Delivery Ops
Part of Startup capacity planning
Planning temporary capacity for a launch by phase
Map launch work by phase, confirm scarce skills and cover, choose suitable temporary help, and set triggers for changing scope or dates.
Map the work before, during and after launch, then compare each phase’s workload with capacity people can actually provide. Confirm the skills, availability and arrangements needed to cover each gap before counting that help. Set triggers for changing the plan and owners for handing work back.
Map work by phase
Separate preparation, the release or campaign window, and follow-up enquiries, fulfilment and corrections. Give each task a deliverable, deadline and effort estimate, then total the effort by skill and phase. A launch may need specialist approval before release, more capacity during the peak and a smaller group for later cases.
Compare each phase’s estimated workload with the realistic capacity available in that time window. Count existing staff only after accounting for their ordinary duties and any cover those duties need; the remaining gap is the temporary capacity to arrange. Include access, training, supervision and handover time in the estimate.
Put existing customer work and routine operations on the same calendar. Mark work that can move, work that needs cover and work that must finish before launch proceeds. Moving a person to launch work does not create capacity if their normal duties still have no owner.
If a peak depends on an uncertain response, make a base plan using confirmed capacity and set a condition for adding help or limiting intake. Do not promise customer dates against people or suppliers who have only said they may be available.
Launch Work Phases and Temporary Capacity Planning
- Preparation PhaseMap tasks, estimate effort, identify skill gaps, confirm cover for existing duties, plan handover and training
- Release/Campaign Window (Peak)Deploy temporary staff or contractors, monitor workload vs. capacity, activate triggers if delays occur
- Follow-up Enquiries & FulfilmentManage corrections, return work to ongoing teams, release temporary help, review actual vs. planned demand
Confirm the scarce resource
For each phase, identify the constraint: a skill, approval slot, production resource, support coverage or supplier input. Record who is available, when, what they can do and what they need before starting. A helper who cannot use the system or make the required decision does not yet cover that stage.
| Phase | Work and deadline | Scarce resource | Confirmed cover | Trigger or fallback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preparation, peak or follow-up | Required result and due point | Skill, slot, equipment or input | Named person or agreed supplier arrangement | Condition for adding help, narrowing scope or moving a date |
Count cover only when the person or supplier arrangement and its availability are confirmed. Before starting, settle the work, timing, access, supervision and handover needed for that cover; do not include possible help in the capacity total.
Check what a temporary helper can finish independently and what must return for approval. Assign continuing ownership of corrections after the engagement ends. For an external service, confirm deliverables, access and handover under the actual agreement.
Choose suitable help
Options include moving non-urgent internal work, training current staff for a limited task, changing shifts under applicable arrangements, engaging an additional employee or buying a defined external service. Match the option to the specific shortfall: extra general hours will not clear a specialist approval bottleneck.
Temporary engagement types include fixed-term contract employees, casual employees and independent contractors. Choose an arrangement that fits the task and the cover required, and check the actual working arrangement rather than relying on a contractor label or invoice to determine status.
For employee cover, check the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth), Fair Work Ombudsman guidance, applicable pay rates and conditions, superannuation and tax obligations. Check relevant National Employment Standards and any applicable modern award or enterprise agreement, and confirm agreed hours and rostering before the person starts.
Compare options using the actual pay rate or service price, relevant obligations and the time needed for access, training, supervision and handover. Record the cost assumptions alongside the capacity each option provides, and do not treat an unconfirmed price or availability as settled cover.
Temporary Engagement Options for Launch Capacity
- Casual EmployeeBest for unpredictable peak hours; includes casual loading and entitlements under National Employment Standards
- Independent ContractorUse only if genuine independence is proven; avoid misclassification under Fair Work Ombudsman rules
- Internal Staff Re-allocationMove non-urgent work to free up time; ensure normal duties are covered and handover is managed
Pros and Cons of External Service vs. Internal Re-allocation
- External Service (e.g., contractor)Pros: Fast access to specialist skills; Cons: Risk of misclassification, higher cost, longer onboarding
- Internal Re-allocationPros: Lower risk, faster integration, no new compliance burden; Cons: May disrupt ongoing work if not managed
Decide when to change course
Name an owner to compare actual launch work with the phase plan. Set an observable trigger and an action: if the queue cannot be cleared before promised dates, pause an optional promotion, offer a later start, activate agreed cover or reduce scope. A supplier delay or unavailable reviewer may require the same decision before the queue grows.
Do not promise revised customer dates against unconfirmed capacity. An authorised person should settle any revised customer offer before it is promised.
After the peak, release help that is no longer needed and transfer open work to continuing owners. Compare planned demand with what occurred, and record which confirmed cover was usable when needed and which ordinary commitments were affected.
