of today: engagements, complexity mix, utilization per PM.

◆Forecast by week and month: demand versus available capacity.

◆Overload and underload flags with the bottleneck map.

◆The early-warning system for the decisions that matter.

Results & impact

Before

Stale spreadsheets

Capacity data outdated before the meeting ended.

Overload by escalation

Problems visible only when someone broke.

Green on paper

The portfolio healthy while its best PM ran at 140%.

After

Load visible weeks early

Utilization per person, current and forecast.

Early-warning flags

Overload and underload with the bottleneck map.

Rebalancing by data

Reassignment decisions that survive scrutiny.